The Wants Of Jtillions
(By Hughston M. IMeBain) would be to his benefit to run it a She had already spent more than usually busy, I glanced up and noticed
A so-called Want Ad is a peculiar, week. For he would not only be sure $50.00 advertising with no results for the arm of a man which was resting
uncanny thing. Its slient message is of getting results, but would get a her. However, we tried to assure her on the counter. It was artificial, but
.d o.e , cheaper rate, and have the privilege that one running of this ad would rent appeared very neat and the hand was
carried out over an entire city, over of cancellation and a proportionate her rooms. The ad read as follows: covered with k black kid glove. He
an entire country, and still, in a larg- refund at any time he wanted. So the Harper Avenue, 1111, To Rent, the gave me an ad a short time later which
er sense, it travels all around the man agreed, thinking he was getting most unusual one and two room suites read similar to the following:
world. It is read by all classes of a real bargain. I feel rather ashamed for housekeeping in the city. They are FOR SALE-Durrand's Artificial Arm.
people, in all kinds of homes, and, if when I say that the week's insertion beautifully furnished, including gas Perfect condition, forced to sell,
cost him exactly $9.90. range, Leonard icebox, linens, silver- cheap for cash. Only been used three
properly used, has a pulling power ware, with each suite. They are newly weeks. Phone, etc.
You see, Tribune ads are not merely wek.Ponec
that knows no limit. "taken." Each solicitor attempts and decorated. Large closets are in every H
takenninigayfuthIrom niea anr i nse. He wanted to run the ad three days,
Before continuing any furtehr, usually succeeds in 'soliciting" the room. An ideal laundry is furnished I mst admit it was with a tinge
want to narrow down the broad field customer not merely to take a short The suites rent for $13.50 to $16.50 ad u s adm n i was withea t
of Want Ad mediums to one of the ad for one day but to make the ad per week and will surely appeal t charge him $6.00 When a fellow gets
greatest. I shall consider in this longer and run it for "say a week." a married couple of refinement." She chare h $ he a fello gets
recevedmoretha sevntypersnalso hard uip that he has to sell a limb,
article only experiences I had while This is done not merely to increase received more than seventy personal -well, few of us would envy him.
working for a newspaper with the the Tribune's funds, but with the sin- calls, rented every suite (nine of them)
largest morning daily circulation in cere desire to show people how to use from one insertion. She came into th neat appearing man came In. He gave
America; namely, The Chicago' the classified columns to their best office a few days later, thanked us for nea apeaig ma ca He ae
America;rto namelyuh mneysme an ad which read that he wanted
Tribune. The Tribune is a leader n advantage. If-they follow the advice forcing her to spend so much money e try-outs for a vaudeville skit he
the Want Ad field. tI prnts more given them, proper results will be ob- on one ad, and said she had never
than all the other newspapers in Chi- tained. Instead of knocking want-ads made a better investment, was gettisg up. He wanted them to
report to him at 2 o'clock. After figur-
cago combined, in the future, they will become boost- To the average casual reader of the ing up the cost of the ad-I believe it
During 1920 the Tribune printed ers and firm believers, want ads, the Personal classification came to $2.50 for one insertion on the
more than a million and a half want Sometimes, as in the example given seems to be the most interesting. Many following morning-I told him what
ads. And, literally, they expressed above, this soliciting is carried to ex- people have asked what kind of people it would cost per day. He evidently
'The Wants of Millions!", for behind tremes. Yet as a whole anyone will run these ads. It's a hard question wasn't accustomed to Tribune rates,
each single little ad there is a story. come out on top by following advice to answer, for all kinds of people run for the price seemed exhorbitant to
There is a story of humans, a story given them by a newspaper that knows personal ads from the young man who him. He said, "Vell, vy can't you give
of an end to be attained. The great the game from one end to the other. wishes a companion for his automo- it to me for just a few hours? I don't
majority of these "stories behind the One instance of the proper use of bile trip to California to "Leo" who vant it a whole day!" Come to find
ads" are never unearthed. Yet, on a want ad comes to my mind. A Mrs. wishes "J. J." to know that everything out, he had expected the ad to appear
the oher hand, one occasionally learns Smith of Harper Avenue had a talk is all right at home and to come at that noon and wanted the try-outs to
the great -stories of human wants; with me one day about renting her once. Yet the vast majority of per- report to him that very afternoon.
humorous, sad, peculiar they are, yet housekeeping suites. She was a wid- sonal ads received are rejected. Only Even the evening newspapers closed
all, interesting, ow and keeping these rooms rented those ads bearing a direct communi- their forms to want-ads at 10 o'clock
One day a man came into the office was her sole means of support. She cation from one person to another or in the morning.
and wanted to advertise a baby car- had, it seemed, run a two line ad in an ad announcing that someone "is It might be well to mention a word
riage for sal. The cab was all he several Chicago papers for three weeks not responsible. for debts contracted about the price of Tribune ads. Nat-
had to sell; the price $10.00 was stat- with only one inquiry. Of course she by my wife, etc" are acceptable. One urally, many people are taken back
ed in the ad. He intended to put it was losing money every day, and was day a fellow wanted to be fixed up when they find out that the cheapest
in one daily edition, but an over-zeal- loath to go into an enpenditure of $7.50 with a Personal to "My Birthday ad the Tribune accepts (not including
ous solicitor convinced him that it for a single ad which we fixed up. Lady"; another wanted to mak a situation wanted classification) is
"date" with Mary at a certain corner, $1.00 per issue, and that Is for a meas-
but of course in this day and age they ly two line ad. But considering the
At WAHR'S Michigan's Best Book Stores are not acceptable. Years ago, all matter, seriously, people advertise to
newspapers used to run this type of reach other people. The more people
BEST SELLERS OF THE MONTH ad, found to their sorrow that the they reach, the more profitable is their
FICTION policy could not be continued. investment. Therefor, a newspaper
Helen of the Old House..... .. .$2.00 One Saturday when we were un- charges in proportion to the number
Harold Bell Wright
The Master of Man........... 1.75
Hall Caine
The Sheik .................. 1.90
E. M. Hull
Her Father's Daughter ....... 1.75
Gene Stratton-Porter
The Flaming Forest ........... 2.00 Oh-h-h! But they are good!
James Oliver Curwood
The Beloved Woman ........... 1.75.,
Kathleen Norris .hose great big, tender, juicy
If Winter Comes ............. 2.00
A. S. M. Hutchinson
The Obstacle Race ........... 2.00
Ethel M. Dell
To Let ..................... 2.00 G rilled Steaks
John Galsworthy
NON-FICTION
The Mirrors of Washington ..... 2.50
Anonymous that you get down at
Queen Victoria ......... . .... 5.00
Lytton Strachey
Back to Methuselah ........... 2.25
Bernard Shaw
The Mirrors of Downing Street... 2.50 B esim ers
Anonymous
The Americanization of
Edward Bok ............ 3.00 ACROSS FROM D. U. R. STATION
New Popular Edition
Edward Bok
The Glass of Fashion ....... .. 2.50
Anonymous
LIBRARIES BOUGHT AND SOLD
WAHR'S University Book Stores
N