The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-04-27
THE SHOPPER.
There Are Two Species of Her and the Mer-
chants Know Them Well.

chants Know Them Well.
Some women are born shoppers. They are
not by any manner of means the greatest spend
thrifts. Nobody knows better than they how
to make one dollar go almost as far as two. The
shopper sets forth soon after breakfast in search
of bargain, clad in quiet street costume.
The only thing that really marks her social
standing is the value of the wrap she wears, or,
as close observer of womankind says, cit is
the value of what she carries on her arm that
fixes her social standing" For instance, if it is
a wrap of silk, velvet, sealskin, or in shawls,
the fineness of the camels hair, that brands the
with social distinction, or the want of it,
Does she desire a new wrap or new gown
''You can't get it in Washington to your salts
factiou," says veteran shopper, sunless you
look round and visit the principal stores, and
compare one thing with another Then you
know just where to get the best article for your
money. l suppose the storekeepers do look
upon us as something of a nuisance, because we
will not take their word for it when we
looking for fine goods That is what the
woman had TO say about it, and as there are two
sides to every question a HERALD reporter in
terviewed two or three leading merchants on the
subject. The first said: s'Yes, we know the real
shopper. There are two kinds of them One is
rich, and has the money-saYing instinct which
perhaps helped to make her so. She wants
bargain every time she buys piece of goods.
1t greatly enhances her happiness il by any
chance she can detect an imaginary spot or
'ilaw' in the goods on the counter, and get us to
throw off few cents per yard especially when
she knows the speck is so small it will not hurt
the pattern in the making. | am truly thankful
all women are not shoppers | really feel more
like favoring the other kind of lady shopper
She perhaps is a clerks wife, with refined tastes
and limited income. She likes pretty things
but the family necessities must be provided for
first, so she is great hand to rummage over our
bargain counter And you cannot fool her
IL -sS- Ill
we do, and to catch her we have got to
deal fair, or she will have none of us or our
goods like to wait on her myself, for when
she gets bargain we know it will be made up
to do us credit, for it is her nice management
and taste that make her family always look as
we'll dressed as some others do who spend twice
as much money as She"
The next place visited was one of the largest
and finest stores in the CITY, They have no
'bargain days. or remnant counters" "We
depend on an old and established custom for
our support, Yes, have few customers who
have the shopping propensity. They always
come here first and examine our stock and get
prices. We make it point to show no annoy
ance, no matter how troublesome they are.
They can see and examine every piece of goods
on our shelYes-one at time, II they desire to
do so. | would discharge a clerk peremptorily
who failed in courtesy toward lady shopper,
for it is part of our business to show goods,
and if the shoppers can do better elsewhere-all
right. We keep only the best makes of the
goods IN our line, ana IL is no uncommon tnlng
for madam TO 60 the rounds of all the stores
and then return here to lay in her spring stock
after all. Beside they unconsciously serve us
by telling us what other merchants are doing.
We take many hint that is never consciously
given. We have customers who have traded
with us for twenty years. who never think of
going anywhere else, and some OF these ladies
are shrewd shoppers, too. They know what is
what, and while they pick up an occasional
bargain they always come here for staples and
dress goods, because, as they say, we never keep
anything but the best of its kind in our line"