. ▁After ▁two ▁years ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁advert ising ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁Mer c ant ile ▁Trust ▁Company . ▁While ▁with ▁this ▁company , ▁she ▁founded ▁and ▁edited ▁The ▁Mer c ant ile , ▁the ▁first ▁month ly ▁magazine ▁published ▁by ▁a ▁trust ▁company . ▁A ▁year ▁later ▁she ▁bought ▁an ▁interest ▁in , ▁and ▁became ▁secretary ▁and ▁tre as urer ▁of , ▁the ▁Fish er - Ste in bru eg ge ▁Ad vert ising ▁Company , ▁which ▁had ▁three ▁officers ▁and ▁four ▁employees . ▁Ten ▁years ▁later ▁the ▁company ▁had ▁ 2 5 ▁employees , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁advert ising ▁ag ency ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis ▁that ▁could ▁produce ▁copy , ▁design ing , ▁printing , ▁and ▁eng ra ving ▁for ▁every ▁kind ▁of ▁advert ising , ▁all ▁under ▁one ▁roof . ▁ ▁N ird ling er ' s ▁work ▁consisted ▁of ▁calling ▁on ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁manufact ur ers , ▁wh oles al ers , ▁and ▁ret ail ers ▁in ▁the ▁capacity ▁of ▁an ▁advert ising ▁coun sel or . ▁If ▁they ▁were ▁national ▁advert is ers ▁or ▁had ▁a ▁product ▁that ▁could ▁be ▁profit ably ▁advert ised ▁to ▁the ▁consumer , ▁she ▁discussed ▁Agency ▁services : ▁the ▁planning ▁and ▁placing ▁of ▁the ▁copy ▁in ▁newsp apers , ▁mag az ines , ▁farm ▁papers , ▁or ▁other ▁medium s , ▁as ▁the ▁case ▁required . ▁If ▁they ▁were ▁users ▁of ▁catalog ues , ▁book lets , ▁circular s , ▁and ▁special ▁advert ising ▁literature , ▁she ▁could ▁execute ▁that