Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-02-11

to continue with my Aunt Lizzie. One
day she came home with huge pink
sheet, which she had folded into as
small compass as she possibly could,
and stuffed under her sealskin jacket.
Look here, Philip she said to her hus-
band, isn't this deliciously cheap
thingP Fancy! ! only paid penny
per yard
"'What's it forP' said Philip, with a
grunt. 4 don't see what the use of it is.
It may be cheap, but what's it for?'
"'Well, dear, said Lizzie, meditative-
ly, 4 don't know what it's for, I'm sure,
but it would have been perfect sin to let
it go by at such ridiculously low price.
It'll come in useful some time.
"She had wardrobe" continued the
strong-minded lady, perfectly full OF
remnants she had bought at sales and
subsequently made into dresses. Some
times she kept the remnants for years
before she had them made up. They
were consequently most old fashioned,
and frequently have heard people say:
There is Lizzie with one of the dresses
Noah's wife wore when she came out OF
the ark In other points my aunt was
perfectly sensible. She could talk poll
tics like professional politician, was
we'll versed on the literature of the day,
and entertained friends in graceful and
charming manner. But to see her rise
at an early hour of the morning and 60
off to a sale at the same time her hus-
band left for business, not to return un-
til he did, late at night, was heart
rending spectacle. ! couldn't reason
her out of such proceedings, though l
tried my hardest to do SO. She was
quite obdurate. suppose you know"
continued the strong-minded lady, THAT
bargain-hunters are really the most I'M
worldly people living. A lady, let us
say, can obtain certain article at Har-
lem for tifty-two cents. Very good.
She hears, however, that in Twenty
third street the same thing ID sold at
forty-eight cents. At once she jumps
up and goes down town. She pays ten
cents to the elevated road for her jour
ney down and ten cents for her return.
But she says: Ihave gotwhat wanted
for forty-eight cents, while at Harlem it
would have cost four cents more She
has positively no idea that the article in
reality has cost her sixty-eight cents
She would laugh at you if you were to
endeavor to convince her of that fact"
"She's an exception" said The young
companion, with smile.
Don't you believe it," commanded
the lady of the vigorous mind, almost
stirring the bottom out of the cup which
contained her chocolate. "She's no ex-
ception. l don't say, either, that she's
the rule, but assert that she represents
very large class of bargain-hunting
ladies. | should recommend a complete
course of logic as remedy Of what l
must consider as an abnormal state of
mind, Doctors may say what they like
about female foibles, but Pm a female,
and know what those foibles should be.
| suppose you have never heard that
there exist ladies who make it a part of
their daily duty to visit the principal
stores of the city, look at quantities of
goods, and never buy cents worth. l
assure you that's fact. Some of the
big stores here have made that discovery,
and have, moreover, by engaging the
services of keen-eyed and observant
shop-walkers, so arranged things that
these ladies become known to the sales
men, who consequently decline to waste
their time with them. In large
Twenty-third street store the other day
was told that whenever one of these
ladies comes into the establishment the
shop-walker conducts her to the desired
counter, says to the salesman the word
cave, which, of course, you know,
dear, means beware and leaves her,
satisfied that she will not remain very
long in the store. When a salesman re-
ceives cave customer he at once de-
clares that the article she desires to see
is sold out and won't be in stock again
for long time"
"Well, what do these women mean by
such aimless shoppingpn
'Why, my dear, it's cheap enter
tainment. You remember Jonas Chuz-
zlewit, who used to visit the ontsides of
theaters and the insides of churches be-
cause they cost nothing. Well, tho same
principle is involved in this aimless shop
ping business. Of course it is an out
rageous thing to do, but you know there
are lots of people who will do outrageous
things, and think nothing of it. Itusual-
ly takes a couple of months before a
cave customer can be satisfactorily
distinguished, this city being so large
that she can divide her Improbable pat
ronage among many stores. These Ia
dies generally carry sachels, and have
all the appearance of the most inveterate
shoppers. They make minute inquiries
as to the goods they are inspecting, and
always turn away with the words, sor-
rowfully uttered: This is not exactly
what l want. How extremely annoy.
ing. And" continued the strong-mind-
ed lady angrily, as she paid the waiter
for her chocolate, and in her deep alb.
straction forgot to ''tip" him, "you read
of the poor wretches who are taken to
the police station because they are said
to be disorderly in causing annoyances
in the public streetsP l have seen a
poor little banana-seller captured by a
policeman, and numerous others who
are endeavoring to make livelihood,
because they have forgotten the red
tape which must be employed in the
act But think of these women-these
distractions to honest purchasers! They
may flourish and they may do as they
like"
"Weli, how could any one prevent it?'
asked the girl, impatiently.
81 don't say they could, my dear
don't say they could 1 am simply
speaking of the injustice of things
how everything favors the rich anG
nothing the poor. The inveteratt
shopper is, in my opinion, positive
nuisance. She can't explain her bust
ness satisfactorily. 1t was all very vel
for Longfellow to make his namby
PANTY Precissa exclaim: 1 can no
reason; 1 can only feel We wan
reasoning, logical women nowadays
None of your milk-and-water nonenti