The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-11-03
How One Woman Got What She Wanted.

How One Woman Got W hat She wanted.
A sprightly English writer tells US how
5ne succeeded in Cheating the tyrant."
'What tyrantl" Among so many one may
well ask, "What tyrant!' This time it
was the tyrant of fashion, and all his jail
ers in the form of East End milliners, boot
makers, etc We are often blamed-indeed
/, being a woman, might say we are always
blamed-for submitting to the tyrant
F2shion, as though we created him our
selves, and set him up ourselves, to rule
and govern US like King Stork, who de
3Nured all his subjects.
My old school girl watch had seen its
best days. and after many months of scrap
ing and working, getting little odd jobs
over and above my regular pay, had
saved enough to get myself a real good
gold lever watch, stem winding, second
hand and all the rest. | went to the store
and requested an amiable young man be-
hind the counter TO show me some watches.
He brought out a case of ladies' watches.
l have feeling against small watches
and wanted something small and use
full, so taking up the larger one
| said, 81 want one size larger
than this" He replied: That is the lar
gest size we make for ladies'" "Well,'
said |, "then show me the smallest size of
gentlemen's Watches A look of intense
disgust passed over his face, as though /
had been guilty of improperly in asking
for a mans watch. After considerable ar
gument and pressure he stopped down and
brought out case of mems watches. l
chose the one / wanted, which was, of
course, dearer than the largest of the
ladies' watches So strong was the young
mans prejudice, that, although it was TO
his interest to sell me the higher priced ar
ticle, he showed annoyance and disgust
that l, a woman, sh ould refuse the articles
made expressly for the inferior sex, and
should provide myself with one made and
intended for the exclusive use of the super
Tor male being. He felt personally ag-
grieved and insulted, and he showed it.
Ny male watch goes very well.
Some Tina after this friend in thecoun-
try asked me to get for him an extra strong
clasp for a locket and chain which he
alSSys wore, containing his child's Dor
tkait went into the shop of one Of our
first jewellers and said: please show me
some extra strong clasps for locket and
chain" Plenty of trumpery clasps were
shown me, but nothing really strong or
extra good. After a long search among the
clasps l rose and said, half to myself: lam
sorry can't lind one; the gentleman will
be disappointed" 1.-THE gentleman cried
gentleman. I've got the very thing he
wants" Whereupon, he went straight to-
drawer and showed me, to my great sur
prise, quantity of strong. good clasps,
made for th5superiOr sex again. Now, these
two incidents set me thinking in both cases
had made it clear that price was no object,
and that ready money would be paid. What,
then, did it mean!
1T means that women are, and are to be,
slaves of changing and, therefore, ephem-
eral fashion; that the solid good things of
earth are not for them, and that their pre-
tentionS to preference for what may be
solid and good over what is trumpery and
poor is an audaciouS and subtle form of
women's rights. l pondered deeply; these
men are not far wrong. WOmen's rights
have taught me many, many things;
amongst others they have taught me how
to cheat the tyrant.
Last year | wanted to go TO Scotland IN
hurry. l required strong, large, comfort
able boots. | Inused-the boots l require
must be wide-soled, and double soled, and
take iron nails; no ladies' boots are made
wide-soled; in my musings concocted
deep-laid scheme. found myself at the
bootmaker's, walked in and said: 81 want
a pair of strong, ready made boots" yes,
madam, ladies' department upstairs, If you
plASsen Visions of the narrow soles and
higE heels and thin kid Of the ladies' de-
partment flashed before me. / said to my
self, Il must dissemble," so 1 replied,
CURLY, "Boy's-for country wear" "Yes,
madam this way, if you please"
Several pairs were shown me. 1
chose one and said, "These might do"
''Can you give US your boys size,
MADAME" 1 replied, ''They are as near
as possible the size of mine" Would you
object to fitting them on for him, madam"
'.No,'' l said. mot at all" So in my sons
name, I, a lonely spinster, bought myself
capital pair of boots, which neither money
nor the most eloquent and c0gent argu-
ment could have procured for mo.
Once more and have done.
needed hat that would meet certain
simple equirements-fr5t, to keep its
place on my head without pins or elastic;
second, that it should shade my eyes from
glare; third, that it should not be ugly a
patient search produced not one hat that
would meet even the first requirement, so
Sgain dissembled. and walked into the
s6Op of mans halter 81 want soft,
brown felt hat with a wide brim.'' Eyes,
madam; ladies' department this w1y," and
so on as before. Mo- / replied, "a gentle
mans hat" This time it was my hus-
bands fictitious hat that was being bought.