The drawing of the characters of the book is admirably done. From the profligate, dissipated Corn Bug, to the patient Susie, one and all have their charms, and those which impress the reader most forcibly come to be

The "Stringtown" grocery which figures in the novel. known to that reader as the best characters. Mr. Lloyd considers Red Head foremost, with Holcomb and Judge Elford in close competition for the second place. A striking thing in "Stringtown" is the fact that the orthodox novel hero is reversed, for Samuel Drew who tells the story is reduced step by step, until when his end comes no one mourns for him. He stands in strong contrast to the feud-following Red Head, who, a vicious, untamed mountain boy, excites the reader's dislike at first, and then grows upon one to the day of his tragic end, and in his death finally compels the admiration. This artful handling of these two characters, and the reversal of the reader's feelings toward them, is a difficult feat of fiction, and few novelists would have attempted the task or could have hoped to accomplish it so insidiously.

But to pharmacists and chemists the features of "Stringtown" which put forth an especial appeal are those where the story intrudes on the science of chemistry. A great literary authority has written that "Stringtown on the Pike" is "a story that only an American could write;" and to this might be added that it is a story that only a pharmacist-chemist could write. The realistic presentation of the application of the fearful African Ordeal Test is scientific thought in life's garb. No cold description of the qualities of the drug can equal the life picture of its action in the hand of a devotee of superstition. The description of the plant bulbs that bring death gradually and naturally, of which the discredited Samuel Drew avails himself at last, seems to belong only to the field of imaginative romance. And yet it is not likely that when Mr. Lloyd

fortified himself with facts in other directions he neglected to fortify himself likewise with respect to this remarkable incident. But the most conspicuous scientific point, that which appeals to the follower of either pharmacy or chemistry, is the expert testimony concerning strychnine; in this it is shown that a mixture of morphine and hydrastine react strikingly like strychnine with the chrome sulphuric acid test, a fact new to science.

Altogether, "Stringtown on the Pike" reads like a romance, but makes the reader feel that it is not fiction but a life picture, filled with strange and dramatic incidents. And finally, after the book is laid down as an enticing novel, the reader returns to study the undercurrent, finding with surprise that from the "magic mirror" to the "voice in the night," from the war scenes to Red Head's love, fact lies close to the lines.

While Mr. Lloyd does not say that pharmacy must henceforth be secondary to him, his friends perceive that the great field of literature now before him bids fair to make it so. And, should this come to pass at an early date, as seems probable, it will not be because his love for pharmacy is less, but because his duty to the world is greater. Moreover, those who know Mr. Lloyd feel that if he turns his attention to literature it will be a work of love and recreative art only; that his highest aim will be to act well his part seriously and earnestly; and that whether he maintains an active interest in pharmacy or not, he will remain a pharmacist at heart. It is not unlikely that Mr. Lloyd's time from now on will be spent in the Lloyd Pharmaceutical and Botanical

Almost every druggist makes a special effort to do extra business at Christmas time, but so far as my knowledge extends, and from what I can ascertain from other druggists and drug travelers, there are few druggists who make any special effort to obtain extra business at Easter, or at any of the other anniversaries occurring during the year. Now this should not be so. Men in other lines of trade make stren-, uous efforts to obtain extra business on special occasions throughout the whole year. It would do both the druggist himself and his business as well a vast amount of good, and would result in dollars of profit, if he would enter into some special

I have heard of a few druggists making an effort to sell Easter egg dyes at Easter time, but it seems to me that the amount of business that can be done in this line must, of necessity, be very limited. As I understand this folk-lore story, Easter egg dyes only appeal to a certain class of people, and it is just possible than in certain localities some druggists may do quite a little extra business in these dyes at this season of the year. But at the same time, I think that I am safe in venturing the statement that a large majority of druggists do not stock Easter egg dyes, or make any effort to sell them. There is very little demand for them in any place that I have

been in, and, furthermore, I do not think that there would ever be enough in the Easter dye business to reward the druggist for his efforts or investment, even if he should try to cultivate the business.

