The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-29
New View of Want Ads.

Atlanta Journal
 were discussing their favorfte newspa- per literature recently, and during a rather unique observation concerning the nT;Stnd %ant s6 ad Rags; of all the pages of the reading public" he said, ''the most interesting is the want ad page"
 Has 1t ever occurred to you to look on ing matter, as well as for something you may need in your business or household? Possibly you have never considered it in and think it over you W wi viii at least E un9 e defstand the cause for the statement quoted above.
 pose of or something to acquire the first means that ocurs to him whereby he may get that want satisfied is the want columns of a daily newspaper. Frequent change is something rare or valuable or possessed of some other interesting qual- ity. It is not the exception to the rule t is the rule itself Thus 1t is that the want column becomes focus for countless numbers of the most engaging notices of salable or exchankeable ar ticles. and often those articles are the very ones the reader has long sought for in valn. Strange and unheard of things are advertised and names and places that strike the fancy of the imaginative as picturesque are frequently mentioned
 Every human being of mature age is naturally bargain hunter. The desire most frequently felt in the human breast today is to obtain something for the least possible price, or in other words, a bar gain. The want ad page of a newspaper the most popular public bargain counter and when 1t is understood that in ma tority of the cases the bargain displayed Is of unique or picturesque. character. the fascination 1t holds for the average bargain hunter is readily observed. Men, women and children of all ages, sizes and temperaments are contributors to this bargain counter, and it is undoubtedly true also that they are in time to become patrons of it. The interesting feature of 1t. however. is the contributions they ner in which they describe them and the terms on which they propose to sell or exchange. The page. therefore, is noth. ing less than a first rate chronicle of hu- man nature itself, and the student of hu- man nature can find vast store of in- formation in it every day.
 It is altogether new light to many, perhaps. this light in which the want ad page Is pictured. To the casual reader it may hold nothing more than statements of cold facts. To the close observer close observersO it offers an opportunity for hours and hours Of instructive as well as entertaining literature.
 Try it for yourself and see if it proves interesting. Pick up your daily and turn to the want ad page, then read through 1t in search of information that strikes your nancy aS entertaining. In nine cases out of ten there is something that you will put away in the storehouse of your memory. At times you will find a friend or acquaintance advertising something or for something you never dreamed he pos sessed or desired. This will give you perhaps, a new light of his character, and there you have been more than re- paid for the time spent in perusal If the entire page. Do not run through 1t hur- riedly, but weigh every fact it contains and if you do not find on laying aside the paper that you have spent an interesting space of time. then you have failed to nurture that queer little spark of nature called interest in things human here be- low