The Edison phonograph monthly (Mar 1903-Feb 1904)

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY. THE PHONOGRAPH FOR NERVOUSNESS. A New York Jobber recently told a curious instance in connection with the sale of a Phonograph. His customer, a prominent business man, had a wife who was so extremely nervous that she would not even see her friends. She practically shut herself indoors, would not leave the house, and was rapidly developing into a morbid s^ate that almost threatened to affect her reason. Her husband tried many different things in the hope of interesting her and get her mind away from her conditions and surroundings. Hearing a Phonograph one day, it occurred to him that possibly here was something that might interest his wife. He induced her to consent to having one sent to his house, at the same time making a careful selection of such Records as seemed to him to be of the proper character. In purchasing the machine he told the Jobber in question about the condition of his wife and why he was buying it. Some weeks later he returned to the store and said that the Phonograph had been a success beyond his utmost expectations. His wife had become interested in it from the start. She readily learned to operate it and frequently ran it for long periods of time. Her condition improved at once, and he said that she had reached a point where she would go out for a walk or a drive, and actually asked to see company. He attributed the entire change solely to the use of the Phonograph. This may read like a testimonial in a patent medicine advertisement, but its truth is fully vouched for. DON'T HOLD BACK AGREEMENTS. We do not know that such is the case, but if there are any Jobbers who hold back the Agreements of their sub-dealers with the idea that they are protecting their own interests, we would like to disabuse their minds. When the name of a Dealer is sent to us, it is entered upon our books, and when we receive inquiries concerning our goods from people living in that locality, we write the Dealer informing him of such inquiry, and' we also advise the inquirer that goods can be had at this Dealer's store. In thousands of cases of this kind sales have followed. These sales mean business for the Jobber and business for the Dealer. They mean business that would not have been possible had the Jobber withheld the Dealer's Agreement. Then, too, every Dealer whose name is on our books is sent samples of the printed matter every month, frequently twice a month. This printed matter includes the Phonograph Monthly, Bulletin or .Supplements of new Records as they appear, catalogues, cards, folders and various other advertising literature, all of which keep the Dealer fully informed concerning the Phonograph business, and enable him to not only do more business, but to do it more intelligently. A Jobber can make no greater mistake than to believe that we. desire the names of his Dealers for our direct benefit. Everything done by this company is for the benefit of the trade, and our system in this respect has the same end in view. TEACH YOUR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE RECORDS. To demonstrate the value a little time spent by Dealers in teaching their customers to make Records is evidenced in the following from Douglas & Co., Jobbers of this city, as related by G. H. Baker, a well known Dealer of Ossining, N. Y. Mr. Baker has three Records he uses for this purpose, a tenor solo made by himself, a song by his daughter, and the third Record made by a three-year-old child of a well known judge. These Records always interest the listener and are a strong influence in effecting a sale. When the judge referred to heard the Record made by his litttle daughter, he ordered a $50 outfit from Mr. Baker, and an uncle of the child purchased a $40 outfit. PUNKIN CENTRE STORIES. Cal Stewart's fun, so well known to users of Edison Records, has just been published in book form under the title of "Uncle Josh Weathersby's 'Punkin Centre' Stories." The matter has been written by Mr. Stewart himself, and the preface of his book gives the following reason for doing it: The one particular object in writing this book is to furnish you with an ocasional laugh, and the writer with an occasional dollar. If you get the laugh you have your equivalent, and the writer has his. In Uncle Josh Weathersby you have a purely imaginary character, yet one true to life. A character chuck full of sunshine and rural simplicity. Take him as you find him, and in his experiences you will observe there is a bright side to everything. The book is just as funny in print as Mr. Stewart is in the Phonograph. It contains all his humorous sketches, which are illustrated, and the book is handsomely bound with illuminated covers. Its contents afford one continuous laugh. The Penn Phonograph CompanVj 19 South 9th street, Philadelphia, are distributors to the talking machine trade for this work, and in their advertisement elsewhere in this issue they are offering liberal discounts to the trade.