But there are regular articles of stock of which a druggist can make extra sales at Easter time without doing special extra buying. Druggists might take dry-goods men as models to imitate at Easter. Certainly the druggist cannot do the volume of business that the dry goods merchant can; neither can he obtain from the amount of business that he does anything like an equivalent of the dry-goods man's profits; but, at the same time, if the druggist makes a similar special effort, and accomplishes extra sales on articles of drug-store commerce, he surely will be gratified at his measure of success and will make a greater effort next time.

A SERIOUS MISTAKE.

Most of us are willing simply to let our business drift along nicely and smoothly. We come down at a certain time in the morning; we attend to all the details that are brought to our notice; we buy goods from travelers; we sell goods to our customers; we attend to the collection of accounts and the payment of bills; we look after our advertising; in short, we attend closely and persistently to business in general, and take little recreation or pleasure. We do everything that comes up to be done, but we do not usually make any special effort to do anything extra. This is where we make a serious mistake. It is the extra business that seems to make the most

profit for us. Almost every druggist could, by trying, do from $1000 to $2000 more business annually without noticeably increasing his expenses, and this is the reason that the extra business apparently seems so much more profitable. Consequently, a druggist should desire and be willing to make special efforts after extra business at every opportunity that offers.

SELLING REGULAR ARTICLES OF STOCK AT EASTER TIME.

At Easter time the dry-goods merchant makes special efforts to sell every woman a new hat and a new gown. You know how dear it is to every feminine heart to have a new hat and a new dress to wear to church on Easter Sunday; and the dry-goods man has the advantage of the druggist in obtaining this Easter business. The dry-goods merchant has only to display attractive goods to make sales; while the fair purchasers are not so likely

to want the things that the druggist keeps in his stock. But do you not think that after all the difference lies somewhat in the fact that the dry-goods merchants have been cultivating this habit or custom for years, while the druggist has been neglecting his opportunity? It is time the druggist began to cultivate this garden. I believe that he would find it a fertile one yielding much profit. At Easter time, along with a new hat and a new dress, I am sure almost every woman would like a bottle of good perfume, or some nice preparation for the skin or the teeth. Even as it is, some of them always get a bottle of new perfume at Easter, but if the druggist would only make a special advertising effort he could easily get more of them to do it. And such business could be made to increase from year to year. Year after year the dry-goods merchant continues to solicit the millinery business from women, and so ought the druggist at the same time to solicit their business for the purchase of his toilet articles. Toilet articles such as choice perfumes, face powders, preparations for the skin or for the teeth, tooth-brushes, nail-brushes, etc., are the best of the druggist's stock to sell in this way at Easter time.

NO SPECIAL BUYING NECESSARY.

It does not need so much preparation on the part of the druggist to get ready for Easter business. He does not need to do any special buying as he does at the Christmas season. In all likelihood he will have enough perfume, both in bulk and in fancy packages, to please and satisfy his Easter patrons. With other toilet articles he will probably be in the same position. Preparations

of his own manufacture for the skin and the teeth should be gotten ready in ample quantity to supply any demand and to make a liberal and imposing display both in the window and the store. If you do not think you have a sufficient quantity of certain toilet articles left over from your Christmas business, it will be an easy matter to obtain small lots from any of your wholesale houses.

WINDOW ADVERTISING.

I have found that the best time to solicit this special business from women at Easter is during the weeks of the "millinery openings," and from that time up to the Saturday just before Easter Sunday. The best way to solicit it is by making a special Easter display in your window. Some druggists put a lot of Easter lilies in their window. They look very pretty and call forth comment from people. This alone, however, does not make them go to Mr. Blank's drug store and get a bottle of his "lotion for the skin" to reduce the redness of their complexion or the roughness of their chaps. Lilies are all right to help you decorate your window, but do not depend on them alone. Give the greater prominence to the goods that you want to sell. You want your window to advertise you and help you to do business.

TWO OR THREE DISPLAYS.

