The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-28
Eoening Story

By FRANK H. WILLIAMS.


believed that thru advertising 1t is pos
the winning for himself of the girl he
adored.
Sam, tho holding the important po-
sition OF advertising manager for the
famous Gigantic Department Store.
was still shy and tonsue-tied when
it came to question of popping the
all-important question to the lady of
his heart. Mary Stewart. Mary was
pretty and sweet and wholly worth
adoring. Many men, like Sam. felt
that she would make an ideal wife;
but to all of them. including Sam
Mary was impartially friendly and I'M
sentimental.
Several times Sam had endeavored
to come to the point, but every time
his courage had failed him. He had
never yet put his fortunes to the test.
Red and silent, he had let many OPP
portunities pass, until now. with other
men forging to the front in the race
for Mary's hand, he felt desperate.
1t was at this crucial moment in his
career that Sam determined TO place
his dependence upon advertising.
"I can write ads" Sam told himself.
that bring women into the Gigantic
Store by the drcves. l sure ought to
myself to Mary. I'm going to try it,
anyhow. II 1 don't I'll just lose out
entirely, and that's all there is to it,
Having come to this conclusion, Sam
began writing rapidly on pad Of
paper on his desk Every now and
then he gazed upward at the ceiling
while concentrating his thoughts But
for the most part he wrote swiftly,
without stopping. When he had fin
ally finished he reread his work with
considerable satisfaction.
This is what he had written:
Marry man who adores you!
You will be much happier mar
ried to man who adores you than
if you marry a man who doesn't care
SO very much. There is a certain man
who is wild about you and who has
been wild about you for years. Who
is he? Watch for the next letter.
There" said Sam to himself, when
he had finished reading the sheet,
that will get her attention. and the
first step in selling goods thru adver-
Using is to secure the attention of the
prospective purchaser. Next comes
the arousing of the interest of the
prospective buyer. and, thirdly and
finally, the inducing of the leader to
buy. Two more letters ought to do
the trick for me. I'll send this letter
today. letter No. . tomorrow and the
third letter on the day after that
Sam placed the sheet in an en-
velope and addressed it to Mary. Then
he threw the envelope into the out
going mail tray on his desk.
The next day Sam wrote the second
Of his series of ads. This second ad
read as follows:
1.-THE man who adores you is shy.
at is because he's shy that he's
never gotten up enough courage - tell
yo1 how much he cares for You. But
he does care, deeply and sincerely. and
once the ice is broken he'll tell you
just how deeply and sincerely, all
right. Who is this man? Perhaps
But, anyhow, watch for tomorrow's
letter. His identity will be revealed
in tomorrow's letter.
Sam did with this second ad as he
had done with the first-he placed it
in an envelope and, after addressing It
to Mary, threw it into the outgoing
mail tray.
Sans final ad. read like this:
THE MAN WHO AZORES YOU IS
SAM WALLACE.
Eve always been too shy to tell
you how much I care for you. So
I'm telling you about it thru these lit
tie letters. If there is any chance for
you see me. If there isn't any chance,
just nod to me but don't smile. That's
all. You know everything now and
will know everything when I see you
the next time"
1t was only natural that Sans
heart should beat considerably faster
than normal as he placed this last ad.
in an envelope, directed it to Mary
and placed it in the outgoing mail
tray.
"Geei' he said to himself. I'm GER
tainly glad I've done it. It was the
only thing to do. I'd never in the
world have gotten UP enough courage
to ask her personally and I simply
couldn't keep on going without know
ing how I stand. Now I wonder will
IL rr-f1I oh rail- ~ ~
me when she sees me?"
Now Sam was not only a shy young
man but also an impulsive young man.
Some weeks before he had purchased
an engagement ring-a ring that was
a beauty in all particulars. just the
right sized stone and just the proper
sort of a setting. He had thought. at
the time of his purchase, that he'd
make a mass attack, as it were, upon
Mary.
He'd show her the stone and then.
before his courage failed him. slip it
on her engagement finger and trust
to luck that she would allow 1t to
stay there. But Sam had never made
this mass attack. The ring still re-
posed in his vest pocket. He had
never found the courage to show 1t to
Mary, let alone place it upon her
finger.
Now I wonder" muttered Sam as,
after finishing his third ad., he took
the ring out and looked at it. 81
wonder will Mary ever-wear this ring
or not?"
Sans excitement grew during that
night. BY the morning of the day
after he had placed his final ad. in
the outgoing mail tray his nerves
were ragged and he simply couldn't
sit still.
by all the rules of Advertising"
Sam told himself, "those ads ought
to do the trick. But win they? n
haven't heard a word from her II
haven't seen a sign of her. Is that a
good or bad sign? What am I TO
think about it?"
During the day Sam heard moth
ing from Mary nor caught any sight
of her. And as the day dragged to its
dreary close his spirits sank. He felt