Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1920 — DIRECT MAIL COURTSHIP. [ARTICLE]

DIRECT MAIL COURTSHIP.

By FRANK H. WILLIAMS

<& 1»M. by McClur* Newspaper ayu dien.) Bam Wallace had tremendous faith in the sales powers of advertising. He believed that through advertising it is possible to do almost anything—even to the winning for himself of the girl be adored. Sam, though holding the important position of advertising manager for the famous Gigantic Department store, was still shy and tongue-tied when it came to a question of popping the, allimportant question to the lady of his heart, Mary Stuart Mary was pretty and sweet and wholly worth adoring. Many men. like Sam. felt that she would make an Ideal wife; but to all of them, Including Sam, Mary was impartially friendly and unsentimental. Several times Sam had endeavored to come to the point but every time his courage had failed him. He had never yet put his fortunes to the test. Bed and silent, he had let many opportunities pass, until now, with other men forging to the front in the race for Mary's hand, he felt desperate. It was at this crucial moment tn his career that Sam determined to place bls dependence upon advertising. "I ran write ads,” Sam told himself, “that bring women into the Gigantic store by the droves. I sure ought to be able to' write an ad that will ‘sell’ myself to Mary. Fm going to try it anyhow. If I don't m Just lose out entirely, and that’s all there is to It”

Having come to this conclusion, Sam began writing rapidly on a pad of paper on his desk. Every now and then he gazed upward at the celling while concentrating his thoughts. But for the most part he wrote swiftly, without stopping. When he had finally flnMted he reread his work with considerable satisfaction: This is what he had written: “Marry a man who adores you! “You will be much happier married to a man who adores you than if you marry a man who doesn’t care so very deeply. There is a certain man who is wild about you and yours. Who is he? Watch for the next letter." "There," said Sam to himself, when be had finished reading the sheet, “that will get her attention, ana the first step In selling goods through advertising Is to secure the attention of the prospective purchaser. Wert comes the arousing of the interest of the prospective buyer, and, thirdly and finally, the Inducing of the reader to buy. Two more letters ought to do the trick for me. TH send this letter today, letter No. 2 tomorrow, and the third letter on the day after that.” Rum placed the sheet In an en-

▼dope and addressed it to Mary. Then he threw the envelope into the outgoing mall tray on his desk. The next day Sam wrote the second of his series of ads. This second ad read as follows: "The man who adores you is shy. “It is because he's shy that he’s never gotten up enough courage to tell you how much he cares for you. But he does care, deeply and sincerely, and once the ice is broken fee’ll tell you just how deeply and sincerely, all right. Who is this man? Perhaps your intuition has already told you. But. anyhow, watch for to-morrow’s letter. His Identity will be revealed in to-mor-row's letter.** ■ < L Sam did with this second ad as he had done with the first—he placed it in an envelope and, after addressing it to Mary, threw it into the outgoing mail tray. Sam’s final ad read like this: -THE MAN WHO ADORES YOU IS SAM WALLACE. ♦Tve always been too shy to tell you how much I care for you. So Pm telling you about it through these little letters. If there is any chance for me, Mary, smile at me the next time you see me. If there isn’t any chance. Just nod to me but don’t smile. That’s all. You know everything now and I will know everything when I see you the next time.’’ It was only natural that Sam’s heart should beat considerably faster than normal as he placed this last ad in an envelope, directed it to Mary, and placed it in the outgoing mail tray. •Geer he said to himself. Tm certainly glad I’ve done it. ’ It was the only thing to do. I’d never in the world have gotten up enough courage to ask her personally, and I ■imply couldn’t keep on going with•ut knowing how I stand. Now I wonder, will she smile or will she merely nod at me when she sees me?" Now, Sam was not only a shy young man, but also an impulsive young man. Some weeks before he >ad purchased an engagement ring —a ring that was a beauty in all particulars, just the right sized afros and just the proper sort of a setting. He had thought, at the tiwm of Ma purchase, that he’d make a ma— attack, as it were, upon Mary. He'd snow her the stone and then, before his courage failed him, slip ft on her engagement finger and trust to tock that she would allow it to

