Presto

November 20, 1920.
RBSTO
man ancestors. A sideboard held a monster cake,
and a pyramid of rosy Ozark apples.
Charley felt like a traitor to the cause of hos-
pitality when the farmer's wife, followed by a flock
of merry children, came in from the kitchen to greet
him. Without knowing his name or his errand she
took his coat and hat and led him to the softest
Veteran Piano Traveler, M. D. S., Encounters armchair.
"Dinner will be cooked by the time that sto'm's
Two Old Acquaintances in Louisville
over," she smilingly remarked. That he should sit
down and enjoy it was taken as a matter of course.
Hotel and Extracts Timely Story
That he certainly would "sit in" Charley was by
from One of Them.
now convinced. The odors of roasting turkey and
1 met two old traveling acquaintances in the Hotel baking pies were tantalizingly decisive.
Henry Waterson in Louisville one evening' this
Had a Kick, Too.
week and we discussed a few topics in extenso and
When Spearman came in with a bottle of black-
touched.on a great many. We were less noisy about berry brandy and filled a bumper for Charley and
it than we used to be in the old pre-eighteenth himself, poor Charley was painfully embarrassed
amendment days when we could gargle between when his host proposed a toast to friendship.
topics. But. each of us paid our respects to the
"Mr. Spearman," he said, "before you exhibit any
food profiteers, a subject that led to the forthcom-. more kindnesses I must tell you why I'm here, i
ing day of the big national feed—Thanksgiving. didn't lose my way but came here straight to see
We had all stated our intention to help in the de- you on business."
molition of the turkey and trimmings under the old
"Even so," was the reply, "let's punish this swaller
home rooftree on that plenteous occasion when my o' blackberry. No business comes before turkey on
old friend Charley Barrett made a statement that Thanksgiving. When we polish his ol' bones we'll
had the promise of a story. Charley is now sell- have a business session while we smoke. 'Pears like
ing supplies to big baking companies, but when I yo' all's got to put up here tonight. That dribble
got to know him first in the early Grover Cleveland o' snow has growed into a regular rip-snorting gale."
era he was particularly interested in the sale of
"But I'm here in a false position," protested the
pianos and organs. When he said, "I remember uncomfortable Charley. "If you would only give
a Thanksgiving I didn't get home, I guessed I had me a few minutes I—"
encountered another epic of the trade, so I urged
"Not a darn second. Turkey and trimmin's first.
him to explain.
This is a day yore ol' business gotter wait. Comin',
He was then shipping clerk, assistant bookkeeper maw!" he shouted in answer to the call from the
and occasional salesman for an ambitious St. Louis kitchen where a minute later all sat down for the
house that no longer exists. The firm had no festal feed.
branch stores, but in many sections in a wide area
"Now," said the farmer-piano agent when dinner
it had appointed active men as agents to sell to was over and pipes were lit, "you're goin' to stop
with us tonight. That's settled. I'd rather you'd
farmers.
put off that business talk in honor o' the day, but if
Delightful Villain Enters.
One of these agents was a farmer out in the hills tellin' it would make you feel more comfortable,
of Laclede County, Missouri, who had built up quite spit it out."
"Well, I'm ashamed of my errand on such an oc-
a business in farm implements among his neigh-
bors. Being so successful in things particularly casion, because you've treated me so white, me, a
concerning men he conceived the idea of interest- stranger whose name you don't even know."
"Stranger, yes, but I generally know when a man
ing the wives of his neighbors with pianos and or-
gans. His scheme was a success, too, and he sold is all right and when he doesn't come up to stand-
ard. I passed you on sight."
a good many instruments.
The Confession.
One day a couple of his notes due September 1
came back protested. A member of the firm and
The tribute made Charley feel like an arch im-
the head of the collection department had in turn postor. Like a penitent on the mourner's bench he
visited the farm in the effort to see him, but with- confessed the facts:
out avail. He was always some place else. Before
"But Mr. Spearman, I'm from
, in St.
going to any extremes in the matter it was decided Louis, and I came to dun you about those protested
that somebody from the house should have a per- notes."
sonal interview with the farmer-salesman whose
The big man gave one of his thunderous laughs
seeming disregard of the ethics of business was while Charley sat by showing the surprise he felt.
more annoying than alarming.
