Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-09-12
SENTINEL & n.- a.......-.-=

zssDo you have many applications for
work from saleswomen?" asked a re-
porter If the manager of a large store.
"We can get all we need at short no.
tice." he replied. "Most Of the ladies
like to hail from a large concern like
ours, But it Is net 60 easy to find
many who are fully up to our stand
ard
"What is the Standard"
1.-The question is not easy to answer.
We expect u lady to be quiet, yet con-
fdent; alert and wide awake, yet polite
and agreeable; easy and frank. yet pos
sesslng touch of frmness, and not SO
outspoken as to inIure trade. In fact.
a good saleslady Is rather complex ar
ticle under simple exterior. Patience
and coolhess are among the best points
they can possess. l sometimes feel
obliged, in q doubtful case, to test an
applicant upon this point of equanim-
ity by trying the effect of some little
aggravating remark. If she remains
cool and pleasant, her chances are
good; II she colors or bites her lips,
am forced to regard her as inexperi-
enced, and put her in some simple de-
partment-hosiery, for example. One
of the instincts that an inexperienced
girl has to contend with is the tendency
to stffen up if a customer becomes a
little disagreeable. But l could pick
out a good saleslady much more easily
than l can describe her"
''ls beauty desirable point?"
''On the whole think Its importance
is overrated. l should prefer, from a
business point of view, what Is called
an attractive girl, who is graceful and
has a fair figure. Many of onr best
salesladies are not remarkable for ply
sical charms, though all are agreeable
in manner. Some houses make point
of beauty. 1t is thought to be useful
at counters frequented by gentlemen;
but we have often been obliged to dis
place salesladies for keeping gentlemen
In conversation. The art Is to say Just
enough to effect the sales and dispose
of the customer when business COM
mences to degenerate into chatter,
Beauties are hard to take care of, we
often have to cali them, that Is. send
them on a message to a distant part of
the establishment as hint. 1 think 1t
quite possible that larger sales at
higher profits are sometimes made in
the departments of mems furnishing
goods by having good-looking girls be-
hind the show cases. Nevertheless, /
do not think that, as a whole, we con-
slider the value OF pretty girl, in the
wages market to be greater than that of
palmer girl who is as attractive ID
other respects. We DO not pay more
for beauty unless it is combined with
other high qualities. In the cloak anu
other tryipg.on departments personal
charms are of great value, of course.
aud command high wages; but even
here it is more a matter OF figure and
graceful movement than of face. 1t Is
perhaps advantageous to have hand
some, re6ned-looking girls IN the lace
ana embroidery departments. In the
silk and trimmings departments We re-
quire good taste, faculty for nice
orspipg and a quick eye for coiors,
united with genus for matching
fabrics. We pay well in these depart
ments, and IN selecting ladies for them
good looks have only asecondary place,
Some OF the ladies, as you Will notice,
ale quite PLAIN, but all are nice look
ing.
"Women perfectly suitable for the
trlmmrd-hat department are certaiLly J
born, not made. assure y, that few
Of the fine arts are more difficult than
that Of selling ladies' hats. The hats,
with their ye.yets, silk, laces, flowers,
feathers. and passementeries, are very
complex articles. To be able to choose
the particular one from stock that
Is most suitable and becoming to Gus
toners features, complexion age, and
style requires natural gifts of high
order. Ladies are always studying
dress more or less. but the number who
know what Is most becoming to them,
is small. They feel this. and although
they are often very opir donated IL other
matters of dress, they are quite apt TO
depend much upon any saleslady III this
department whom they believe to be
really competent. Hence the need OF
the best talent is always IN demand the
prices for 1t are high"
why do they object TO being called
saleswomen?"
Il don't know"