Expenses-paid trip to Chariton to buy a tombstone

I've frittered away too much time this morning reading about last evening's State of the Union addresses to accomplish anything constructive here. (Yes, I generally read about rather than watch; an old habit. Instead of watching politics, I was touring English country churches via YouTube --- far more restful not long before bedtime).

So I've pulled this advertisement, clipped and saved a week or so ago, out of a hat. I saved it because the tombstone in the photograph (imperfect in this microfilm version) looked familiar. It marks the graves of Joseph F. and Adellah W. Spiker in the Chariton Cemetery and still may be found there looking as good as new (image at left by Doris Christensen for Find a Grave).

But I was interested, too, in the promotional tactic adopted by Orlin D. Harding during April of 1922 when Lucas County's roads were impassable because of mud. Harding's Chariton Granite and Marble Works, predecessor to our current Chariton Monument Co., located across Highway 14 from the cemetery's main entrance, was located then where the fire station portion of City Hall now is.

"We are making a special offer to pay the expenses of a trip to Chariton to all out-of-town customers who buy a MONUMENT of us during the next several days," Harding offered. "Roads are bad and we realize that travel is difficult. Come on the train; we will pay your expenses and make some unusually attractive prices on the Monuments in stock besides."

No word on whether Mr. Harding had any takers. And of course the trains don't stop here any more, so the offer is unlikely to be made again.