登陆注册
20073600000040

第40章 STORY THE SIXTH: "The Babe" applies for Shares(2)

"And was it good?"

"Splendid stuff. Say it's 'delicious and invigorating.' They'll be sure to quote that."

Peter wrote on: 'Personally I have found it delicious and--' Peter left off writing. "I really think, Clodd, I ought to taste it.

You see, I am personally recommending it."

"Finish that par. Let me have it to take round to the printers.

Then put the bottle in your pocket. Take it home and make a night of it."

Clodd appeared to be in a mighty hurry. Now, this made Peter only the more suspicious. The bottle was close to his hand. Clodd tried to intercept him, but was not quick enough.

"You're not used to temperance drinks," urged Clodd. "Your palate is not accustomed to them."

"I can tell whether it's 'delicious' or not, surely?" pleaded Peter, who had pulled out the cork.

"It's a quarter-page advertisement for thirteen weeks. Put it down and don't be a fool!" urged Clodd.

"I'm going to put it down," laughed Peter, who was fond of his joke. Peter poured out half a tumblerful, and drank--some of it.

"Like it?" demanded Clodd, with a savage grin.

"You are sure--you are sure it was the right bottle?" gasped Peter.

"Bottle's all right," Clodd assured him. "Try some more. Judge it fairly."

Peter ventured on another sip. "You don't think they would be satisfied if I recommended it as a medicine?" insinuated Peter--"something to have about the house in case of accidental poisoning?"

"Better go round and suggest the idea to them yourself. I've done with it." Clodd took up his hat.

"I'm sorry--I'm very sorry," sighed Peter. "But I couldn't conscientiously--"

Clodd put down his hat again with a bang. "Oh! confound that conscience of yours! Don't it ever think of your creditors?

What's the use of my working out my lungs for you, when all you do is to hamper me at every step?"

"Wouldn't it be better policy," urged Peter, "to go for the better class of advertiser, who doesn't ask you for this sort of thing?"

"Go for him!" snorted Clodd. "Do you think I don't go for him?

They are just sheep. Get one, you get the lot. Until you've got the one, the others won't listen to you."

"That's true," mused Peter. "I spoke to Wilkinson, of Kingsley's, myself. He advised me to try and get Landor's. He thought that if I could get an advertisement out of Landor, he might persuade his people to give us theirs."

"And if you had gone to Landor, he would have promised you theirs provided you got Kingsley's."

"They will come," thought hopeful Peter. "We are going up steadily. They will come with a rush."

"They had better come soon," thought Clodd. "The only things coming with a rush just now are bills."

"Those articles of young McTear's attracted a good deal of attention," expounded Peter. "He has promised to write me another series."

"Jowett is the one to get hold of," mused Clodd. "Jowett, all the others follow like a flock of geese waddling after the old gander.

If only we could get hold of Jowett, the rest would be easy."

Jowett was the proprietor of the famous Marble Soap. Jowett spent on advertising every year a quarter of a million, it was said.

Jowett was the stay and prop of periodical literature. New papers that secured the Marble Soap advertisement lived and prospered; the new paper to which it was denied languished and died. Jowett, and how to get hold of him; Jowett, and how to get round him, formed the chief topic of discussion at the council-board of most new papers, Good Humour amongst the number.

"I have heard," said Miss Ramsbotham, who wrote the Letter to Clorinda that filled each week the last two pages of Good Humour, and that told Clorinda, who lived secluded in the country, the daily history of the highest class society, among whom Miss Ramsbotham appeared to live and have her being; who they were, and what they wore, the wise and otherwise things they did--"I have heard," said Miss Ramsbotham one morning, Jowett being as usual the subject under debate, "that the old man is susceptible to female influence."

"What I have always thought," said Clodd. "A lady advertising-agent might do well. At all events, they couldn't kick her out."

"They might in the end," thought Peter. "Female door-porters would become a profession for muscular ladies if ever the idea took root."

"The first one would get a good start, anyhow," thought Clodd.

The sub-editor had pricked up her ears. Once upon a time, long ago, the sub-editor had succeeded, when all other London journalists had failed, in securing an interview with a certain great statesman. The sub-editor had never forgotten this--nor allowed anyone else to forget it, "I believe I could get it for you," said the sub-editor.

The editor and the business-manager both spoke together. They spoke with decision and with emphasis.

"Why not?" said the sub-editor. "When nobody else could get at him, it was I who interviewed Prince--"

"We've heard all about that," interrupted the business-manager.

"If I had been your father at the time, you would never have done it."

"How could I have stopped her?" retorted Peter Hope. "She never said a word to me."

"You could have kept an eye on her."

"Kept an eye on her! When you've got a girl of your own, you'll know more about them."

"When I have," asserted Clodd, "I'll manage her."

"We know all about bachelor's children," sneered Peter Hope, the editor.

"You leave it to me. I'll have it for you before the end of the week," crowed the sub-editor.

"If you do get it," returned Clodd, "I shall throw it out, that's all."

"You said yourself a lady advertising-agent would be a good idea," the sub-editor reminded him.

"So she might be," returned Clodd; "but she isn't going to be you."

"Why not?"

"Because she isn't, that's why."

"But if--"

"See you at the printer's at twelve," said Clodd to Peter, and went out suddenly.

