Presto

April 14, 1928
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
CARLOAD LOTS IN
BUSH & LANE ORDERS
Official Opening of Spring Celebrated in
Markedly Pleasant Way at Big Factory
in Holland, Mich.
THINGS SAID OR SUGGESTED
HEAR CROUCHO, THE
PESSIMIST
Beware, take heed, get wise, my friends,
Attend unto each word.
A caution I'm compelled to give
From things that have occurred.
From circumstances that I see
Transpire around me now.
The rout of virtue is complete
Within the trade, I vow.
Our ancient enemies awake
To smite us on the bean,
Baneful evils fought so long.
Their dire effects are seen.
There's not the slightest use to meet.
Assemble or convene,
Or plan associations' fight;
The worst's arrived—'tis seen.
"Pis vain to pack the Commodore
For annual problem-baiting,
And eke to quaff synthetic bowls
Of stuff so kickless, sating.
Mow futile, too, the talkfest rites
Of piano trav'lers frisky,
Where unprotesting you must hear
The yarns old and risque.
A word about promotion schemes —
(Iravc dangers in them lurk.
I'or if the plans create more sales
They'll also mean more work.
Admitting group instruction scheme
The hopeful children serves.
But think of all the noise they make
Destructive to our nerves.
Close around me I can see
The deadly perils loom.
The sapping of integrity
\\ ith one result—that's doom.
About me, O piano men!
I see but enmities.
You may be sure if words sound kind,
They're but some cynic's wheeze.
The phrases from competitors
That friendliness express,
I put no trust upon them and
With freedom I confess
They'd burn me on the flaming pyre.
And break me on the rack.
At their approach I reinforce
'The armor on my back.
In tact, my friends, the trade I've scanned
With penetrating eye.
And naught but treachery and greed
And malice T descrv.
The ones who note a betterment
Are altruistic fools,
J wouldn't be surprised some owned
A kit of burglar's tools.
Real honesty no longer shows,
Your watch keep out of sight.
You cannot let small change be seen
Fxcept when nailed down tight.
I grieve to see such decadence,
Such wicked greed for pelf,
Tt cuts me to the heart because
I'm right, all right, myself.
* * *
AX IOWA
MYSTERY
The ambitious dealer who is pushing a high-grade
piano is usual'y jealous of the manner in which it
is featured. He likes to see it in places of honor and
at public entertainments where it is used he is care-
ful that it is heard to advantage. That admirable
trail in piano dealers was discussed by a group in a
Chicago wholesale piano showroom this week and the
talk evoked a story by a traveler which was verified
by two Iowa piano merchants who Avcre present.
In a certain small town in Iowa, which for rea-
sons shall be nameless, an interest in music was re-
cently being awakened by a cultured few. To further
that end a musical comedy company bil'ed for a
neighboring big city, was induced to include the
small town with the rampant uplift spirit in its list
of one-night stands.
The arrangements involved some odd conditions.
These were that a certain sum of money be guar-
anteed to the show people. Free rent of the hall
and free lights were also in the stipulations. A string
to the proposition was the proviso that the town or-
chestra should be permitted to provide the music for
the piece.
To those familiar with the imperfections of the
local orchestra the latter arrangement was grimly
humorous. The town orchestra was in reality the
music class of the enthusiast who owned the hall.
It was composed of twenty-three fiddles, two 'cellos
and a double bass viol, and the aggregation was what
is technically known as "rotten."
The piano supplied by a dealer of the town was of
a make widely known and prized. From the dealer's
knowledge of the orchestra's poverty of performance
he jealously saw that any association of the fiddles
and his piano w r ould be harmful to the latter. At the
rehearsal the squeaking and moaning of catgut nearly
drove him wild. But in the midst of his exasperation
came a plan like an inspiration.
The night arrived and the house was packed. The
company was cheerful because the real mazuma for
the night's work was already in the pocket of the
treasurer; the man who herded the Tiddlers was su-
premely proud, lie was so happy that the suggestion
of the piano dealer to have all fiddles receive their
An encouraging form of celebration of the official
opening of spring is reported by a Presto-Times
representative who cal'ed last week at the factory
of the Bush & Lane Piano Co., Holland, Mich. The
company inaugurated the gladsome day by shipping
live carload orders to dealers in the Middle West and
on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Business had
been increasing steadily for more than a month, but
the five carload shipments notably marked the ar-
rival of a season of liveliness in orders and activities
in shipments.
This week the actual orders received far exceeded
the number in any week for quite a while and the
urgency of the dealers for prompt shipments is con-
sidered by the company as a significant sign of the
return of active days to dealers. The favor for small
grands in the orders from dealers is a tribute to the
admirable character of the grand piano line of the
Bush & Lane Piano Co.
The ability of the company to furnish grand p:anos
in the beautiful Period and Art designs most eagerly
sought, is a potent reason for the growth in sales of
the models. The success of the scientific and artistic
efforts in producing a winning line naturally have
their rewards in appreciation by the music loving
public.
BOOK ON PIANO TUNING.
"Financing Piano Instalment Sales" is the title of
a booklet by T h o m a s J. Mercer, and issued by the
Bankers-Commercial Security Company, Inc., New
York, of which Richard W. Lawrence is president. It
is an instructive booklet for piano dealers and tells
how they can put reasonable capital into their busi-
nesses. The booklet may be had free by writing to
the company named.
final tuning back of the curtain, so as to avoid rasping
in front, was readily acted upon.
But something happened in the interval between
the tuning back of the curtain and the moment when
the amateurs sat in their places in front with fiddles
in position and bows poised. The conductor gave a
grand flourish; there was a preliminary crash of the
overture from the grand piano, but no sound of hair
on catgut was heard.
Twenty-three fiddlers scraped with vigor, but the
result was noiseless, weird and ghostly.
The ama-
teurs with the 'cellos carved away in desperation, but
there was no responsive wail. Fven the bull fiddle
gave no answering bellow to the frantic sawing of its
owner.
But the show proceeded, however. T h e feet ol the
ballet twinkled; the chorus never missed a trill or
the vil'ain a thrill, and the tenor won the hand of the
soprano regardless of the puzzling fact that an outfit
of fiddles was stricken dumb. And in the meantime
the grand piano was doing good service at the capable
hands of its player to the glory of its name and the
satisfaction of the piano dealer who supplied it.
" W h o rubbed vaseline on the liddle bows.''" is a
mystery yet unsolved in that Iowa town.
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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