An exhibition of humor from a debtor under the
Then one day the head of the collecting depart- circumstances seemed in bad taste. The man evi-
ment who was the junior partner, had a bright idea. dently sensed his thought for he added soberly:
At least it appeared scintillating to everybody but
"I know a laugh doesn't fit the occasion, but if
Charley Barrett who was nominated as the goat yo' all knew me you'd find my excuse. Tomorrow
for a Thanksgiving sacrifice. There was just one we'll go down to the bank in Lebanon and send a
way of nailing the temperamental agent in Laclede draft for the amount to your people."
county, and that was for some one to get to the
Happy Climax.
house Thanksgiving morning, and stick around until
The
explanation
that followed involved county
.the debtor appeared to eat the festal turkey. Poor
Charley, being young and easy, was picked for the politics, the jealousy of a bank which had a few-
weeks before lost the county finance business, but
dirty job.
most of all it involved an understanding of the man
A Wild Day, Mates.
himself. As he talked Charley learned that while
Charley got off the train at Lebanon at an un- he was a crackerjack salesman he was the most
earthly hour oh Thanksgiving morning. It was hopelessly incompetent office man that ever jumbled
cold and a fine snow was blowing about in wispy a set of books. With the St. Louis house there
gusts. It was a grand day to be on the inside look- was never a question of his honesty. Charley as-
ing out. He damned duty as he ate a hearty break- sured him of that.
fast in the cosy dining room of the hotel. He damned
"My farm machinery business is the big one, but
all the circumstances when the hotel keeper told my musical instrument sales could be greatly in-
him he couldn't get a volunteer in the town to creased if I had some one to give that end of my
drive a livery, rig out to Spearman's. That was the business his undivided attention. How about help-
name of the agent out in the hills about twelve miles, ing- me out for a spell? I know where you can close
mostly perpendicular ones. The best the hotel man for those two pianos yonder and one organ when
could do to speed Charley on his way was a riding we get through with the bank tomorrow. I can
horse. Well, along about 10 o'clock a. m. he reached give you the names of seven more piano customers,
the farmhouse and rode in at the gate. Spearman all within a few miles of here. Times we won't work
himself, a big, hearty looking man, came out of
we'll get out gunning for wild turkeys and quail and
the house to meet him.
get a wild appetite with our game. What say?"
"Yo' all 'light an' come right in, stranger. Mighty
"You're on," shouted Charley, and there and then
cold morning. Reckon yo' lost yo' way?" was the began two years of a piano-selling experience that
pleasant greeting of the man Charley had come to was filled with out-of-door joys.
M, D. S.
dun. Charley didn't commit himself one way or
the other, but accepted the invitation to enter. The
FEATURES CHICKERING STYLE
snow flurries had developed into a howling blizzard
Style SGE Chickering, containing the Ampico,
and the cheer and warmth of the "setting room"
was specially featured by the Bell-Welburn Piano
was comforting.
Co., Memphis, Tenn., widely known as the Chicker-
Pretty Soft!
ing Warerooms. "This Ampico Reproducing piano
While the farmer was putting up the hired mount carries with it artists to play it for you—artists who
Charley had time to observe his surroundings. It play all the music you love best and play it ideally,"
was a big room and so commodious that two pianos was the statement. "For the small home, for the
and three organs grouped in one corner did not country or seaside, this little wonder piano with its
seem to crowd things. A hanging poster setting wealth of music—dance music, opera, light classics
forth the virtues of the pianos the farmer repre- and all the great classic works, too—in fact, music
sented occupied a position of honor on the wall of all kinds. Just what the space demands and the
between two crayon portraits supposedly of Spear- purse can command."