Violets are beautiful and help to make an attractive display in the window at Easter time. It is also well to adopt some design for your window display that is appropriate to the season. A cross covered with small violets, which can be purchased from a dry goods store, will form a good centerpiece for the window. Around this place the lilies and the goods that you want to sell. Another design that is good for this time of the year is a large star. Cover it with white or cream cheesefasten a bottle of your skin preparation; on each point cloth puffed nice and full, and in the center of the star place an adjective which will describe a good quality of the preparation. The adjective can be printed on a white slip of paper or cardboard, and tacked on to the points of the star. Suspend the star in your window; surround it with toilet articles of all kinds that you wish to sell, and then decorate with lilies and violets.

Another design is to make a large egg, cover it with white cheese-cloth in puffs, and attach the words "Easter Greetings." This makes an excellent centerpiece around which to group your toilet articles as your sense of taste may dictate. Lilies and violets may also be used here for purposes of decoration.

OTHER POINTS.

In your Easter window you should have some nicely worded cards to advertise your toilet articles. "With that new dress for Easter Sunday every lady will want a bottle of perfume." "With those new gloves a bottle of our Winter Balm will make your hands feel smooth and comfortable." Etc., etc.

You must have the display in your window when women are going to the millinery openings, for then they are out in crowds to look at the windows in which hats and dresses are shown, and if your window is fixed up particularly well it will attract their attention and remind them of their wants in your line of business. At the same time you should advertise in the newspapers that you are making a special effort for Easter business, and tell the same news that you are trying to tell by your window advertising.

A SPECIAL PLAN.

I have often thought that another good way to cultivate this special Easter business, although I have never tried it myself because of the expense involved, would be by the aid of a good booklet sent direct to women through the mail. It need not be large, but simply of a size sufficient to contain a little talk on Easter on the first page, and then a short talk on each succeeding page on each of the following articles: perfumes, complexion powders, skin preparations, soaps, teeth preparations, etc., etc. I believe that if this plan were adopted it would greatly help to cultivate and increase the druggist's business at Easter time.

In selecting a formula for a tooth-powder there are

SEVERAL IMPORTANT POINTS

to keep in view: Avoid excess of gritty substances, and anything of an acid nature; do not over-flavor the powder; tint it, but do not dye it; and sweeten it slightly. Use the finest obtainable precipitated chalk for the body of the powder. I have found Nichol's English brand to be the best. Sweeten it with milksugar instead of cane-sugar; use a little powdered cuttlebone to assist in the scouring of the teeth; a little soap for the cleansing; flavor with powdered orris root and oil of wintergreen, and use oil of cassia as an antiseptic. This combination, when properly mixed, will give an ideal powder, and will prove a winner with you as it has with us.

Powder the carmine, use a few drops of ammonia water to form a smooth paste, add the powdered cuttlebone, and mix thoroughly; next add the chalk in portions, mixing thoroughly after each addition to secure uniform distribution of tint; then add the balance of the material, and rub through a No. 60 sieve two or three times.

This will prove a tedious task, but in no other way can the best results be obtained.

THE PACKAGE AND COST.

To secure an introduction a tooth-powder must be pleasing to the eye. Therefore use the best and neatest bottles and labels obtainable. I use a heavy flint, flat, square bottle with a bronze, bell-shaped, sprinkler top, and an embossed label (shown in the accompanying window display). The bottles and sprinkler tops cost $7.25 a gross; the embossed labels $2.25 a thousand; the powder 30 to 35 cents a pound. The bottles will hold one ounce of powder if it is made with the brand of chalk recommended, which is exceedingly light and fluffy. Hence the total cost of the finished bottle of powder, including the revenue stamp, is eight cents. We sell it for twenty cents, though in some localities one might as well get twenty-five for it.

THE WINDOW DISPLAY.

