St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-15
XMAS SHOPPING.

- any lHOlhluudl III t0lS WaSte-nOWllng
wilderness OF world needs the patience Of
JOB 1t is the average dry goods store clerk at
TINS season of the year. All the women of
the town are going shopping each one with
determination to buy ten dollars worth for
tiVe dollars. In the first place the average
woman goes shopping with no idea of what
she wants to buy. She selects the busiest
hour or the busiest day in the week and goes
shopping. The tirst time anything strikes
her fancy, she haughtily calls a clerk, and says
hard things OF the proprietor if the wretched
minion does not instantly respond. Then
she wants to know the price of this photo
graph frame and that chiffon iabos and how
much those fans are worth The clerk ODE
diently takes down whatever is called for
and then the shopper says, We'll. 1 just
wanted to look around and sails out with
out one word of thanks to the clerk-welI,
one oughtn't 10 blame the clerk if next time
he-or more likely she-is just little curt.
Inc clerks have great deal to endure At
THIS season of the year they work hard and
long, and one really ought not to blame them
II they are sometimes too tired to be sympa-
theticaliy interested in whether Cousin Jane
would like this blue fan better than the pink
one, or what Aunt Julia would like. And
wheel her baby carriage right down the bust
est aisle, asks foolish questions and lets the
baby finger things on the counter, it is not to
be wondered at that the clerks look cross
o.
There are two sides to the story, of course,
and there are clerks whose high and mighty
rudeness nothing can excuse but q woman
may take II as a rule in life that she receives
just the kind of treatment she invites, which
rule applies equally to street fiirtations and
shopping experiences. The ideal shopper
makes up her mind beforehand lust
about what she intends to give for presents.
Inen when she asks the price of an article
she does 1t because she has au idea of buy
Ing. II the price is beyond her, she simply
says that she doesn't want to buy ANYTHING
so costly. She doesn't say: 'Why. 1 can get
that very same thing at BLANKS for half that
pr1ce'-and why i'll the world the women
who say that don't go to Blanks nobody
knows-and she invariably returns thanks to
the clerk for his courtesy She doesn't
dawdle and haggle and ask the saleswoman's
opinion about anything, for knowing wha
she wants she buys it in short order.
And it's very hard to know what to buy
inasmuch as it is very hard to know the in
diyldual tastes of ones friends. An elabor-
ate smoking cap for a man who detests to-
bacco, shaving paper case for Cousin Jack
who never shaves himself and lavender fan
Tor Maria who always wears red, are some
of the things Santa Claus brings every year.
1t is safe plan to steer as far as possible
from articles of personal use. Every woman
has her own favorite perfume, and unless
you know what it is don't send her anything
that has scent Don't infict letter paper
n Trrla
rough or smooth paper.
Books are always safe. for even the people
who never read appreciate the implied COM
pliment to their literary tastes. and books are
easy to send. Never presume to write any
thing on the fly leaf. Your card accompany
ing the package is all good taste allows, for
every book lover has his own peculiar fash
ion and place of writing his name in the
books he owns. Christmas cards, in the usual
acceptance of the term, are out of date
Never II you value Your reputation send
anything with satin putting or silk fringe
about 1t. If you have no artistic taste select
card whose publisher is accepted as artistic.
o
Cards take all shapes this year and great
many appear in booklets in the shapes of
flowers or heads. Prang sends out quite the
daintiest thing of the year in the shape of
lettuce leaf covering a little book entitled
christmas Salad" 1t is after Sidney Smith.
and describes the ingredients of a good salad.
Color printing is carried to such perfection
that there is no excuse for sending anything
ugly to any ones friends. Calendars are al
ways acceptable, aud are shown in a hun
dred dainty forms. A simple present is al
ways in better taste than anything elaborate,
for it is after all-or ought to be--the giver
who makes the present valuable. One may
offend by too costly present, but if you are
at all III doubt what to give, or w neither your
acquaintance justiheS any gift at all. just
buy box of flowers and send them as a
Christmas greeting. Your nearest and dear
est will appreciate it. and the most disdaiu-
full fair win not be offended at it.