The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1917-08-24

There Mas a Simultaneous Migra-
ton Of the Local Merchants and
Dealers-Riehts Enoroaohed Upon by
a Dangerous Outside System.
Copyrighted. 1914. by Thomas j. Sullivan.l
Napoleon said that Imagination rules
the world. 1t is the divine attribute of
the imagination that when the real
world is shut out 1t can create a world
for itself and with a necromantic
power can c~onjure up glorious shapes
and forms and brilliant visions to
make solitude populous and eradicate
the gloom OF dungeons.
Just Surprising.
To better exemplify the range and
possibilities Of the human Imagination
we will give a little imaginary" con
versation which took place in the cozy
cottage of William and Alice Spencer
on q recent evening.
william, you asked me what l
would do If the butcher, the baker, the
grocer, the druggist, the shoe dealer.
the lumberman. the coal merchant, the
hardware dealer and dry goods mer-
chant should pack up and leave town
on an everlasting vacation" said Alice.
why, that's easy. | would get my
goods from the mail order houses, of
course"
No Catalogue House Credit.
But" persisted William. suppose
you were broke, as usualT"
"Oh," said Alice, that's so. l could
not get credit from the catalogue
houses; neither could | inspect the
stock and select the best, nor could |
take anything back and exchange it,
In most cases. and If there was any
thing broken | would have to file q
claim with the railroad company, and
it would take the better part of a
year to settle 1t, If at all"
And supposlng you wanted ONE
thing in a hurry" suggested William.
That's so" said Alice. Il would
have to stock up like a lumber camp,
as 1t takes from two weeks to the
end of time to get anything from those
mail order concerns. And, william. |
would not want to buy meat by mail;
l want to see what kind ! am getting.
Well. we would just have to live with
out meat, that's all.
No Garden Truck by Mail.
Garden stuff-yes, we would want 1t
fresh; no, not by mail, thank you. And
bread-your mother could make that,
as you always said your mother could
make better bread than |. My. but |
hope the baker won't go, thought
Alice cheered up when william
5milingly reminded her this was but
an imaginary absence of the town mer-
But the CHEEKY smile on Alice's face
lasted only a moment, as William tan
talizingly inquired how about getting
shoes for her dainty little Chicago
feet.
"Shoesr' cried Alice. "Whoever heard
Of any one with pride or corns buying
shoes without first trying them on
yes, trying on mostly everything in the
And then what about getting
soled while you wait? Oh, no; we must
have a shoe dealer anyway" answered
Alice.
William Becomes Excited Too.
Then William took the floor and
bodied forth the following words of
wisdom:
Yes, hardware; Ire | might borrow
pound of nails or a couple of screws
Brother Charles, II he had them.
have you any idea, Alice. how
heavy nails and screws and hardware
are? No? Well. | have, and freight
bills on that class Of stuff are ruinous.
No, Alice; a town without a hardware
store is a bum town, and II our hard
ware man is going to move | am too.
And, besides, we want a lumber yard
and coal yard. | don't want to buy
lumber and coal in car load lots"
But, William. this is only imagi.
nary" said Alice.
No Dead Town For Him.
Tell you what, Alice" continued
William; should this imaginary Dusl-
ness become real and the retail cata.
logue houses put our local merchants
out Of business and force them to
seek other locations Id be with you.
I'd go. too. for who could or would
live In a dead town? We couldn't"
And, come to think It over. vii
liam, | believe those mail order con
Germs are encroaching upon our rights
and the rights Of our local merchants.
and | for n am willing to join with
you and the rest Of the citizens Of
this community In an effort to adjust
differences that will rebound to the
welfare Of the entire countryside, en-
bracing all the peOple-men. women
and children"
The Small Town Killer.
Notwithstanding that this is only an
imaginary situation. It Is too true
that a condition of this sort is to be
experienced in thousands VI the small