The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-30
FEElNG TIE sEoP GIRL.
A New Custom That Seems to Be Get
ting Quite a FoothoId.
From the Neto York Recorder.

ting Quite a Foothold.
From the Nep York Recorder.
A HssIe scs=s in a fashionable milliner's
shop yesterday was not without interest.
Two ladies were bending their intellects
upon bonnets. and one OF them had con-
ceived a certain affection for a
small affair in white horsehair en-
| broidered with gold This the TALL
dignifed, and altogether swe-inspiring
! head saleswoman had taken from behind
! the glass that screened it and balanced upon
| her longest finger, extending il to the eager,
! dimpled blonde. Just as gloved hand was
| put forth 70 take 1t the door opened, and q
dark, demure, quietly dressed woman ap-
peared on the threshold. Without 80 much
/ as an excuse me-" and carrying the be-
| loved horsehair and gold with her. the tall
saleswoman turned from her customers and
! lost her dignity as she hurried across the
room, her head In advance Of her body in its
| zeal to be there frat and TO ask the pleasure
of the newcomer.
IBID you everl" said the blonde, going
back in her surprise to the simple but suffi-
Gent speech of her childhood.
mo, neverw sprang by the same I'M
conscious cerebration from the lips of her
companion.
A small apprentice with white face and
a black frocK followed the tall saleswoman,
timidly reclaimed the bonnet, and even
mo timidly brought back her peace offer
ing.
"Why did Miss leave me so strangelyY'
asked the aggrieved customer in a tone that
was meant to convey lofty offense, but sue
ceeded better lcftiness is difficult for small
blondi-in expressing pique and curiosity.
II suppose said the little apprentice,
looking ABOUT her furtively, as IL conscious
of results that might follow her revelation,
II suppose Mrs. -, who has Just come
in, pays for first attention"
And what" asked the small blonde,
curiosity quite getting the better of pique,
what Is paying for first attentlonf'
The little apprentice looked about even
more carefully. "Tnere are some ladies, -
she said, "who come here in carriages and
who do not like to have their horses kept
standing; then there are other ladies who
| think they can't be kept waiting anyhow
so they pick out the one they like best to
show them things, and give her money,
sometimes quite good deal, to come right
| to them, no matter what she may be doing
| the minute they enter the store.n
The small blonde opened her eyes,
why" said she. 81 might as we'll give up
trying to buy things If IFS come to this,
| that we've got to fee the shop girlsn
1t has been made matter of reproach to
women at one time and another that they
| suffer the walters who bring them pink ice
creams and cellars in restaurants to 90 with
| out fees; but whether this silent refusal to
| permit young silver pieces to which they
have become attached to pass under the
| guardianship of others arise from a selfish,
| II natural, reluctance to part with any men,
bers Of their coin family, or whether it
| comes from a fine sense of justice and a
| quick realization of the emptiness OF the
claim OF people who are always talking to
| reporters about the peculiarittes of wonleu's
| appetltes upon wonen's quarters and dimes
| whatever may be the reason why women
do not fee when they eat, certain it is that
they are learning with wonderful rapidity
to fee when they buy.
| In good truth, men enjoy eating: hence
| they are liberal to those who control the
| comfort OF their eating; women enjoy shop
| ping; hence, some little extra money is be-
/ gin0iug to find its way into the hands of
those who control the comfort of their
| shopping.
Just how far the feeling of shop girls has
gone It Is possible to determine only by the
help OF ones eyes. In the big houses the
superintendents and floor walkers profess
little or no knowledge Of it, and the matter
| Is not one that would naturally be paraded
before their eyes. The acceptance OF fees ia
delicate affair, when the space behind the
| counter is almost as crowded as that in
front Of it, and the girl who receives q
|
| eyes or the tongues of her neighbors.
| Still one day, not many days ago, a
| woman who was watching Tor a chance to
| buy gloves learned how gloves are OCCASION
| ally bought when there are many hands
waiting to be fitted. Just in front Of her, as
she stood patiently in the back row, some
| gray SUICIDES had been selected. Their pur-
| chaser sat with her elbow on the slab, her
| fingers pointing ekyward, while a bright
| eyed, clever little attendant laboriously
worked the kid down. Midway in this oper-
| alton her eyes appeared to catch sight OF
| something interesting. Her gaze fixed itself
| in a certain direction, her manner became
abstrscted, her heretofore vigorous little
fingers moved slowly, like an engine that is
coming to standstill.
There was no time to speculate on the
cause of this alteration, for a quiet voice
was heard just at the spectators elbow. II
am in haste" it said; will you wait on me,
| please2"
And then hand reached forward. II
carried a cluster of great dark jack roses,
and apparently it carried something else
also for, with quick smile and a ''thank
| you," in one direction, and an excuse me-
if you please" in another, the clever
bright-eyed attendant had thrust the roses
under the string of her black apron. thrust
her hand minute into her pocket, and
called hastily to girl down the counter
Miss -, are you busy; won't you finish
fitting these gloves. please?n and then count
ing herself of with the old love, she was
on In a minute with the new, and had down
box of skies in evening lengths with O
speed that must have satisfied the most ex-
acting.
II is at the bargain counters that one sees
the most interesting phases Of human nature
in shopping frenzies, and a young girl who
seems to believe that her 10 W wages Justify
her in taking certain advantages felt her
self in a mood the other day to contribute
to outside observation a little inside ex-
perience.
Women don't offer fees very often, i" she
said, "but now and then you find somebody
who is SO anxious to get thing at a low
price that she forgets if she gives me money
it perhaps brings the bargain up to the full
rate and more.
"We had some embroidered hankerchiefs
the other day that were really going very
low. The women began to swarm early in
toe morning, and almost before we knew it
we ran out of certain patterns. There was
quiet, elderly, little body who held the
last of a very pretty lot in her hand.
She was just telling me she would take it,
when big, fashionably dressed lady looked
over her shoulder. That is mine ]
believe, she said, laying her hand upon it.
i bought 1t five minutes ago and then went