News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-02-04
LIFE IN PARIS.
Great Public Resort and How ir is Car
ried On.

do not know of more remarkable
sight, says Adolph Houssaye in the
Chicago Tribune, than the Bon Marche
on pleasant day. do not refer merely
to the great store with its bewildering
desplay of goods, though these are a
marvel. The great feature is the throng
of shoppers. Ninety thousand! Eighty
five thousand of them women! They in
clude evsry grade and class in society,
The royal princess and the fsh-woman.
All is grist that comes to this mill.
The great bazar is the ideal democracy.
What a drama it is Here comes the
complacent and virtuous bourgeois
matron to purchase clothes for her chill
dren At her side is the dashing dem1-
mondaine, seeking bright new gew- -gaws
to attract new lovers. Here is the million
ARE duchess, ablaze with gems, and in
her shadow Creeps the poor widow with
but three francs in her purse, and the
Lord only knows how they will be re-
placed when spent. And all passing,
over and over again, before the eyes of
the thousand elegant dandies behind
the counters. For, yes, of the customers,
nine-tenths wear petticoats; but of the
clerks nine-tenths wear trousers.
Would any lady purchase ribbonsa It is
young man who measures them off.
Gloves2 1t is young man who fits them
upon her hands, with many caressing
pressure. A dress2 Again the young
man. Shoes? The young man buttons
them up for her. Stockings, under
clothing, anything2 1t is always a hand
some young man, with curled and per-
fumed hair, who supplies madams wants.
Indeed it is only in the department of
gentlemen's furnishing goods that
female clerks are employed. Would
monsieur purchase gloves2 A smiling
young woman pats them into shape upon
his hand. Or scarf7 Her arms put it
about his neck and her hands rub
against his chin as she ties it. Or q
handkerchief She firts it across her
own red lips to make sure it is properly
perfumed Ahi Those shopkeepers
know how to allure customers! But
then these same statesmen and salesgirls
have their bad side What? Oh, nothing;
only they will steal. They are poorly
paid; say from So to$12 week Ameri-
can money. They work twelve hours
day. They are required to be always
well dressed. And they are constantly
surrounded by the most tempting goods
which they constantly see others pur-
chasing, and which they cannot afford
to buy. And they have countless oppor-
tunities for pilfering. Do you wonder
that they yield? Says the manager of the
Bon Marche: "Our losses in this way
amount to from 800 to $500 day."
'Do you ever inquire into the matters"
t'No; what is the use? 1t is necessary
evil We shut our eyes to it as much
as possible Much stealing is done by
customers. But we do not check them,
save when they take articles of great
value. Our detectives are always on
the watch and see dozens of pairs of
! gloves and scores of handkerchiefs stolen
without trying to stop it. Why2 See,
there. There is a lady concealing under
her cloak pair of gloves she has stolen.
She is a regular customer here. Those
gloves are worth dollar. If we arrest
her shc Will prive them mn hut never
come here again. If we let her go we
lose the gloves, but she will spend a
thousand dollars here within month,
of which two hundred dollars will be
clear profit Now you see why we do not
try to stop her. If she takes something
of great value and is a regular ucstomer
we send bill of it next day. Nine
times out of ten she pays it without q
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