"Well, I think he's an idiot," said the sub-editor.

"I do not often," said the editor, "but on this point I agree with him. Cadging for advertisements isn't a woman's work."

"But what is the difference between--"

"All the difference in the world," thought the editor.

同类推荐
  • ANNA KARENINA

    ANNA KARENINA

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 天台九祖传

    天台九祖传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Heidi

    Heidi

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 曲江池上

    曲江池上

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Comedy of Errors

    The Comedy of Errors

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 猎郎行动:老公束手就擒

    猎郎行动:老公束手就擒

    一场商业计划,一次契约婚姻,一场各自带着目的的邂逅“你要做的只是当好穆家的太太!”可是怎么没人告诉她当富家太太还要收拾仆人!收拾对手!收拾前任!这是谁家的总裁?她要退货!!!“对不起,请阅读新合同第31条,在合同期限内若乙方违反合同条款,此合同期延长为永久。”“我违反什么条款?”“第一条,甲乙双方不得产生超越友谊以上的感情。”“等等,乙方是谁?”“夫人,是我。”ps:甜宠直通车请直达第二卷
  • 一路上有你

    一路上有你

    每天都有许多人成为暴发户,也有许多人跌入最底层,这一切都像一个梦,有醒的时候,有笑着醉入其中的时候。然而,放不下荣华富贵的人,往往没有办法跨过这一关。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 阴府侦探事务所——黑白无常

    阴府侦探事务所——黑白无常

    白墨和男友因为一个可笑的理由分手了。呵呵是吗,你想做侦探,我就把你名声搞臭,再让你变得一文不值!!!
  • 《野良》

    《野良》

    殇丛云舍弃了正常人的身份,作为一个隐蔽在学生中的杀手,他要凭着一生本领存活在这个世界。
  • 人兽双修

    人兽双修

    一场雷劫,与我重生。修仙一道,重在修心。成,我且得道飞升败,我你傲游世间!
  • 蓦然情深,深几许

    蓦然情深,深几许

    如果说她是来自地狱的恶魔,只适合存于黑暗,那么他就是来自天宫的谪仙,只适合高入云端。他的淡漠和心善一点一点将她那颗阴暗狠辣残忍的心融化。她的狠毒和算计却让他想要逃离。她本是天之娇女,手段狠决,雷厉风行。本该荣华一生,高高在上却愿意为他舍去一切只为给他一个承诺。而换来的却是他亲手将她推入悬崖,差点命丧黄泉。当她狠心放下他,带着满腔的恨意归来,绝情的将自己所谓的亲人残害荣登皇位时,她可有过后悔?他可有不忍?“萧容,你记住了,本王不是非你不可,离去便不再回来,你好自为之。”帝无璇绝情的话语刚落便毫不留恋的转身离去。
  • 最强剑尊

    最强剑尊

    名曰安德伊克鲁大陆之上,万族林立至此,血脉传承颇深,另有一域曰为魔域,两界平行,战乱纷扰数年之久。今一少年,执剑天下,纷扰并消,握天下之力,封域魔于虚无之界,平息战乱。
  • 大清往事之升官记

    大清往事之升官记

    大清嘉庆年间,胶东。破落秀才刘百润家道中落、一贫如洗。霉运当头时,差点投河自尽。偶遇一算命先生,却批他有二十七年官运亨通。刘百润半信半疑,却不料自此之后,他阴差阳错混入官场,历任县衙四等书吏、三等书吏、吏首、县丞、小县县令、大县县令、府同知、户部员外郎、户部郎中、知府、道台、按察使、布政使、巡抚、吏部侍郎、吏部尚书、军机大臣。二十七年间他有如神助,飞黄腾达。即便偶遇挫折,也总有贵人相助,总能逢凶化吉。在官场混迹二十多年,刘百润看尽官场百态,阅尽世间冷暖。。。。。。。然往事如烟过,到头来,也只能是好似食尽鸟投林,落了片白茫茫大地真干净。富贵贫病,亦不过是一个轮回。作者群号:178810462
  • 无形之手

    无形之手

    人生真是很奇妙的旅程。在这个旅程中,每个人都想表达自己对人生和世界的理解,每个人都想好好的活着,每个人都想对自己的生命中的精彩或失意作个总结……那么,我悄悄的招手示意——那一切一切一切的不可测的或似乎可预知的未来……
  • 欠债难逃·县委书记

    欠债难逃·县委书记

    千乔县新任县书记夏雨浓刚上任就干出了几件惊天动地的大事。先是去监狱会见了因贪污而被捕入狱的前任县委书记,而后亲自去机场劝说一个漂亮的女研究生留下来为县里工作。一下子闹得满城风雨。前任县委书记贪污案的余波还没有过去。县里又连续发生了几起经济案件,一件比一件严重。为了最大限度的避免干部的腐几现象,夏雨浓决定采用向社会招聘县局级干部的方法。这又触动了话多人的切身利益,反对声四起,连党委班子里也有许多不同意见。几年前,县里强制农民种果树,结果农民赔了钱。可这却成了某些人升官的政绩。农民对政府的抵触情绪很大,甚到多次到县时闹事。夏雨浓彻底否定了前几任县领导的做法,结果又得罪了一大批人。