The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-03
MISS coRsON's PROPOSAL.
Suggested by Conditions in New York
but Applicable Everywhere.

| MISS CORSONS PROPOSAL.
Suggested by Conditions in New Yorl
but Applicable Everywhere.
Copyright by American Press Association
In the early days of her work in the
interest of housewives the positive abuse
Of the tender first fruits Of the spring by
the greengrocers went to the writers
heart.
The day was passing of the woman
hucBster who went to New York from
the red fields Of New Jersey, bending
under those diYinely scented berries
that now are only memories; from Long
Island with such ''sparTowgrass, ''to-
matuses" and evergreen corn" as we
never hope to eat again; from Hacken-
sack with nutmeg" melons, the vicinity
of which was like an Indian spice grove
for balmy warmth of odOr. Alas! her
CHEEKY cry was echoing its last even
! then. The corner grocery store was
stealing her local customers, and the
peripa5etic vender undertaking her
/ price Instead of her dew dripping let
tuces and crisp cucumbers with night S
| GOODNESS upon the fevered palate, the af-
! ter breakfast marketer found the green
| grOcer's stalls spread with frail leaves
and nerveless sprouts already whiting in
fervid summer sun, set to gather all the
dust and poison Of the city refuse stirred
! by every passing cart.
! Voice and pen have been used unceas-
| ingly to remedy as far as might be the
injury of this most important portion of
our daily food. We would not buy a
wilted rose for the buttonhole as we
stroll along the sunny city street, nor
pluck falling flower passing any gar
den. Why should we be content to al
low the dealers in our daily food to treat
| it with less care than we demand in the
handling of our ornaments?
There would be one way to obviate
the necessity for this care on the part of
the retail dealers, i. e., to take out of
their hands the purchase of these per-
ishable foods. l have already proposed
in the columns of Karper's the Women's
purchasing agency for foods Of all kinds.
There is no community which this arti-
Gle is likely to reach too small TO sup
port such an agency if its purposes and
advantages are fully understood.
Many housewives do not rise early
that IS, early enough to market in the
first hours when the best supplies are
sold. In all market centeTs the hand
ling of fresh vegetables and fruit takes
place in the hours near dawn. Even the
trains that bring the far away shipments
from another state. and the fruit vessels
that come from the southern ports, reach
their depotS and wharves at any time
after midnight SO that the produce may
be in the hands of the local commission
dealers about a. N.
When fruit and vegetables reach town
they are at once loaded upon waiting
carts and transferred to the market
stalls or stores of the produce commits
sion dealers. There the packages are
opened if there is any indication Of de-
cay or imperfect condition, although
usually the brand of the packer is a
guarantee Of the state and grade of the
goods. When a package is opened all
imperfect specimens are thrown aside,
either to be used by the dealer or posi-
bly, sold for d trife to some small ped
der. From the dealer the retail grocers
purchase their supplies. buying also
from the farmers, and fill their own
wagons, which are driven direct to their
stores, ready for their customers about
or O'Clock.
If the marketer could at once pur-
chase from this fresh stock he would be
well supplied. From the stock coming
from distance he would need Only to
select that which Is fresh, plump with
juice and fair to the eye. From the
garden produce the eye again should be
pleased and the touch gratihed by a
crisp, firm texture Of leaf and stalk
The market gardener gathers his crop
in the late afternoon, packing it into his
big canvas covered load before dark, and
driving it into the city market square
before midnight There he puts his cart
into line, protected by the stout canvas
cover, and either curls up among his
blankets on the se2t or surface of the
load, after caring for his horses, or. con-
fiding it 10 the market Waterman. he
goes to some neighboriDg tavern or hotel
for few hours sleep. He must be at his
post between 8 and 4 a. m, for then his
customers are ready to purchase. He
sells by the barrel, basket or package at a
price agreed upon with his fellow farm
ers during the night
From these facts. which hold good in
most communities large enough TO have
a market canter. II wi1 be seen that any
Intelligent business woman who would
have the courage Of her opinions, and
would not fear to change part of her
night into day, might market fer several
pa-GhOoTS. first having aT-a1Eed with
the dealers, so that there would be no
surprise occasioned by her appearance
upon the scene st their busiest hours Of
work. If the fact were understood that
she would be = regular purchaser by the
case or in bulk as the goods were
shipped she would be as welcome as
any other customer. But it would be
necessary for her 60 abide bv business
rules. While never forgetting her WON
anly de!icacy she would expect 10 favor
because OF being woman: she would
ask frankly to be told If she did not nm
Ge-staRd business customs. and she would
remember what any enc took the trouble
to explain 30 her in the way of business
practice. she would accent the market
rates. never attempting TO bargain" IN
less she wsnted to visit unUl near the close |
of the market and tien take the inpe--