The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-12-10
ANCIENT ADVERTISING.
The Debris OF Iscrcuianeum and poHa-
pcii IL Uttered with signs
and Notices.

Clinging TO the mumbling court crier
is the odor of the first advertise
Ing medium 70 appear In his
tory. He is an adaptation OF
the showy courier whom the king Of
old was wont to send out into the high
ways and byways to make proclamation
OF his latest whlm and command
obedience of his subjects to IL. His
worth as an agent for the dissemlna-
tion among the people was not lost on
the shop keepers OF those primitive days,
and they speedily took him unto them
selves for purposes OF their own, says the
New York Herald.
The Greek tradesmen sent musicians
with him on his rounds 10 cry their
wares. and he tickled the ear Of the
aesthetic people of Athens by chanting
the merits Of his employers offerings
rather than shock them with rude shouts,
In less remote days he was the favor
ite Of the wine merchants of Paris; and.
so that the good folks OF the city might
see that hs spoke nothing but the truth
about the wine. he carried at either end
of pole that rested on his shoulders
a bucket OF the vintoges he er!ed on the
crowd to sampe
with characteristic keenness the
tradesmen turned into crier every man
whose business brought him into public
view. Orators were paid for putting as
a side line. There are records OF bar
gains even with priests 10 extol goods
from their pulpts. In return they were
10 have them furnished 10 them at first
price. The old belman of London who
stole out from his den hourly days and
night to sound his bell and announce the
hour often found an Incidental profit In
the function Of rousing the early work.
ers from their sumhers. He Is still go-
ing the rounds in some OF the ancient and
remote localities Of the realm.
Though. as has been noted. the crler
was not an unfamiliar figure IN Greece,
the anclents as n rule preferred the writ
ten signs for communicating intelligence.
Hieroglvphic notices Of their entertaln-
ments and their business were traced
on parchment and posted In the most
public places In the British museum Is
an advertisement OF reward for a run
away slave written on papyrus 3 3eo0
years ago and exhumed from the ruins
OF Thebes
The debris Of Herculaneum ard pom-
psii is Uttered with signs aud notices.
How like the bill Of modern toxlns
bout are the announcement or q rirdla-
torla poster that there will be an awn-
Ing 10 keep OF the sun" and notices n
side shows 10 hceulle the spar charge
out Of the pockets OF tho small boy and
the rustlcsl
But the favorite advertising certers
with the ancient Graels we're tht tenn
pies OF their gods People With Friev-
ances were wont to exploit them on
parchment and hang The written scroll
20 the ears, the nose, fhe head. the eve
Ids OF the images Of the avsnelse
deiilas TN the temple looked like mod
cra bin posters display room. Al tho
start they were only tho deYout app ais
OF the suffering for relief or vengeance,
and the most minute details we're record
ed only that the rectifylne deity might
not be left 20 act in the dark But In
course OF time every one who wished 10
expose or abuse his nelghhor resorted 10
the subterfuge OF writing the story TO the
gods and taeklne II under the deity's
nose for every one else but the god TO
read and gossip about
These Inscriptions drew crowds Of the
curious, eager for the news and scandals
Of the neighborhood They moved from
one 10 the other Of the placards as II
they were tho scattered fragments Of a
yellow journal In time those who had
to dsal with the multitude began to
flock to the temples to promote their
business fakirs. jugglers, money lend
ers, women Of no account. all seeking
whom they might devour.
ANTIsEPTIc WRAPPING PAPER