The Washington herald., 1915-09-19

Inent MS own. he likes II. I've
learned that the surest kind of copy
is the slow, insidious kind, like the
Featnerioom Petticoat Company's
campaign. That was an ideal cam
paign because it didn't urge and in
sist that the public buy Featherlooms.
1t just eased the idea to them. 1t
started by sketching a history of the
petticoat, beginning with Ewes fig
leaf and working up. Before they
knew it they were interested
"'That so? That campaign was
your mothers idea, McChesney.' You
know. Mother, he thinks you're a
wonder"
! $50 l am," agreed Emma McChes-
ney calmly go on"
:! well, I went on. I told him that
I'd learned to stand so that the light
wouldn't shine in my clients eyes
when 1 was talking to him. I lost
a big order once because the glare
from the window irritated the man l
was talking to. told Berg all the
tricks I'd learned, and some 1 hadn't
! thought of till that minute. Berg put
in a word now and then. l thought
he was sort of guying me, as he some
times does-not unkindly, you know,
but in that quiet way he has. Finally
l stopped for breath, or something,
and he said:
"'Now let me talk a minute, Nc
I Chesney. Anybody can teach you the
essentials of the advertising business,
if you've any advertising instinct in
you. But it's what you pick up on
the side, by your own efforts and out
of your own experience, that lifts you
out of the scrub class. Now l don't
think you're an ideal advertising man
by any means, McChesney. You're
( shy on training and experience, and
you've just begun to acquire that
! golden quality known as balance. I
better all-around advertising men than
you will ever be. Those men have ad-
vertising ability that glows steadily
and evenly, like well-banked FIRE.
But you've got the kind of ability that
| flares up, dies down, flares up. But
every fare is real blaze that lights
things red while it lasts, and sends
new glow through the veins of busi-
| ness. You've got personality, and
youth, and enthusiasm, and a pre-
cious spark of the real thing known
as advertising genius. There's no de-
scribing it. You know what l mean.
Also, you know enough about actual
advertising not to run an ad for a
| hve-thousand-dollar motor car in the
Police Gazette All of which leads up
to this question: How would you like
to buy your neckties in Chicago, Nc
Chesney"
"'Chieagop blurted.
"'We've taken a suite of offices in
the new Lakeview Building on Mich
igan avenue. Would you like your Of
fee done in mahogany or oak?"
Jock came to full stop before his
mother. His cheeks were scarlet Hers
were pale. He was breathing quickly.
She was very quiet. His eyes glowed.
So did hers, but the glow was dimmed
by mist.
"Mahogany's richer, but make it
oak, son. 1t doesn't show fnger-marks
So" Then, quite suddenly, She stood
up, shaking little, and buried her
face in the boys shoulder.
"Why-why, Mother! Don't! Don't,
Blonde. Well see each other every
few weeks. I'll be coming to New
York to see the sights, like the rest
of the rubes, and suppose the noise
and lights will confuse me so that III
be glad to get back to the sylvan |
quiet of Chicago. And then you'll run
out there, eh? Well have regular !
bats. Mrs. Mack. Dinner and the the
ater and supper! Yes?"
"Yes," said Emma McChesney, in
muff1ed tones that totally lacked en-
thusiasm.
"Chicago's really only suburb of
New York, anyway these days,
Emma McChesney's head came up
sharply. Look here, son. If you're
going to live in Chicago I advise you
to cut that suburb talk, and sort of
forget New York. Chicago's quite a
village, for an inland settlement, even
if it has only two or three million peo-
pie, and lake as big as all outdoors.
That kind of talk won't elect you to
the University Club, SON."
So they talked, all through supper
and during the evening. Rather, Jock
talked and his mother listened, inter
rupting with only an occasional re-
mark when the bubble of the boys
elation seemed to grow too great
Quite suddenly Jock was silent:
After the almost incessanf rush OF
conversation quiet settled down
strangely on the two seated there in
the living-room with. its soft-shaded
lamps. Jock picked up a magazine
twirled its pages, put it down, strolled
into his own room, and back again.
Mother" he said suddenly, stand
ing before her, there was time when
you were afraid wasn't going to pan
out, wasn't there"
"Not exactly afraid, dear, jus:
little doubtful, perhaps" i
Jock smiled . tolerant, forgiving
smile. "You see, Mother. you didn't
understand, that's all. A woman
doesn't. ! was all right A man would
have realized that. I don't mean, dear,
that you haven't always been wonder