The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-29
HOW 10 SHOP IN LONDON.
FROM THE PRINCES TAILOR TO
THE COOPERATIVE STORES.

Big Discounts for Cash--Importance Of
Securing Royal or Aristocra.ic PATRON
agc-The Pattern" System Growth and
Profits Of Co operation--,ts Severe Trial.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK Sept. Eth Paris"
says an old fairy tale. anything may be
bought for money" The same is equal
ly true of London; the price you pay de-
ponds very largely upon the part Of the
town in which You buy it. Prices on
Regent street are usually 10 per cent
higher than OF oxford or High Holborn,
and Whitelcy will turn you out a perfect
tailor made suit at two-thirds the figure
asked on Bond or Regent street. 1t is a
mistake, however, TO suppose that in
London you are asked moro because you
are an Americans; on the contrary. if you
know where to buy, you pay less because
| you pay cash. 1t is not an uncommon
thing 10 see the announcement, "A lib
cral discount allowed for ready money"
and at many of the news stands shilling
periodicals are ticketcd "nineponce for
cash." All tradesmen expect TO give
long credit 10 customers whom they
know, and naturally grade their prices
accordingly.
10 is amusing 10 an American to see
what immense importance is attached
to the patronage Of the royal family: not
only to that Of the queen and the Prince
of Wales. but 10 every royal duke rs
well. There are numbers of shops in
Kcnsington which advertise the patron
age of the Duke of Cambridge on all the
business cards and circulars, and the
Princess Louise, who when in town
keeps up her establishment at the South
Konsngton palace, isa still greater card.
When once a shop can mount the three
feathers. or the royal coat Of arms, its
fortune is made and the custom Of H.
r. IL. s loyal subjects flows in as a river
There is something particularly fasci-
mating, even 10 a good republican, in the
idea that YOU are served like "A king
how much more, then 10 a Jealous
rOvaiist.
They say that the Prince Of Wales is
easy to please for an heir apparent; no
body has ever brought such an sccusa-
ton against the queen. Frugal she is TO
a degree, and it is said that the purvey
ors TO the royal household make, com
paradyely, very small profits; it is the
honor that pays. But if once an article,
especially of food, has received the royal
approval, no doubts Of its excellence
need henceforth be entertained; unless
it is good Victoria Will none of il. So
every tradesman who serves her with
anything is naturally anxious 10 publish
the fact. over the door of handsome
establishment on Piccadilly is the an
nomccment: "Spur Maker TO Her Maj
esty.' u should think that fellow would
stalvc," remarked an American, think
ing only OF the fact that it has been
many years since the queen was on
horseback.
by no means was the reply Of his
English cicer0De, at IS a very desirable
appointment. Don't You know that all
the household guards and the royal
equerries and grooms are to be equipped;
Moreover, every English horscman likes
to buy his spurs from the same hand
which supplies the guards
Anybody may 60 to the queens gro
GERS, green grocers, frutcfcrs, etc, and
feast literally like king the royal
tailOrs and drcssmakers are much more
difficult Of access; no key Of gold can
unlock their doors unless il is properly
turned in the lock. Neither Poole nor
Elise will condcsccnd 10 set a stitch for
YOU, If you are not introduced by one of
their customers, and cash down does not
move them. Poole Is very rich man.
II is said that he never sends in "a bin TO
the Prince of Wales, and he might We'll
afford it, since the fact that hcmakcsthe
princes clothes is worth many thousands
of pounds yearly 10 him. Albert Ed
ward does not inherit his mothers eco
nomical turn, and his income is very
moderate one for his position and his
tastes.
II common gossip is 20 be believed.
there is scarcely a clerks wife in tine
United States who does not have more
new dresses in year than the queen Of
England. What she buys are, however,
Of the best quality ln mourning mate
riaD, and she has them made over as
carefully as the clerk wife ought TO DO
Tho queen is said 10 have quite "a friend
ship for Nine. Elise. and society WAS
Mortified two or three years ago by the
whispered rumor that the dressmaher
was TO appear at a drawing room. Ii
was not verified, but since then pretty
granddaughter of Elise's has been pre-
scented at court upon her marriage INFO
noble family. But then her dot was a
large one, and it is not the first time
that a rich tradesman has married his /.
daughter or granddaughter into the arts
tOcracy.
Nowadays, 50 many aristocrats, not 4
only men, but women, are going into .
business, that it seems. on the outside, .
as though the prejudice against trade +
were about 70 be relaxed. On the CON I
trary, il rests at the very roots of society. /
and the aforesaid mobiles are regarded as 4
GRANTS, who are pardoncd. but looked /
on as "of color" all the same. None .
with the smell of the shop upon them .
can be received at court. and Whiteley is .
prescribed equally with the petty trades. .
man. The shopkeeper always styles .
himself Mr.. upon bis circulars; there
fore the proper form Of address to gen
tlemen is Esq" and it is an aGront to
address a letter to any but a tradesman
as MIR. So-and so"
There are no 'stores' in England ex-
cepting the cooperative stores; from the
largest 20 the smallest they are shops
For example, if you go into a shop in any
part Of London and ask to be directed TO
a drug store, the person YOU ask will
probably stare and reply. "What would
YOU wish, ma'am:' You should inquire
for chemists shop. And, as a rule. the
more airs You put on the better YOU will
be treated, English traiesmen seem t.