AMUSING ADVERTISEMENTS

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 211, 18 April 1877, Page 2

AMUSING ADVERTISEMENTS

The following are some oddities in advertising, compiled by an Exchange : “ Two young women want washing.” Teeth extracted with great pains.” “Babies taken and finished in tea minutes by a country photographer.” “Wood and coal split.” The next appeared in a London newspaper, under the head of “ For Sale:” “ Pianoforte—cottage—seven octaves —the property of a lady leaving England in a remarkably elegant case on beautifully carved supports.” And what does this mean ? “ Business chance —To be disposed of—genuine dried fish business at tbo West End.” Does tbo genuiness apply to tbe fish, the business, or to the way in which they are fried ? And one’s mind gets hopelessly dazed over the advertisement offering a large reward for “ A large Spanish blue gentleman’s cloak, lost in the neighbourhood of the market.” There are others deliciously inconsequent, like the advertisement of a runaway, which furnished this valuable hint for identification ; “ Age is not precisely known, but looks older than he is.” Or the notice a shoemaker put on his door ■ “ Shall be back in ton days from the time you see this shingle.” Some, however, leave no loophole for doubt ; “ Baltics after having taken one bottle of my soothing-syrup will never cry any more.” And an editor, puffing air-tight coffins, said : No person having once tried these air-tight coffins will ever use any other.”