Evening star., 1893-12-04
PARTS OF THE PAPER WOMEN READ
| Straws That Seem to Show They Pre-
fer the "Ads." to the News Columns.

PARTS OF THE PAPER WOMEN REAI
Straws That Seem to Show They Pre-.
fer the "Ads." to the News Columns
From the New York Sun.
Half dozen women. Of whom a reporter
was one. were dining together the Other
evering.
Have you seen Irving as Becketr the
hostess asked the reporter
mo. think I'll go on Saturday night"
HE plays Louis XI on Saturday night, u
exclaimed the five other women in chorus.
How do you known" asked the reporter
with a sudden inspiration.
Mary. bring the morning paper" said the
hostess to the maid behind her chair while
the others regarded the reporter with Ill
concealed establishment
Tell me-" asked the latter. do you wo-
men in your hours of ease peruse the col
umns of the daily papers7 Now. honestly,
do you?"
"Of course. we dow in chorus
Perhaps, then, you can tell me the exact
| status of the Hawaiian question at present,
and the latest developments in Brazil and
how the Lehigh strike is progressing"
There was perceptihle gasp and each
woman looked anxiously at her neighbor.
Then the newspaper woman took pity.
What 1 do want to know" she went on,
'is whether you women read the advertise
ments."
The five countenances frightened. Then
as If they had suddenly decided that 1t
wasn't the proper thing to be up" on ad-
vertisements while they gave little heed
to the news the five assumed careless
air as they replied: "Oh. yes. sometimes"
How about the advertisement of bar
gain sale? Does that catch your eye?'
Five self-conscious smiles betoken assent.
And you seem pretty thoroughly inform
ed about amusements How often do you
read that column"
well, III tell you how often 1 read it, )"
said the poverty stricken little church
mouse of the party. Il read it as regularly
as the day comes round Not that can af-
ford to go to the theater often. 1 don't get
there once a month. and when do go sit
up in the 5O-ccnt heaven. But 1 am thor
oughly posted on the people and the plays
that have been in the city for the last two
years, and that is next door to going to see
them.
IF you want to know whether women
read the advertisements in the papers,
she continued, let me assure YOU from the
fullness OF my knowledge that they do.
Some of them read few things; 1ew
of them read all: but all OF them READ some
things. Next to me at my boarding mousse
sits typical old maid. Every Single morn
ing she gets up from breakfast. PICKS up
the paper, and says: Now. I'm going to look
over the paper But l won't keep III from
the rest OF you very long. In lust going TO
read the Deaths Why under the sun she
reads the deaths is more than L can imag-
ine for everybody that belonged to her was
dead long ago. Another woman at the same
table, who has an excellent situation, which,
l think. nothing could induce her to change.
lorly tha Nor re
Il do. too!' said a pretty school teacher
across the table.
"Why?" asked the reporter.
WELL" with a blush, Il suppose it's be-
cause L got my own place through that col
umn. a friend of mine saw the advertisement
went to the school to make inquiries, and
here l ami Then. too the Wants always
interest me. And. for that matter, one
good thing turned up for me through that
medium; perhaps better one may come
the same way."
We'll" put in the church mouse, Il own
up to reading the Personals in every pa
per l come across. I'm always hoping l
may a line: Information wanted OF a
poor church mouse. who is one OF the heirs
to the estate etc. There's another woman
at our house who reads everything in the
paper; at least she reads all the advertise
ments. She knows what ships are to sail
and what ones are due: Just what plays are
at the theater and how long thev will stay:
she knows which store has cloak sale and
which one a linen sale and where shoes are
advertised the cheapest. Perhaps We don't
read advertisements at our house so much
as we would if she wasn't there. for we can
ask her what's on sale and where to get 1t
and she can always tell us
'I'n tell you how 1t is with me about
reading advertisements" said the hostess
with judicial air. Il do read them, that is
keep watch of them. When 1 see mention
of something l need. go to the store, and
if 1t is satisfactory L buv 1t"
But why do you need to read the ad-
vertisements; you know thev have every
thing, or at least, most things in stock all
the time?"
But If they are advertised. that means
that they are to be sold at special rates
for that day or week only. 1t may be a
very trifing reduction. but that makes no
difference. Plenty of women have absolute
ly no common sense about the matter. /
remember a couple of years ago there was
a drop in the price of sugar. and a big gro
cery firm advertised to sell sugar at cents
a pound less than its usual retail price
But, mind you. not more than two pounds
were to be sold to any one person. Well,
my dear, women came from far and near;
from Jersey and BROOKLYN. Naturally they
could save only four cents on their limited
purchase of two pounds. and in coming or
going they spent five or six times that
amount besides buying other things they
had not thought Of"
But" said the engaged girl. who hadn't
taken any part in the discussion, there
is common sense in reading the advertise
ments; you must admit that. You find out
the novelties, and when the regular old
standby materials are advertised at a bar
gain you know it, Oh. yes: / own UP to
reading the bargain advertisements. and,
what's more. / believe everv mother 8
daughter of us does it,'
Il know" said the church mouse there
are dozens OF times when / wish / had
read the advertisements even more care
fully. You may be sure / don't want to go
to the museums on pay days. But two or
three times l have been caught when a
glance at the paper would have told me
better And I'm always turning up at places
after they are closed and going to hear
something that has been postponed so that
have taken vow to become as well post
ed as the animated calendar al our board
ing house"
PERIL ON THE RAIL.