PRESTO
KINSHIP OF PIANO MEN
EVOKED BY MEMORY
Mention of Fox River Valley by Perry J.
Ewing Unloosens Tongue of Silent Guide
on Occasion in France.
RECALLS CABLE CO.'S PLANT
And Recollection of Fair Illinois Scene Is Bond of
Friendship Between Yank and Poilu.
Perry J. Ewing elbowed his way through the crush
in the rotunda of the Jefferson Hotel, Peoria, one day
last week while the members of the Illinois Music
Merchants' Association were resting between lunch-
eon and business session and nobody recognized
hiril until he collided with a dealer from Rock-
ford. In a minute a mob of old friends from Elgin,
Aurora, Freeport and other good piano towns in
that section joined the pair and Perry was made to
feel at home. He declared he hadn't felt so natural
since quitting work in a peaceful piano store in Rock-
ford in 1917 to undertake a buck private's part in
making the world safe for what he thought threat-
ened it.
When Perry was mustered out about a year ago he
joined the sales organization of an automobile com-
pany. His job has something to do with visiting
agencies which accounted for his presence in Peoria
while a flock of old piano trade friends were enthu-
siastically convening at the Jefferson Hotel.
Like most of the boys who saw service where
war came up to Gen. Sherman's estimate, Mr. Ewing
is loth to talk about it. Anyway distressing and
horrifying circumstances of terrible days in the thick
of the fighting would hardly be his choice of theme
for such a joyous occasion as that of the annual gath-
ering of the state association. But in the pleasant
conversational exchange he told of an incident of his
days of convalescence in France that carried a home-
sick man back to loved Illinois scenes.
With a half dozen buddies under the care of a hos-
pital sergeant he was enjoying as well as he could
the orderly joys of a furlough in the picturesque val-
ley of the Rhone. One day he evaded the sergeant
and the bunch and proposed for himself a man's
walk over a few of the miniature mountains. But a
friendly innkeeper suggested a guide, and Ewing,
being a sociable fellow, agreed.
The innkeeper gave the guide a fine recommenda-
tion. Besides being a poilu who had fought with
honor, he was a traveler and a linguist. But while
the man was said to have a complete command of
English, German, Italian as well as his native French,
the Yank soldier found he didn't use any of the lan-
guages very much. Ewing agreed he was the most
silent man in four languages he had ever met. In-
stead of showing the eloquence of guides he remem-
bered, this one was silent and grim.
After a few hours of wordless walking they stopped
to rest at a point showing a river view. The sight
made the Illinois man homesick. It was like a pang
of pain and he exclaimed: "Ah, old prospect, you look
good enough to call you Fox River Valley!"
The guide was galvanized into speech. "To what,"
he asked, "does Monsieur refer. What does Mon-
sieur theenk?"
"I don't think; I feel. I refer to the Fox River
Valley in God's Country in Illinois, old U. S. A.,
where I live when I'm at home," was Ewing's proud
answer, .
"Ah, je vous comprends maintenant. Oui, Mon-
sieur. . But eet is so. I myself feel it. I haf leeved
there and worked in ze piano factory of ze Cable
Company in St. Charles."
It was the opening of the conversational floodgates.
There were no more periods of silence after that. As
Mr. Ewing humorously paraphrased: "One touch of
Fox River Valley remembrance makes the whole
world kin."
REMARKABLY ATTRACTIVE
BAND INSTRUMENT FOLDERS
Martin Band Instrument Co. Prepares Some Un-
usual Helps for the Music Dealers.
The publicity department of the Martin Band In-
strument Co., of Elkhart, Indiana, has put forth a
series of rather remarkable folders which the trade
will find useful and convincing. One of the folders
is printed in striking manner, in colors, with a title
page of unique beauty, showing the danseuse tiptoe-
ing while the jazz orchestra plays. It is, of course,
a saxophone folder, and it tells why the Martin is
"better because built by hand."
The second folder tells of the Martin instruments
as known by prominent San Francisco musicians.
It is "What About San Francisco," and there are
portraits and indorsements by more than a dozen
California artists and several of the local orchestras.
All praise the Martin instruments highly.
There are also good portraits of William Rin-
gen, manager of the Frisco Wurlitzer house band in-
strument department, and of Paul Ash, the orchestra
director, with commendatory words by both. These
folders must interest band instrument dealers, for
they are unusual, and attractive in typography as
well as diction.
