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THE
MUSIC TRADE! REVIEW
SOME TRADE SECRETS GIVEN AWAY FREE.
through this ordeal and met this great prince, to your dy-
ing day you must thank the "House of McMillin" for hav-
ing taken you out of everlasting fire and because you have
"come clean," we have informed St. Peter, so that when
you cross the river again you will be received with open
arms.
If the writer happens to be there at that time, he
will play on a golden harp the most soothing kind of music,
so as to waft your soul still higher up to eternal bliss.
We hope that we may be able to serve your musical
ivants. There are many fine instruments that we sell, which
you ought to learn to play, so that when you meet the
laints beyond, you will be able to strike up a tune without
aaving to stop to practise.
With this end in view we arc
mailing you a catalogue of what would be most suitable for
you to learn to play upon.
Of course, we take for granted
that you will commit no further sins, and enter where
music is bliss.
However, if you have in mind any other
offense, as you are aware, we can supply you with a
musical instrument to use in the other place.
If you de-
sire to know how to become acquainted with the different
saints, so as to be able to inform them who owes you, we
will be glad to extend to you the hand of good fellowship,
and explain just how to become known, and get into the
inner charmed circle of anything celestial.
Assuring you of our eternal appreciation of your valued
remittance, we are, with kindest and sincerest regards,
Very truly yours,
(Continued from page 130.)
do you ever consider the risking of the necessary
capital to publish it?"
"No. That isn't the thought at all. We have
but one object, pure and simple, and that is not
to stick the dealer. And to always have the dealer
believe that when we say a song is a hit, and a
seller, he knows that such is going to be the
case "
"That's an excellent position to be in with the
trade, but really, does he believe it?"
"He believes it if the demand for it is in his
tcwn, but we usually clarify all that in our ad-
vertising."
"What do you mean by that, Mr. Feist?"
"I mean that if we advertise, we say that in the
town in which the song has been sung sales have
been and will be created, and that the song should
be a hit. Putting it differently, for an illustration,
'A 1 the Yiddisher Ball' is a tremendous seller in
the West, yet hardly sells at all in the East."
"How does this happen?" I asked.
"Why, that means that the performer or per-
formers who have learned the song in New York
o^ Chicago were booked in the West, and, as
any ordinary individual knows, the only way you
can sell a song is to make the public hear it;
tnese performers have not played the East and
therefore there is no demand."
Just then a brilliant thought struck me. All
worry of my end of the meal ticket vanished. I
could almost see myself entering Mr. Feist's em-
ploy as a general idea man at a large salary.
"If it is the performers who regulate the pub-
lic's demand for songs," I began, "wouldn't it be
a good idea for you to fix their bookings?"
1 think he must have thought I was a humorist,
for he laughed all over the table.
"Yes," he blurted in the midst of his laughter,
"that's about as good an idea as every man mak-
ing his own money. In the vernacular, if it could
b* did, we would did it!"
Ouch! All of my dreams of "'general idea man"
swiftly faded into a pale Niagara mist. As we
were about to rise from the table I ventured once
more: "There's just one more question, Mr.
T H E H. E. MCMILLIN & SON CO.
Feist, and it's the usual customary one when you
CONTAINS MUCH OF INTEREST.
are finishing up an interview."
The Bulletin Issued Monthly by A. H. Goettlng
"Well, out with it," he said; "one more won't
Explains the Policy and Plans of This House.
hurt me."
"Do you wish to predict anything?" I muttered.
In these days of business competition the dealer
"Is that the question?" he asked.
is
striving to save as much money as possible in
I nodded my head.
"Well," he continued, "if you want me to, I will, the purchase of his goods. Where the service of
but it won't mean any more than the Prohibition A. H. Goeitting comes in is that he ranks as one
candidate for the Presidency."
'I know," I interrupted, "but it's customary."
"Well," he said, giving me one more opportunity
to see that fleeting smile, "I predict that we will
wear overcoats next winter and that if Matthewson
pitches to-morrow's game the Giants will win the
pennant!"*
*This interview took place October 15. Gloom!!!
FOLLOW-UP LETTER GETS RESULTS.
A Letter Framed and Issued by the McMillen & Son Co. That Never Fails to Win Out—
Some Interesting Correspondence in This Connection That Makes Good Reading—
• Acts as a Conscience Cleaner and Renovator—One Customer Whose Account Is Long
Overdue Awakens to a Realization of the Enormity of His Crime.
The following acknowledgment was made by
Cleveland, O., Nov. 18, 1912.
Mr. McMillin:
April 11, 1912.
