The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-06
CHAPTER xIX.-Continued.

Before the special meeting Of the club,
which was held the next week, the fol-
lowing letter came in reply:
''To the Executive Board of the Nota
Bene Club: LADIES' have your favor of
the goth ult.. and hasten to acknowledge
1t. At the same time I regret that do
not see my way clear to change the name
Of my shoe, which your president will tell
you is a good one, and will reflect luster
on your honorable association. thank
you for your offer to help me select an
other name, but am quite satisfied with
the one I have chosen. And 7 have the
honor to be, your very obedient servant,
John A. Biggs."
The special meeting was a repetition Of
this with more women to add to the
confusion, and a few to back up Mrs.
Henry and save the situation from be-
coming completely ridiculous. The records
Of the board meeting were read to the
club, the officers seeming to stand by
me, with two or three exceptions. One
woman complained openly that had used
the club stationery, though how she knew
I could not tell. And the upshot Of the
meeting was another letter to John Biggs,
demanding in strong terms that he give
| up the use Of our name, and limiting at
| legal proceedings In the event of his re-,
fusal.
| Within five days came his reply, adj
| dressed to the whole club: &
II regret exceedingly that the good
ladies Of the Nota Bene club do not entire
Fly appreciate my cordial intention Of pay
| ing them a compliment in naming my
! shoe the 'Nota Bene,' but must reiterate
| that it is impossible to change. AS for
| the matter of legal proceedings, I would
| advise, while you are at liberty to appeal
to whatever authorities you may choose,
that you should not be hasty. AS
II have registered the name 'Nota
Bene' as my trademark. 1t Will
be understood that nothing now can
prevent my using it, and in fact, that If
it came to a question Of the giving up
of the name, it would be necessary for
the club to find another, as we now own
it. and only by our sufferance can the
club use it any longer. At the same time,
we are honored by such use OF the name,
and trust that you will still continue its
honorable and intelligent conduct as in the
past" ..s
When showed this to my colleagues
they fairly gasped. $751;.
'.IIe Is right" said Mrs. Henry. "The
Judge says If he has it registered as 8
trademark we can do nothing. Now, lei
us try to settle the thing, and quiet the
perturbed spirits who think their honor
has been impeached."
| But we had not seen the last of it
The next month in all the leading maya.
zines there was a full-page advertisement
of the Nota Bene shoe, giving not only thu
history Of the affair, but reproducing thu
correspondence, even to the imprint Of ou
club stationery which came near being
the last straw that broke the back of tn
deposition. Then the newspapers took
| up, and we came in for our share Of ridi
cule as well as the sympathy Of a few
| clubwomen.
"You see," said Minnie Morrison, II
has been simply too good to keep. Club
women don't know how funny they ar
when they let themselves loose. Here the
have been blaming you and talking OF i'm
peaching you for using the club station
cry for your letter to Brother Biggs, an
then they so1emnly go and indite an epis
tie themselves on the same paper. OF
Inconsistency, thy other name is Not
Bene! And Biggsy had 'em on the hi
when he impaired the information the
he owned the name and If anybody ha
to give it up it would be you clubwomel
How funny it would be if he took it
the courts and made you change you
ia cognomen."
40 I'm glad you think SOL I replied wit
IN as much hauteur as 7 dared assume wit
m her. ITO me the situation is anythi1
. but funny. wish T had never seen h
as shoe" -r.~ &
on But, bad as it was, found it cou
re- be worse, for the very next Sunday L
in perfume dealer, taking his cue from t
is shoe manufacturer, came out with
of advertisement displaying my little e
comium in bold type and referring to I
ng as pres,oe1u NJ o. .le la1sess sluo ~ II.
Nv Henry, who threatened legal proceedin
no If they used my name again without pe
ha mission. At last I had begun to lea
IL of the folly of accepting gifts from a
il]z vertisers and to realize most uncomfol
ia ably my value in the economic world
wn The affair blew over after many wee!
are but it was a bitter, If an enlightening, 6
nd perience. III.