FEATURING SMALL GRANDS.
The Pearson Piano Co., Indianapolis, continues its
special campaign featuring small grands. This type
of instrument is becoming more popular, and the
Pearson efforts are proving strikingly successful. A
large building on Massachusetts avenue, known as
the Marott building, has been leased for storage pur-
poses, but the Pearson salesrooms continue in the
Pennsylvania street store, as in the past. Of the
Pearson stores throughout the state the Muncie store
has shown the greatest volume of sales, according to
the reports of the company.
November 3, 1923
SOME TRADE ITEMS IN
THE ACTIVITIES OF ST. LOUIS
The "Magic Piano Salesman" Corrects Any Impres-
sion that He Lives in Louisville.
Chas. Raiger, formerly manager for P. A. Starck
Piano Co.'s St. Louis house and recently connected
with Conroy's, through some misunderstanding has
left the latter establishment.
E. J. Bocker, of Baldwin's Cincinnati factory, is
now with the St. Louis branch of that house. He is
a very pleasant and wide-awake piano man.
Maria Carerras, pianist, held the audience "spell-
bound" at the Sheldon Memorial recently. She is
thought by St. Louisians to be one of the greatest
manipulators of the keyboard in this section of the
United States.
Referring to a recent editorial in Presto wherein
it was stated that Will L. Lindhorst, of the Louis-
ville store of Baldwin Piano Co., is "the only magic
piano salesman on earth," that gentleman reminds the
world that he is not in the Kentucky city, but is
with the Baldwin house in St. Louis. Mr. Lindhorst
properly feels that a correction is due—and here it is.
Gauthier & Warren, Lewiston, Me., has purchased
the music house of A. Lawrence & Co., 319 Lisbon
street.
HM Heppe. Marcellus and Bdouard JTU1M PUao
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos In the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented In the United States. Great Britatft,
Prance, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only.
Main Office, 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA. PA.
IMPROVES PHILADELPHIA STORE.
Ballen's Modern Music Shop, at 2144 North Front
street, Philadelphia, is remodeling the store for the
purpose of providing better facilities and business
efficiency. The four booths have been removed to
the front and the showrooms for the displays of
pianos, graphophones and other musical instruments
have been confined to the rear, giving larger space for
this purpose. Modern electrical equipment provides
better lighting facilities and the entire store has been
redecorated in attractive color combinations.
TO MOVE JANUARY 1.
The George C. Wille Music Co., Canton, O., one of
the largest retail firms in the city, has taken a ten-
year lease on the Nobil block, Fourth street and
Market avenue, and, after January 1, will be located
there. The Wille store is now located at Cleveland
avenue and Third street, being compelled to move
from the old location when the building was sold and
remodeling started.
Grand Piano
One of the old, reli-
able m a k e s . For
terms and territory
write.
Lester Piano Co.
1306 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia
MASON & HAMLIN IN MONTREAL.
Cincinnati Factories of The Baldwin Piano Company
SUCCESS
Layton Bros., Ltd., Montreal, Can., has completed
arrangements whereby it will be exclusive represen-
tative in Montreal for the Mason & Hamlin line of
pianos and is already doing considerable newspaper
advertising announcing the selling rights and refer-
ring to the same as "The finest and most costly piano
in the world."
is assured the dealer who takes advantage of
A GULBRANSEN DISPLAY.
THE BALDWIN CO-OPERATION PLAN
which offers every opportunity to represent
under the most favorable conditions a com-
plete lme of high grade pianos, players and
reproducers
Jos. F. Budrik, 3343 S. Halsted street, Chicago,
is displaying a wonderful line of Gulbransen regis-
tering pianos. The Gulbransen registering piano fea-
tured in the window attracts the attention of all
passersby.
J&albtom fHano Company
OCMCIMMATI
INVUltAFOLM
UnnSYILUi
Incorporated
CHIC A oo
ST. Loins
DALLAS
NBW Yomx
DBNTBB
BAN F&ANCHCO
NEW TEXAS BRANCH.
Y. H. Nunn is manager of the new branch of the
Baldwin Piano Co., recently opened at 2822 Lee
street, Greenville, Texas. The branch was opened by
the Texas headquarters of the company in Dallas.
When in doubt refer to
PRESTO BUYERS GUIDE
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