Dealers in pianos, talking machines and musical
Mr. J. P.. JOHNSON.
instruments of all kinds, the McMillin & Son Co.,
Dear Sir:—Your very interesting communication of April
9 is just received and the writer is more than pleased to
of Cleveland, also do a large music publishing busi- note
that you have at last squared yourself by paying the
ness and have an extended clientage. It is the 68 cents. Away down in our heart we had implicit con-
fidence in you personally, but not being a fortune teller,
custom of the company to execute small orders or expert in the science of mind reading or mental teleg-
we were unable to know that you had passed through
for music without inquiring into the financial raphy,
a failure.
Hence we took that method of collecting the
standing of the customer. Some neglect to pay small amount that was on our books. We note that you
date the check Nov. 11, and from this we take for
promptly, and when accounts of one dollar and granted that you have had a very serious illness, and tak-
your word for it, believe that you have crossed the
under accumulate to the number of about one ing
river that we all read about.
We
are very pleased to be able to inform the great
hundred, the following note accompanied by the
Mephistophiles about people who owe us money, so that
bills, is sent out:
he can give any one who applied there for admission an op-
(Special to I he Review.)
J.
B. JOHNSON, Plattsburg,
N. Y.
Dear Sir:—This is the last time I shall ever write to you
about this 68 cents.
A few frank words are always wel-
come. A debt is an unpardonable sin. If you were to
meet St. Peter to-morrow he would ask you: "How about
that 68 cents you owe McMillin?"
What would your ans-
wer be? Now, Mr. Johnson, pay up this and save your-
self that sin at the judgment day.
Very truly yours,
H. E. MCMILLIN.
In response to one hundred notices to different
parties in varying amounts the company received
sixty-seven replies with remittances, and among
others the following from Mr. Johnson:
Plattsburg, N. Y., April 9, 1912.
H.
E.
MCMILLIN,
Esq.
Dear Sir:—Your unique demand of Nov. 11. for 68 cents
was received.
This purchase was made by the writer for
the
Band, and like all such organizations in th«
country towns are financially speaking worse off than
nothing, and furthermore they seem to be of the happy-
go-luckv" snrt and don't give a
whether their leader
owes McMillin or not. The writer, who is unfortunately
at the head of this band of cut-throat musicians, had the
misfortune to lose about $4,000 in the failure of the com-
pany he was interested in last year. If you had ever passed
through such a trying ordeal you would be in a position to
appreciate the situation more thoroughly.
It seems to me, now that I think of it, that I did not
have the pleasure of meeting St. Peter, and if I did, he
did not mention that 68 cents.
But it all comes to me
now—I have a distinct recollection of meeting a diabolical
individual who used for a baton an implement resembling
a pitchfork, who demanded of me the pass word, which I
had not. He then said, "Sir vou cannot escape^me; you
are the man who owes McMillin that 68 cents." I said,
"Yes, and I have it with me." He replied to the effect
that you were a very persistent person and had done some-
thing no one had ever attempted before.
"Johnson, he has
even posted you in Hell.
Honest people are not allowed
in this kingdom. Go back from whence you came, and send
McMillin a check for this 68 cents."
It is with a feeling of satisfaction that we can come back
by command even of the Evil One himself, and be able to
say, "Here is that 68 cents I owe you. Take it—it belongs
to you and I want to get rid of it." I now feel, after dis-
charp-ing this obligation that should I have the pleasure of
meeting St. Peter he will sav: "Well done, (rood and faith-
ful servant, enter the Pearly Gates and walk through the
Strpets of gold."
Thanking you very much for the long term of credit
which has been given, and wishing you every success, I
remain,
Yours truly,
J. B. JOHNSON.
portunity
to come back.
So long as you have passed
of the largest jobbers of the world in sheet mus.c,
books, etc. The main offices are in Springfield,
Mass., and to facilitate the handling of orders he
maintains branches at New York, Chicago, Toronto
and Boston. The Goetting monthly bulletini con-
tains much of interest to the dealer, whose name
will be placed upon the mailing list without charge.
Carrie Jacobs - Bond & Son announce the publication of the
following new songs by CARRIE JACOBS-BOND:
"A LITTLE PINK ROSE"
"O HAUNTING MEMORY"
"NOTHING BUT LOVE"
"A SLEEPY SONG"
"THE SANDMAN"
Attractive title pages which are worthy coverings for these songs
are certain to appeal to the lover of things artistic. The melodies
are delightful and the lyrics too.
PUBLISHED IN SUITABLE KEYS
CARRIE JACOBS-BOND & SON
( INCORPORATED )
Fine Arts Building
"
Chicago