In The Spring

By J. C. Dionne

In the spring the young man's fancy may turn lightly__to thoughts of love, but the lumber merchant must turn HIS mind in a different direction, if he wants to grab the loose dollars in his community that will drift his way if he will just do the things necessary to divert them propetly.,. -

In,the spring, for instance, the average man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of painting up, and cleaning up, .and fixing up. Everyone wants to see the house and yard look righiwhen the sun shines warmly, because the spring sr,rn has a way of showing up the unsightly spots that the winter has left.

A board, and a nail, and a can of paint, are great things to have around on a beautiful spring morning. So' it is the lumber dealer's job to take advantage of this peculiar appeal,'and grab such business as it brings his way, or makes possibte for him to land, by going ITS way.

But listen, friend of minC, if you want other folks to believe in the use of this board, and nail, and can of paint, YOU. are going to have to show a little familiarity and faith in it youiself. So before you begin advertising, or writing ciriular letters, or drilling around in the "Henry" to malie other folks do these things, suppose you just rub the cobwebs out of your eyes, and go out and take a look at your OWN possessions. "Put your own house in order." Cl6an up your own place until it shines; turn in the black ends bf ^old boards, even up your piles, brighten your signs, polish your windows, and do everything else that you can ttrint of that will make people brighten up when they see YOUR place.

And while you are looking things over, take a peek at YOURSELF. A little self inventory to get ready for the spring-time rush, wouldn't do any harm. Honesty, person- ality, brains, vigor, and optimism combined in a man, make a winning combination. Check up on yourself on this bright spiing morning, and see where YOU need a little painting and polishing.

Pull down the old "LUMBER YARD" sign, and burn it up, and put something in its place that distinguishes_Ioq 1! a-merchint and live blsiness man, who is trying to MAKE HIS BRAINS PAY A DIVIDEND.

Look your town over. A building is like a man. If y,o-q dress him up like a bum, people willthink he IS one, a,nd i{ you let the buildings and walls of your town go ragged and unpainted, it will decrease everyone's respect for the-tow_n. Therefore, put spring clothes on the buildings of YOUR town. It is thrifty and conservative to see that people preserve their properties by keeping them repaired and painted. DON'T let- the buildings in your town get to looking like bums for want of some active salesmanship on YOUR part.

Don't forget that it isn't enough for YOU to know that you are willing, and ready, and able to supply the folks of your town wit-h the items and the service that they need to lut the premises back in order now that the winter is over; it is nec-essary that your prospective customers also be advised of that iact. So you must ADVERTISE; interesting, intelligently, forcefully

And theri get out and hit the ball, and get the business. Get out-get busy-get acquainted-get popular--create business-DO things-do them better than you ever did before-and fiIl your townfolks with the conviction that you are a LIVE GUY, and your spring campaign is an assured success,