Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-31
Looker-On In Iona

Union. March 3l-One would hardly
think that the illustrated papers could
afford the expense, that such work
would be broader than 1t 10 long" but
it must pay out for the system IL Kept
up year after year. There are at work
now in Iowa and probably In other
states teams" OF men, in charge OF q
general agent, who canvass ecen the
small towns, taking orders for the
magazine at 10 cents a week, and from
three to five big books thrown In,
the whole business for 81 paid down
and the balance to be paid to the local
bank every month. In the larger towns
collector makes the rounds three or
four times year. It's all square deal
and this surprising part Of 1t, is 80
many bite" at this 10 cents week. I"
and a large number Of such subscribe
crs can not afford to take county
weekly. But getting those three big
books seems to catch 'em.
There's another work going on here
that is beginning to show results and
that is the work Of the socialists, in
getting subscribers for their publica-
tons and holding meetings for a week
or so in towns where there seems to be
an opening. This kind Of work Is dine
by men who really think they have a
mission. One Of them told the writer
he gets his travelling expenses and
nothing more out Of 1t. Another car
penter said he got nothing for his work
only commission on his subscriptions
and passing the hat" when he had
a meeting in the open air or some
small hall or empty store room. I'm
questionably these men are very much
in earnest and are not in the business
for what money there is in it.
And the medicine show troupe ana
the salve Of medicine seems to be Ian
gushing for some reason. Perhaps be-
cause the writer has not run onto them
lately. Not so long age there was a
medicine show in town where the
writer happened to be. The doctor. the
lecturer, was q well preserved woman
of so In addition to the medical de-
part!nent she had full charge Of the
evenings entertainment. Arranged the
program, selected the music and had
charge of the afternoon rehearsal. In
fact was the whole show. And from
hotel office was making a barrel Of
money" What worried her that day.
was she was afraid the medicine. so
many dozen bottles, would not arrive
in time for tonight" "She had arr
to the hail." and II the performers
would only sell few bottles till that
MT
carpenter told this scribe he paid SO for
three bottles. Are you or your family
lsck?" was the natural question. mo"
said the mechanic. but that's great
stuff to have in the house II any one
does get SICK
And what has become OF the street
corner orator. The whip man that
lets you draw IS with a 25 cent whip.
The soap man. the Jewelry dealer. the
auctioneer that sold things wrong end
to. started the diamond ring at $40 and
kept coming down in SELF made bids
till somebody got bargain at so cents.
What's become Of all these geniuses.
Some years ago at Logan, going out Of
the rear door into the yard Of the
hotel the writer saw young man
UlluS OUT u Tie hltCllSU d OH, UldCk
kettle OF hot steaming stuff. A few
questions brought out the fact this
young fellow had been at times one Of
these "geniuses." Now he was strap
ped and had got TO make a raise. He
had been over to the grocery store and
got quarters worth OF hard, white
soap To the fair store and purchased
cents worth Of oolored paper and to
the druggist and bought IS cents worth
Of wintergreen extract. The hot stun
in the kettle was the soap dissolved
in water. He had mold into which
he dipped from a big spoon enough
to make six cakes Of soap the size
Of your little finger and half as long.
When cooled he wrapped each piece in
colored paper After dinner he was
on a dry goods box on the corner max
ing his Spiel" For the small sum OF
25 cents they could buy the most Won
derful tooth soap on earth. His tooth
brush was dipped in a tumbler Of water.
then rubbed on a cake OF the wonder
full" And then the lati1er that filed his
mouth and ran down on his chin was
wonderful. Before he could empty his
mouth the quarters began to come his
way He sold s1S worth that after
noon and evening. No swindle about
IT, 1t was good soap, pure wintergreen
and nice paper.