The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-09-20
SHOPPING: LADIES.

viz VI theIr own sex describes their pcru
llariics In the following little sketch ten
} tlcmen have no genius for shoppinc Tbe,
are not equal TO it. Nature has left their fac
"l'leS imperfect in that particular. They
can write books and make speeches. and all
: that sort Of thing, but they are not np tc
shopping. Il takes the ladies ior that. Men
90 ito store and select what they want and
buy 1t. But that is not shoppins-t!at re-
cures no genius. Men pretend they don It
like TO 90 shopping with the ladies'. won.
der Who ever asked them? What lady would
have such an cncumbrancc on such ocra-
slonS: Men are well enough in their rla-
ces. i""n" gentle men are convenient TO take
Us to the concerts, and to see US hou,
from church, and bring Us hooucts and mn.
SIC and h"SbHndS are useful, | suppose, to
pay the b'i'S' Nr' but fora shopping cxcur-
SION they are quite out of place. Dovou un-
drr>''"d me to in>lnuatc that have any dis
tncni~'icI ability that way? Not at ALL
only speak for my sex In fact. acknow
l'',e myself a poor !anl at it. Hut nv
fr''nd, Sa'lie L.. is a mol,.l shopper. | am
takin, lessons Of her, ard hope to he ner.
iectci before am married. \ few DAYS ago
She invited m" with her Il wish 10 look at
The new style silks, said She WHY. do Won
want to get a dress = said l. 'Hcallv.' said
She, IT II was not impolitr. should say Won
were a vcr1ant. | don : want a dr,sS. lint
that's no reason why shouldn't see the ma
'crial.' 50 Sallie and sailed ont The frs,
store We entered. she ask ed whether the r,or
chant had received his spring goods. He
sa'i he had. and inquired what she would
like to see. SHOW me vour new style dress
goods, sal! She, such as barcrc robes and
lawn robes, handsome striped and plaid silks:
hrocadc> and chanrcahlc silks brCcad,.s and
chanSeahie silks are not much worn this
spring, but I'll look at Your solid colors.' The
merchant soon hal his conntcr sprc,1 with
-'"''s' NV fNt!i''cu and tossed the pieces
about, making various ugly creaseS in then,
to SEQ whether they would come out arain lv
rubbing. VIVA. >'vlc is worn = said Sallic
to the clerk. Well. We sell probably more
r'aidS aud stripes than any other Uavc
YOU any with The chcnc >trpc?' inquired
Sallic 80 yes. some very fine and a variety
OF pieces were produced. We'll, / can't
say. after all. that Ike the chcnc strnn i
looks like the old style revived prefer the
piaidS; the green is very pretty. 50 Sallie
held 1t in various lights. rubbing and crras-
'ng 1t. w eli. 1t don't crease much.' said she
Il wonder whether il will cut NO i, is
boiled silk. and We find that the plaids ard
stripes generally wear very we'll Your
silks are quite pretty, and yon may cut me
of samples If YOU please continued Sa,ie
This the merchant was forced to do. tboncb
with rather a bad grace, as most of his goods
were IN patterns. and he feared spelling the
piece. 'Nili YOU be kind enough to give mo
samples of The solid colors = These were
also furnished. This PLAID. Won saw. is one
dollar and thirty seven cents Is that the
lowest = 'les-wc cant take less. How
many yards in the pattern :? 'Fomtccn.'-
I'D rather have eiehtcen: perhaps | mich,
conclude 20 have ilounces. Wen, I'll take
the sample and show my mother, and then
make up my mind. Have You any Coates
cotton: Give me spool, No 33' This
was handed her she paid five cents. and we
left looked al MY watch. We had been
there exactly full hour. What cheat !
can buy these srools for four cents said Sal
he when we were fairly ont, 'and besides we
forgot their Shawis. 80 We went to ano;he,
store. Have YOU Stella shawls? y Yes
some beautiful ones, Just opened. Would
You see the broche border, or the p,inted :.
Both Any particular colors = NO. sir
I'll look at them ALL said Salie. Ii fer
cnt co.ors and patterns were accordingly rro
duccd. w hat is the price Of this green cen
tire brOche border:' We can afford vou
that at nine dollars style sold for fiji
teen dollars two months ago. Some printed
borders we can put at four dollars and fifty
cents NO, prefer bloche, but cant Won
take less = | saw twinkle in the mer-
chants eye, which made me think he knew
she was only shopping. Now, said he, if
you won mention it, Iii let you have it for
Sr. Sallle looked surprised. She knew the
article was selling at nine. six dollars-is
that your very lowest she inquired. We'll,
to obl'se You, III say .to,U,' SAID the mer.
chant A pause en>ued Then you think
tour dollars Is your very lowest!' 'Ahem .
| We have had large lot, and want to dis
pose OF them. Iii say two doi.rs and half. =
Still longer pause. Are you sure it i, a
first rate piece OF goods - Ill warrant il,
silk and WOOL, SAID the merchant. NV friend
was caught. Turning to mc she whispcred
Il DO wish had the money! and then ad
dressing the merchant, she SAID, Ill call a.
gam. ] never was so glad to get out Of :,
store before, for the clerks had gathered a.
bo1t US, seeming to understand the Joke. But
Salile went home, got the money, and insist
ed on my returning with her to the store for
the shawl. The trader said he was sorry.
very, but the shawl had just been sold. And
50 was Sasie, too, [ thought. W. went shop
ping no more that ait,rnoon