A THANKSGIVING
YARN BY ROADMAN
21
TRADE EAGER FOR
FACTS ABOUT WALDORF
Inquiries Pouring Into Offices of Waldorf
Piano Company Show Widespread
Interest in Instrument.
Two or three weeks ago Presto advertised the ap-
pearance on the market of the new Waldorf Player,
made by the Waldorf Piano Company, New York.
This instrument, although new in style, construction
and price, was put forth by men of long experience
in the business. The company was incorporated
in 1918.
The results of the first advertisement have been
most gratifying to the Waldorf Piano Company.
The head of the concern recently told a representa-
tive of this paper that he fully expects the Waldorf
to become the sensation of the coming season. He
has good reason for his confidence.
The Waldorf Player Piano is built on really beau-
tjful lines and constructed with a thoroughness the
makers are more than anxious to demonstrate; rep-
resents a unique value and is particularly welcome
in many quarters because of its popular price.
The feature of the Waldorf is the fact that each
instrument is equipped with the General Player Ac-
tion. The General Player Action is building its
name on its outstanding meirt of simplicity and
high quality. Each unnecessary part has been omit-
ted from the action. It is so beautifully adjusted
that it gives perfectly instantaneous
repetition
wherever desired, and it is equipped with the trans-
posing device which allows a change of key and
scale great enough to accommodate the voice of
any singer. With fully 80 per cent of present-day
player rolls made- with words this is of great im-
portance.
The Waldorf Company states that territory is rap-
idly being taken up, and that every day sees pianos
going forward on practically immediate shipments.
PITHY NEWS OP PIANO MEN
RELATED IN BRIEF ITEMS
Trade Members from Various Sections of the Coua*
try Shown "Hard at Jt"
C. P. & L. J. Easterbrook, furniture dealers in
Saybrook, 111., carry a line of Packard pianos and
playerpianos which the firm advertises in a very
effective way.
Bates' Music Store, Meadville, Pa., is one of the
enthusiastic distributors of the Vose & Sons pianos
and playerpianos.
B. W. Phillips, 306 West Broad Street, Hazelton,
Pa., advises prospective buyers of pianos or players
to "hurry up. Your opportunity is now." The firm
prints a list of bargains in newspapers this week.
"The popularity enjoyed by this piano for over
seventy years rests on the foundation of honest
worth," says the J. W. Jenkins Sons' Music Co.,
Joplin, Mo,, this week in alluding to the C. Kurtz-
mann & Co., piano.
A successful sale of "Hallowe'en Specials" in
pianos and players was a recent feature in the
activities in the House of Butler, Marion, Ind., which
assured prospective buyers that "These used pianos
have been taken in exchange on new players and
grands and have been put in excellent condition by
our experts. Each one is a splendid bargain and
carries our full guarantee and exchange privilege
on a new piano later."
"We have solved the piano problem for thousands
of homes—why not let us solve it for you. Come in
and let's talk it over," invites Miller's Music Store,
Lebanon, Pa., this week. The firm is an enthusiastic
representative of the Apollo.
John H. Hallmann and Harry F. Merry are own-
ers of the firm of Hallmann & Merry, Emden, 111.
The house handles the Baldwin pianos and players.
The H. C. Waite Music Co., Cedar Rapids, la.,
alludes this week to the Vose grand as "an instru-
ment of supreme excellence."
Ensenberger's, Bloomington, 111., tells newspaper
readers this week: "A really brilliant ability on the
Gulbransen is easily acquired if you have a 'feeling'
for music—the 'feeling' which gives you a thrill from
the military band on parade or a lump in your
throat from a song filled with pathos. And this
easily acquired ability is a never-ending source of
comfort and delight to you and all who know you."
FEATURES Q R S ROLLS.
' Ensenberg-er's, Bloomington, II!., this week makes
prominent announcements of its representation of
Q R S player music rolls. The department is on
the first floor and is one of the .busiest places in
the busy store. The firm draws particular attention
to the fact that "the latest Q R S rolls can always
be heard at Ensenbergers."
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