made this mass attack. The ring still reposed in his vest pbeket He had never found the courage to show it to Mary, let alone place it upon her finger.“Now, I wonder," muttered Sam as, after finishing his third ad, he took the ring out and looked at It, “I wonder will Mary ever wear this ring or not?" Sam’s excitement grew during that night, and the morning of the day after he had placed his final ad in the outgoing mall tray his nerves were ragged and he simply couldn’t sit still. "By all the rules of advertising,” Sam told himself, “those ada ought to do the trick. But will they? I haven't heard a word from her. I haven’t seen a sign of her. Is that a good or bad sign? What am Ito think about it?" During the day Sam heard nothing from Mary nor caught any sight of her. And, as the day dragged to its dreary close his spirits sank. He felt sure that directly after the receipt of the third ad Mary would certainly take pains to give him his answer as soon as possible. But she wasn’t doing so. There was absolutely no word from her. Sam dragged himself to his boarding house after the day’s work with weary steps. He was worn out, his nerves were frazzled, he was greatly discouraged. He couldn’t help feeling that Mary was simply letting him down easily, that her mind was made up to refuse him, and that she was trying to let him know that this was the case before she should meet him and merely nod at him, Instead of smiling at him.

The next day, the second after his mailing of the final ad, Sam felt as though the world had gone to pieces about bls shoulders as he slowly walked to the office. It was all over. His dream had evaporated Into thin air. There was little, very little, left in life for him to live'for. It was only desultory attempts at working that Sam made during the morning. He was too blue to do any good work, anyhow, so shortly before the noon hour he left his office to make a trip through the various departments. He felt as though it would take his mind off his trouble to talk with other people. Through the bargain basement,and silks and gloves on the first floor to men’s furnishings and cldaks and suits on the second floor Sam made his gloomy way. And then, in cloaks and suits, he stopped suddenly. From the other side of a rack of cloaks and suits beside which he was standing came the sound of voices. One of the voices was that of the manager of the department, while the other voice was— Mary’s. Sam, after a moment of hesitation, straightened his shoulders. He might an well get the cold nod from Mary and get It over with now as later. It had to be done some time —now was as good as any. So Sam, looking very dignified, but awkward, writhing with despair, walked around the rack and came face to face with Mary. Mary didn’t see him at first. “Good morning, Mary,” he said, politely, standing rigidly like a soldier at salute. ’

Mary looked up surprised. Her big blue eyes met his. And then —then Sam’s heart leaped. His pulses tingled, his brain whirled, Mary was actually smiling at him—a lovely, unmistakable smile. “How are you, Sam?” she asked, and smiled again. “S-s-say, Mary,” stammered Sam, as soon as fie was able tQ regain control of himself, “step into my office a minute, will you? It’s right on this floor, Just a little way from here. I’ve got something I want to show you." “Why, yes.” smiled Mary, “I’ve often thought I’d like to look at your office —to see Just what sort of a place it is you work in.” Sam, hardly able to .contain himself, piloted her through the door, past his secretary and into his private office. Then, after closing the door to his secretary’s room, he drew the engagement ring from his pocket and without a word placed It on Mary’s finger. Finally he caught Mary into his arms and kissed her again and again. “Why, why," cried Mary at last, “I ought to be provoked and angry and all that —but I'm not! Tm glad, glad 1 I’ve cared for you so long, Sam, and I thought you’d never, never tell me that you cared, too. I knew you cared, but I thought you’d never tell me that you did I” “Oh, sweetheart," cried Sam, “I’m so'glad you smiled at me this morning." He caught her to his arms again, and as he did so he glanced at the outgoing mall tray on his desk. The tray was full. * Sam, gently releasing Marv, hurriedly pawed through the letters. All three of his ads to Mary were still there. The new mall boy had neglected to take up the mail from Sam’s office for nearly a week. Sam gasped, then chuckled as he took Mary Into his arms again. After all, if it hadn’t been for his ads he’d never have had the courage to put the ring on her finger. After all, he was satisfied —wholly satisfied.