The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-29

tibit huIpiti VIII al VIC h'h'dNi'o vi
the season. cater for your parties, ETC.,
and when you die will provide your
burial place and conduct your funeral.
/ The girls At Whiteley's 5. Is in most Of the
large shops, wear a uniform-a black
dress and white apron provided 10y the
firm Indeed. black Is the business
woman's garb all over Europe. and the
! baroness Burdctt COutts sets the ex-
ample Of always wearing it when she
goes to bank. So generally is this Gus
tom recognized that a decent black
gown is the safest dress for any woman
travelling without male escort in Eng
land or on the continent.
4 department at Whiteley's which
seems a peculiar one 10 the American, is
that Of ready cooked provisions. where
you may buy cold joints. fowls, entrees,
etc, in short. all the requisites for n cold
collation., all ready for service. and either
have them sent TO your lodgings on the
dishes within an hour. or packed in bas-
kots. with the necessary utensils. 10 be
taken on water party or picnic. The
things are al there. and do not have TO
be provided to Your order. Noucan buy
or hire the china. etc., as you choose.
There is but one thing which Whitley
has not, an American soda water foun-
tain.
The admirably arranged parcels post
renders the amount Of shopping done by
mail in Great Britain and the colonies
very large The method employed by
the dry goods shops for sending samples
--"patierns," rs they call them-is n
wise one. Packages are prepared, each
q complete assortment Of the class OF
goods called for; these are plainly
marked with the address of the firm
and with the polite request that the
whole package be returned with the
numbers and letters Of those desired
specified Each sample is ticketed with
a letter and number If none are
wanted the package is to be returned
al the same. Thus The same sets of
samples are used over and over again
and the saving 90 the shops amounts 90
hundreds If dollars yearly The fact
that the patterns are the property Of the
merchant is everywhere recognized. \
lady who was showing the patterns
she had just received from the "AuXiii-
airy stores. 80 gently reprovcd me for bit
of carclessnc-s. They are only sent US
to iooi, M, " she said, land as il saves us
20 much trouble the least we can do is
to be careful % them"
The army and navy, civil service and
other cooperative stores are almost
British institution. They are sogonerally
patronized bv the upper CLASSES that no
body likes 10 confess ID being without
entree TO them Originally started as a
sort Of clab, they have grown steadily
until their business and that of their
branches extends throughout the whole
of the British empire, and the shares Of
the original subscribers yield cent per
cent. the shareholders are divided into
two classes, the purchasing shareholder
holding from one to twenty pounds
worth OF stock who has joined the SO
cieiy expressly for the purpose OF pur-
chasing bis goods chcaply, TO whom the
saving thus gained Is well worth the in
vcstmcnt outside of the 5 per cent. year
~ interest which hc receives ON his
money; and the original stockholders.
vino started The concern for their own
convenience and that Of their friends.
Besides ihc regular shareholders there
are many life and annual ticket holders.
since one OF the advantages OF the club
is that it enables you 10 obiige your
friend by admitting him 10 lis privileges
Laucrly the larger shops. and for that
matter some of thc small ones. also. rex
uatc their prices by those Of the stores
thus practically charging their useful
ness The secret OF their success lies in
that they were not undertaken 90 make.
but To save money. all that was asked Of
them for years being that they should
payexpenses Now the cloud "no bigger
than q mans hanl' has arisen, and there
begin 20 be Indications OF % contest be.
tween the two CLASSES oi shareholders
one Of whom wants low prices, while
the other wants largo prices.
The stores are neither more nor less
than purchasing clubs. which secure 90
the small consumer all the advantages Of
the largest buyer. As in other clubs
you are admitted hv ticket, and in order
% make amy purchase yOu must give
your name or num1c-. which arc sent
up 90 the doss with your purchase and
verified before NWg are allowed 10 DAY
"Name OF Percy. 40. 23l .j0Is90,' is the
usual formula. H. this way strangers
are prevented from enjoying tine benefits
of the society.
Il is hardly 10 DE wondered that Kate
Field failed IN her cndoasor to establish
% like society ia NV York. There wa,
not the same meet for if. In the first
place, and thc idea of profit was par
amount. whom ffom the very nature of |
things the business must be huge before /
the profits are more than appreciabic.
Mrs. II. l.. HANDY.