Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-25
A Business Oyerdone.

An awful business blunder was made
in this city by a merchant in Grand
street, which is our avenue of East-side
girlism of the Bowery stamp. There
are big dry-goods stores over there. but
they are for the masses, and when we
make excursions to that quarter from
the swell part of the town, it is merely
for diversion. On one of these trips
the other day, [ came across a new
piece of the senSatiOnalism with which
trade is conducted there. All sorts of
devices to force attention to the win
dows are in vogue, such as making can
DIV in plain sight, running sewino-nla-
chimes by pretty girl power, displaying
the mysteries of corsets recBlesslv and
operating the various inventions in fold
ING sofas and beds. Well, on this oc-
casion I came to q crowd so dense that
one couldn' get past without taking to
the middle of the street. The elbow
ing, the pushing, the notwithstanding
were indications of something worth
seeing, and I sacrificed a good part Of
the trimming of my dress, to say moth
ing of damage to a temper ever fragile,
in forcing my way to the front.
into a stocking-factory. A loom or
knitting machine had been set up and
was being operated by a very pretty
girl. Its action was very rapid, and
hosiery was formulated so fast that
whole stocking, of feminine length,
emerged like the output of sausage
machine in about five minutes. The
intention was to alluringlyi illustrate the
self-bulging qualities of the hosiery
manufactured and on sale here. The
knitting began at the toe, and the foot
was shaped automatically by the intri-
cate arrangement of hooks and needles
all quite wonderfully. Then came the
narrowing to a neat ankle, while the
fair attendant naively extended and
distended the work for the delectation
of the open-eyed spectators. Phenom-
enon is the word for the next develop
ment. After leaving the ankle the
shaping process rapidly produced a
tremendous swell for the calf, and we
saw that an immensely augmented
ed in the operation. The spools from
which the yarn was unwound fairly
buzzed with their swift revolutions
and the fiber zip-ziped along to be
woven into this section of thestocking.
A placard helped to an understand
ing. Graduated thickness" was the
special quality put forward for the
manufacture. In short, this was ready
padded hosiery. The calves were worn
about an inch thick-more or less, ac-
cording to the requirements of the buy
er. 1t was truly thrilling exhibition,
and the crowd was awe-struck, espe-
cially the men. And what was the eff
feet on the women and girls, who
formed the bulk of the gathering? Did
they acknowledge the utility of the in
vention? Possibly. Did they crowd
into the store to buy the goods? Not a
bit of it. Does an opium-eater pur-
chase the drug before multitude? No.
Does an actress paint her face in sight
of the audience? Nix. Does a girl
distend her stocking with falsity in pub
lie like q boa constructor Jumping his
skin by the swallowing of a rabbit?
Nein. There are certain. kinds of traf-
fic which can't be conducted in the
open street windows, and padding hos
iery is one of them. The loom grew
big crowds, but no purchasers. The
BoWery belle had as soon go into q
groggery as to be seen entering that
store. The machine has already been
removed.-ClarG Belle, III Cincinnati
Enquirer.
.