Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-14
sBoEs raAr LADIES WEAR.
Confidential Talks with Clerks in Shoe
store


Confidential Talks with Clerks in Shoe
store.
81 am sorry, but l really do not think
we can fit you," said saleswoman
in retail shoe store TO a lady on
Saturday afternoon. The house has a
large stock on its shelves, and the atteH-
tive saleswoman had taken down box
after box. The floor WAS strewn with
pairs OF dainty shoes OF dozen styles.
The would-oe purchaser and the pretty
clerk were both slightly flushed from
their exertions in trying 10 make a tit.
Il declare l never had such trouble
b fore" said the customer. ave
mad TO hurry so to catch the
steamer, in New York, that l left some OF
my shoes behind, thinking / could be
fitted mere easily. And you doubt that |
can be fitted IN savannah: Oh, dear! |
am in such predicament."
mo. You Northern ladies' have a foot
so entirely different in shape from the
Southern ladies' that doubt very much II
YOU can get ready-made shoe In the city
tnat viii fit YOU"
why. " hat is the differencew asked
the stranger, extending her own shapely
loot barely beyond the edge OF her skirt
and exhibiting just the least bit Of black
hose.
at is this" was the reply, "the ladies
Ofth South have short foot with high
iustep, while you and your sisters wear
shoe that Is longer and narrower. You
noticed in trying those on that the shoes
which fitted you in width were too short
and too high in the instep. The No. 3
hat YOU wear is longer and narrower
than the No. In cur stock. That shoe
OF yours would pinch a Southern lady's
foot OF the same length on top across the
instcp. | don't know why the feet are
different in shape, but the dealers here
have their stock made up on different
lasts. II YOU were to 90 into the Northern
shoe factories the fOremen would tell you
that they have to make different styles
for the Northern and Southern markets.
We do not pretend to keep line Of both,
for we would not sell ten pairs year.
The ladies who come South every winter
are finding this out and bring a supply
along or order from home@
The New York lady went out looking
very much as If she was vexed. The
brght-eyed clerk, wearing fragrant
rose at her throat, pencil pushed
through the coils Of dark hair, and bust
ness air, walked over where the pro-
prietor was giving the reporter points on
fall trade, and repeated the conversation.
While the merchant was consulting his
partner about ordering a small line Of the
long, narrow shoes, the NEWS man, TO
keep from feeling lonesome, meekly
ventured remark to the young sales
woman, who was putting the shoes back
IN the box.
"Really. can not say whether as many
young men are employed now in ladies'
shoe stores as formerly or not" she re-
piled. 81 am not supposed to have been
in the business formerly" she added
with a I-don' t-give-mysell-away smile.
"Some prOprietors think that their lady
customers prefer being waited upon by
their own sex. Oh, no; do not INFER that
l think differently. 1t is that which fur
nshes me this position. Besides, 1 know
many women who do not care to be
waited on by men, especially young men.
Perhaps the majority have no preference.
Girls are not apt to flatter purchaser by
admiring her feet, no matter how small or
well shaped they may be. | know that
to be the sole secret, though, of a certain
salesman's success. He is employed now
in large house in Chicago, and he gets a
large salary. He Is worth 1t, too, for he
makes more sales in week than any two
of the other clerks In the store. No differ
ence how large or badly shaped a foot
may be he is sure to pleasantly and in-
genuously work off some complimentary
remark, and he does it, too, in such a
way that the veriest prude cannot take
ofense.
'If Pve a mind | can say what
pretty ankle but of course a man would
not think Of saying it, This person of
whom l was speaking does not say it that
way, but, holding up shoe and pointing
at the place where the ankle does come,
h remarks: This pair is very small
around there, but it grows much larger
toward the top. think it will fit You
nicely He makes a sale every time. A
woman is more sensitive about her feet
than her face. | have learned that since
L began the business, flattery aud success
90 hand IN hand. Some customers are so
anxious TO be fattered, and are 30
unnecessarily generous in the display Of
hosiery, that one might suppose them to
be ballet girls.