a tip of the hat to franklin

Mr. Benjamin Franklin, the great early American statesman and printer, was visited by his friend, Mr. George Herriman, a milliner, interested in Mr. Franklin's opinion of the sign he was about to have executed for his new hat shop.

"Ben, what do you think of this?" he asked, and presented his design.

Mr. Franklin was certainly impressed with how thorough and informative the sign was; perhaps it was a bit too thorough...

"George, I can see that you intend to make and sell hats for ready cash," said Mr. Franklin, "but perhaps some of that is obvious. If you make the hats, obviously you're going to sell them, so why don't you leave that part out?"

Mr. Herriman was pleased with the result; he was thinking that the sign was already going to be cheaper, for like anyone would, the signcarver was going to charge him per letter.

It hadn't occurred to Mr. Herriman that Mr. Franklin, being a printer, was a natural editor — for what printer wants to tediously set unnecessary type?

So, of course Mr. Franklin suggested further edits:
"Now, George, I would say you are a favorable man, and are thought to be one; no one could say a word against you as a kind, religious, and fair man," said Mr. Franklin, "...but George, I think it's fair to say that no one would ever accuse you of extending someone credit — so I think you can strike that part about "for ready cash," since no one would expect to get a hat from you any other way."

Although George Herriman had perhaps just been accused of not being generous, he felt that he'd been praised, and purred like a cat, pleased with the sign as it now was. Fewer words, so cheaper, and I have to accord with Mr. Franklin's approach, like Mr. Strunk's: "omit needless words."

"Of course," Mr. Franklin continued, "Although I know you to be a fine and capable hat-maker — your felts are supple and durable, your colors are fast, and your designs are au courant, to say the least — "

Mr. Herriman glowed, hearing this lavish praise.

" — however," said Mr. Franklin, "patrons of your esteemed establishment won't really be so concerned with who is making the hats, so perhaps you might not bother to mention that? After all, you're in the business of selling hats, and that's what you want people to know. Don't confuse them with unnecessary information."

Mr. Herriman saw the sense of it, and accorded with Mr. Franklin's suggestions. The sign was certainly going to be much less expensive, now, and would likely be finished and ready to collect and hang sooner.

Mr. Franklin was not quite done, there being one word yet quivering under his bi-focaled glare, begging to justify its place on the sign: "HATS"

"No," he said at last, "You'll have to choose whether you're going to say it or show it — as a printer, I'd use the word, since it wouldn't require an engraver, but your carver is fine enough at his craft, and ought to have a go at the hat. So get rid of the word."

Now, all that was left: