Indeed, some were proud of them, and believed it a mark of distinction
to have their fences and sheds announce an eye-remedy or several
varieties of pickles.
Mr. Watson, at first an amused observer of the campaign, soon became
indignant at the way that Kenneth was ridiculed and reviled; and he took
a hand in the fight himself. He decided to call a meeting of the
neighboring farmers at the district school-house on Saturday night,
where Kenneth could address them with logical arguments and endeavor to
win them over to his way of thinking.
The invitation was promptly accepted by the rural population; not so
much because they were interested in the novel ideas of the young artist
as because they expected to be amused by hearing the boyish master of
Elmhurst "lecture at 'em." So they filled the little room to
overflowing, and to add to the dignity of the proceedings the Hon.
Erastus Hopkins, State Representative for the district, lent his
presence to the assemblage.
Not that the Honorable Erastus cared a fig about this foolish talk of
exterminating advertising signs. He was himself a large stockholder in a
breakfast-food factory, which painted signs wherever it could secure
space. These signs were not works of art, but they were distinctly
helpful to business, and only a fool, in the opinion of the Honorable
Erastus, would protest against the inevitable.
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