The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-06-17

billboards and posters that greet the
eye at every turn. Although in the
past few years the use of misleading /
headlines has somewhat died out. A |
feature as much open to criticism has
taken its place.
Patent medicines usually have pic /
ture of learned looking gentleman,
with a massive, high brow, dignifYing |
whiskers ana in Henry George atti-
tude. The advertisement explains that
this celebrated professor has spent the
greater part of his life compromising
the formula of this medicine and will
now bestOw it on his fellow Een at the
rate of one dollar er bottle. Ii one is
to believe the Testimonials the disease
that this compound will not cul e is yet
to be discovered.
Again we find this headline: "Thou-
sands of Dollars Given Away Free"
(the word Stree" in large capitals.) Ore
of the most familiar of these something
for-nothing catches reads somewhat
like the following: The first prize will
be 81 ,0O000 in gold, second $4,000 and
so forth. The conditions are that first
you solve word puzz'e consisting of a
number of given letters which II cor
rectly placed will spell the names of
the four largest cities in America.
Note carefully: Not the names of four
large cities, but the four largest cities.
Any one with the average amount of
wit will smile after rea ling this-the
solution being SO absolutely simple
and rert ad to see il they can find the
joker, but nothing is said of sending
the somewhat customary ten cents.
The joker is in the conditions-frst
solve the puzzle. After you have seEt
in your solution they will tell you the
rest of the conditions, which generally
are that you dispose of the package of
junk they send consisting of dozen
or more brass pins and ringe, which
cost to manufacture a trifle over the
cents each. After you have sold the
lot, send them the money and they will
SCI nd another package. The prizes will
be awarded to those who sell the larg st
amount tefore certain date. This is
all within the letter Of tie law, but it
reminds me of the man who plays the
wheel of fortui at the country fair
He wins conditionally, but before the
seductive gentleman whoruns the game
is through explaining the conditions il
the man is not wiser, at least his pocket
book is not so heavy load to carry.
It affords the writer few moments
of silent merriment every time he sees
the advertisement of a certain commits
sion house in Missouri paper. Your
eye is first attracted by picture re
sembling the head of a cowboy with {
smile on his face, to use borrowed ex
preston, sthat max es it look like hal
cut of cantaloupe." And you reat
something along these lines: "This il
picture of ice Goose hustling cattl,
raiser from Sandy Bottoms. He arrived
in our city last week with a fine drov'
of shorthorns. Joe raises good cattl
and knews where to get the best price
for them-at Blank Commissi. Co.
The publicity agent of this firm is wis
beyond his generation. The benefit
: from this advertisement are many.
is sure to increase the circulation of tn
: paper, as Joe will take several copie
:, to his friends in Sandy Bottoms. Man
!, of them not to be outdone by Joe wi
), patronize this commission company an
Joe-well, he has the pleasure of bein
!, featured by the newspapers.
: r. p.