Presto

November 26, 1927
P R E S T O-T I M E S
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA
DESCRIBES THE AMPICO
Famous Conductor in Brief Letter Calls It "A Thing
of Beauty and Joy Forever."
Sousa is one of the many distinguished musicians
who finds relaxation and pleasure in the Ampico.
His purchase of an Ampico grand some months ago
THINGS SAID OR SUGGESTED
VIRTUE
TRIUMPHANT.
"Those piano dealers who believe in ethics for
revenue only remind one of the microscopic sense of
honor of the Hon. Bill Dalton," said Henry Hudson
of the Hudson Music House, Boonville, Ind., who
was a visitor to Chicago a few weeks ago. It w T as
during an enlightening discussion on that inexhaust-
ible topic, the trade uplift.
"The Hon. Bill Dalton was a saloon-keeper in a
certain Indiana town that shall be nameless," con-
tinued Mr. Hudson. "He, was elected a school trus-
tee at a time when the contract for supplying eight
pianos was pending.
"Bill was approached by a dealer w T ith an ingrow-
ing conscience, who offered the trustee a hundred
dollars for his vote. After a little financial dicker-
ing a figure of $250 C. O. D. was decided upon.
"The arrangement was hardly made when a com-
peting dealer with curvature of the moral instincts
came around and offered the Hon. Bill $300. The
temptation was strong, but the new school trustee
shook his head.
" 'Nope,' he virtuously proclaimed, 'no gentleman
as is a gentleman will sell out twicet on the same
proposition."
* * *
OFF AGAIN
through the nerve disturbing agency of the glossy
upright piano.
She presents a good line of argument for the dull
finished piano. She wants grey finished ones. Given
grey and dull finished pianos and furniture instead
of the nerve disturbing g!oss and everything will be
demure and proper.
* * *
Sometimes the man who tells the truth is called a
knocker.
* * *
ANOTHER
COUP.
Chicago has declared a war of extermination
against the gangsters which suggests other forms of
vigorous activity against obnoxious things. Why, for
instance, by a coup or fell swoop, cannot all the
American composers of villainous suggestive songs be
rounded up by a corps of vigilantes composed of real,
clean song makers and confined on some lone island
where they could noisily rag themselves and each
other into paresis.
And while the vigilantes are on the job they might
also gather in the pinhead dancingmasters respon-
sible for the kangaroo fit, Salome glide, spinal men-
ingitis schottische, wildcat whirl, hippopotamus hitch,
tarantula twist, St. Vitus glide, billy goat bump and
the delirium tremens two-step. How to dispose of
them might be left to a Zion City commission ap-
pointed by Overseer Voliva.
* * *
"How did you lose that job as adsmith for the
radio store?"
"I was too literal."
THANKFUL 'TIS OVER.
"How's that?"
"In one of my brightest ads I referred to the six-
When this issue of the Presto-Times reaches many
tube Staticola as a 'howling success.' "
of the readers Thanksgiving will have passed with
* * *
only the memory and the cold turkey remaining.
Apropos of the joyousness, complaint will be duly
REFORM FROM WITHOUT.
made in our learned contemporaries, the dailies, that,
A lady lecturer with the whole United States ?s as a nation, we do not celebrate our holidays in a
her field of uplifting and who finds audiences with rational manner. That is undoubtedly true. If we
the women's clubs, advances the theory that much celebrated them rationally they would not be holidays.
domestic infelicity is caused by what she calls "im-
Dwelling on the subject of holidays, it might be
possible" furniture, in which she includes the piano. pointed out that some people insist we have too
The high finish furniture and pianos, glaring rugs, many. Others think we have not nearly enough of
and plush settees are continuous incitement to the opportunities to be irrational in the festive way. We
family brawl, is her claim.
have not near as many as our friends, the Mexicans.
When little Tommy is fractious the cause is usually
Nearly every day is a fiesta there and all the vacant
attributed to the stomach or some other organ. All dates are filled in with the other national pastime
wrong, in nine cases out of ten, says the lady lec- of revoluting, thus providing a constant round of en-
turer. Like as not it is the shiny front and sides of
tertainment for the happy peon and his dark-eyed
the walnut piano. And many a good mauling given
peonola and his little peonetas.
to wife by hubby is often caused by glances at the
* * *
crimson piano scarf and not by looking on the wine
"You should learn to forgive those competitors who
when it is dago-red.
knock you," said the minister, fervently.
The piano with the shiny finish drives more cou-
"I do forgive 'em, but only in the interests of trade
ples to the divorce court than does the joyous bu/z ethics," said the state commissioner of the national
wagon of the midnight hour. Indeed, she practically association of piano dealers.
holds that the prime cause of our multutidinous
* * *
grasswidowhood is the shiny, highly varnished piano
If a salesman shrugs his shoulders at the mention
and furniture. Many a naturally gentle husband is of the piano of a competing house it's a sign he can
made brutal and driven into the alimony-paying class tell something that ethics prevents him from voicing.
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA.
was prompted by a desire to hear in his leisure
moments the playing of his admired contemporaries
and to provide pleasing entertainment for his guests.
He has more than once expressed his pleasure and
satisfaction in his purchase, the latest being a tiny
note with every word full of meaning. He writes:
"Gentlemen: The Ampico is all that is claimed for
it. 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever,' so be happy."
The accompanying picture, which he kindly per-
mitted, shows him seated at his Ampico grand.
LETTER CONTAINS STRONG
ENDORSEMENT FOR TONK PIANO
Harry Weber, Head of Widely Known Theatrical
Agency, New York, Gives Opinion of Instrument.
Heads of schools, theater owners, conductors and
concert pianists have contributed to the praises of
the Tonk piano, made by William Tonk & Bro., New
York. In each instance the writers who testified to
Tonk piano merits were men of musical discernment
and well qualified to attest to the desirable merits in
an instrument. Their prominence in every case made
the words of Tonk commendation more valuable.
Last week Presto-Times reproduced a commenda-
tory letter about the Tonk from Bennie Cummins,
leader of the orchestra of the Biltmore Hotel, New
York, and here follows an equally strong endorse-
ment from Harry Weber, manager of Harry
Weber Attractions, Palace Theater Building, New
York, to Edwin G. Tonk, sales manager of William
Tonk & Bro.:
"Dear Mr. Tonk: I want to take this opportunity
to tell you how thoroughly we are enjoying our
Tonk piano. The tone of the instrument is excellent
and we are delighted with it. I assure you it is a
pleasure to have it in our home."
NEW WISCONSIN STORE.
The Baldwin Piano Company of Chicago recently
opened a branch store at 114 Grand avenue East,
Eau Claire, Wis. H. G. Austin and son, F. D. Aus-
tin of Chicago, are in charge of the new branch store.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER HELPS SALESMEN
Outside Salesmen must be equipped so as to "show the goods." The season for country piano selling is approaching. Help your sales-
men by furnishing them with the New Bowen Piano Loader, which serves as a wareroom far from the store. It is the only safe
delivery system for dealers, either in city or country. It costs little. Write for particulars.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
Winston-Salem, N. C.
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