Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-05-12
A LESSON IN ADVERTISING.
How Henry w. Grady Convinced a
GEORGIA Merchant.

The practical joke on Sam d. Jones,
the manufacturer, which has afforded
so much amusement In Atlanta, vivid
ly recalls q prank played on exactly
the same lines by Henry w. Grady 80
years ago.
Henry Grady was at that time liv-
ing In Rome and edited the Daily
Commercial of that city. Following
the hard lines which always encom-
passed the pathway of daily journal
ism In Rome up to the present hap
pier time, Grady. although editor-in-
chief, was also one Of the most dill
gent advertising solicitors In Rome.
He made a special plea for the Rouns-
avilles, one Of the largest business
houses Of the Hill City. who were
rather coy and not overly disposed to
be liberal in printers ink. But they
stoutly asserted that nobody read ad-
vertisements, and that 1t would not
pay them to advertise their business
In the Commercial.
Henry Grady stoutly argued the 9TH
er side, and finding the merchants OBJ
durate, finally left them with this
statement: well, I will insert a small
advertisement for you free In the
Commercial tomorrow, and IL the re-
suit does not prove that people do
read advertisements. and that adver-
tising pays. I will promise never to
trouble you again, and II you'll prom
ise to advertise in the Commercial II
the result proves to you that people
do read advertisements?
To this the Rounsavilles consented
and the editor withdrew. The next
morning there appeared in an obscure
corner of the Commercial a brief
want advertisement declaring that the
firm of Rounsaville Bros, were anx-
ious to secure before the end Of the
week. as many cats Of all kinds and
Of all ages as they could get to their
store.
When the heads Of the firm reached
their office on the morning following
the advertisement the scene was one
which they are likely never to for
get. Wagons were ranged for 40 ol
so yards up against the platform
which made entrance to their store
and men, women and children. from
the city and from the country, with
bags in their hands and cats In theil
arms, mounting way past the hun
dreds and up into the thousands, stood
there clamoring for the attention o.
the proprietors to their answer to tht
want advertisement Mr.. Grady hac
inserted the day before In the dali!
Commercial.
Such an array or collection Of cat
had never before been seen in Rome
or in north Georgia. Gray cats anc
black cats, tom cats and tabby cats
old cats and young cats. cats in arms
cats in baskets, cats in cages, cats
quiet and cats mewing, cats with
backs arched and cats softly purring
all there and waiting for the Rouns'
avilles.
The news Of the incident had sprea!
over the town and nearly one-half Of
the population had come to see tho
Rounsavilles convinced by Henry Gra'
dy that advertising paid.
1t only remains to be said that out
of the overwhelming mass of proof
furnished by the farmers of Rome and
Of Floyd county, the Rounsavilles die
not take long to discover the truth oi
Grady's proposition, and the columns
of the Commercial from that time for.
ward were never without the an.
nouncement Of the big and prosperous
firm that has done business there fol
so many years.