The

A three-inch strip of wood at the back, and about six feet from the floor of the window, and covered with cloth, was draped with blue and white cheese-cloth, made to hang in festoons, with the two colors alternating. The accompanying illustration clearly shows the arrangement, but not the colors of course. floor of the window was covered with white cheese-cloth. In the center a square base about six inches high was made from a box covered with blue cheese-cloth, and on this stood the design of a large bottle of the powder; this was cut from heavy pasteboard and transformed into a fairly good reproduction of a bottle

*The first of this series of articles was published in January, and was on headache powders; the second was published in February, and was on cough and cold remedies.-THE EDITORS.

of the product by a sign painter. At either end of the window was a step pyramid, made from various sized boxes; this was covered with white cheese-cloth, and a strip of blue cloth was puffed down the corners and sewed in position. These pyramids were used to display bottles of the powder; and other bottles of it, as well as tooth-brushes, were scattered about the floor of the window in a careless fashion, as though we had lots of them. Bottles were suspended from the strip at the back, and also from the electric light fixtures. Two strings of brushes were festooned diagonally across from corner to corner; and the two signs seen in the illustration completed the display. It made a very pretty window, and attracted very great attention.

SAMPLING.

We put up a lot of samples-good liberal ones-in a neatly printed, No. 2 drug envelope, and send these

SAMPLE OF

Cooban's Tooth Powder

For Cleansing and Beautifying the Teeth

PREPARED BY

B. S. COOBAN & CO., Druggists

Corner 63rd and Normal Avenue, CHICAGO

This is a free sample removed from the factory for gratuitous distribution. Any person selling or exposing for sale this sample at any time, will be liable to all the pains and penalties of the Law denounced against persons selling or exposing for sale unstamped articles taxable under Schedule B, Act of June 13th, 1898.

Envelope used for samples.

around by mail, in packages of goods, or else by the carrier. In each envelope we enclose a circular containing these statements:

We take pleasure in handing you a sample of our toothpowder, which we trust will receive favorable consideration at your hands.

We have expended considerable time in perfecting the formula, and use great care in selecting and combining the material which enters into the product. We believe, therefore, that we have an ideal tooth-powder.

The principal cause of decay in the teeth is a minute organism which multiplies very rapidly, and portions of food which find lodgment between the teeth and thus furnish the medium for the development of this organism. An acid fermentation results, with the formation of tartar, which soon eats through the enamel, and then decay rapidly follows.

COOBAN'S TOOTH POWDER is designed to neutralize this acid, prevent the formation of tartar, and destroy all bacteria or organisms. It is a perfect dentifrice and cleansing agent. It whitens the teeth, perfumes the breath, and leaves in the mouth a delightful sensation of freshness and cleanliness.

Price, 20 cts. per bottle.

B. S. COOBAN & CO., CHEMISTS,

63d and Normal Ave., Chicago.

OTHER ADVERTISING.

For newspaper or circular advertising the following forms may be used:*

Glean Teeth-Sweet -Sweet Breath. One of the great educators of to-day lays emphasis upon the fact that the tooth-brush is a powerful factor in civilization. Cer tainly some credit must be given to Tooth Powder, for anybody knows how unpleasant the use of a plain brush is without some powder or dentifrice.

GOOBAN'S TOOTH POWDER

is impalpably fine-nothing is left to
scratch the enamel. It makes tooth-
brushing a pleasure-you never for-
get to do it. It cleans the teeth,
mouth, and gums. It is antiseptic,

and so assists in the arrest and
prevention of decay. Foul breath is too often
the result of neglect in keeping the mouth and
teeth clean. A good tooth-brush from Cooban's
drug store, together with a bottle of Cooban's
Tooth Powder, will do about all that can be
done toward keeping the mouth clean and sweet.
Price 20c.
B. S. COOBAN & CO.

IT IS YOUR DUTY

To look after the little ones in many ways. One of these ways-and it is not the least of them-is early to inculcate habits of cleanliness of the mouth. The teeth should be looked after carefully; each little one should have a brush of its own, and should be taught to brush its teeth with warm water after each meal -we have some nice, soft little brushes that are just the thing. Once a day some good tooth-powder should be used; and there is none better than Cooban's.

Take them to a dentist occasionally to see that the second teeth are coming in straight, and have all cavities filled at once. Do this for them now, and later they will bless you for it.

Nothing sets off a pretty face like even, pearly teeth. Take care of them. Cooban's Tooth Powder is cleansing and antiseptic, and contains nothing gritty or harmful.