The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-06-10

over their tracks, convenient connections
can be made by them from all parts Of the
city with trains for all parts of Europe.
The shop windows in Berlin are full of
interest for the American. Theyare mostly
small and rarely deliberately dressed. and
yet they possess charm and attractiveness
quite lacking in New York show windows.
Shopping in Berlin is widely different from
shopping in any American city. To begin
with, the shops are much smaller; there are
only half dozen really large shops, COM
prising three or four floors, in Berlin, and
only two which partake of the character OF
the @Bon Marche" in Paris, or the great
stores on the avenues of New York. There
are endless small shops, which carry very
limited stocks, and few large ones devoted
to special lines of goods, linens, silks, etc.,
and where nothing else can be found but
goods in that one line. Except in the few
large shops one must be prepared to have
his purchase handed to him done up in
newspaper, for instead of wrapping-paper
German economy compels the dealer TO
buy up back numbers Of the daily journals.
In all the markets and butcher shops this
is used, and even in fine confectionery
shop you may have your candies wrapped
in large printed advertisement. In some
of the large and more fashionable shops,
the strings taken off the goods they come
in at wholesale are tied together and used
again TO secure the parcels OF the retail
trade.
'Shopping as we know it here-namely
the going about from store to store, exam
lining and pricing until one has found
exactly what one wishes, and at the price
one wishes to PAYS unknown in Berlin.
There one is not expected TO enter a store
and examine goods unless one is prepared
to buy on the spot If the clerk thinks
for an instant that you are not pleased and
may not buy his manner changes at once,
and he will show you nothing more. But
if he is convinced that you really desire to
purchase, he will be exceedingly attentive.
If, however, after having considerable
shown you, you are not satisfied and leave,
you may expect positive rudeness on the
part of the clerks, whereas if you buy five
pfennigs Zone and one-fourth cents) worth,
you will be politely treated. The formal
courtesies exchanged between the customer
and clerks impress the American as very
amusing at first, but he soon learns to OBJ
serve them, and when he returns home he
will find himself saying involuntarily
eGood morning" as he enters n shop, and
"Adieu" as he leaves, and he will miss a
custom at which he has long since ceased
to wonder, and to which he has really
become attached.
Few stores in Berlin have delivery
wagons. Almost all employ small boys
who carry the parcels to their destination.
The grocer and butcher boys carry their
goods in small wooden trays on their heads;
fee is always expected when the parcels
are delivered, and the boys will wait around
if any member of the family is present who
may bestow at least ten pfennigs.
In some of the smaller shops an exceed
ingly primitive custom is still kept up,
namely, the use of sand instead of blotting
paper TO dry ink. In some places the
clerk, after making out his bill, will simply
take pinch of sand from box on the
desk and sprinkle it over the paper, while
in other shops they are sufficiently advanc-
ed in civilization to use a dredge box
There are not many peculiar signs to be
seen in such modern city as Berlin, but
one customary sign, evidently handed down
from olden times, deserves notice What
was its origin have never been able to
discover, but a white apron tied over a
chair, which is hung outside butchers
shop, or stood on the pavement beside the
door, means that boiled "Frankiurter"
sausases are to be had within. One fire.
quently sees such a chair on Saturday
evenings about eight o'clock, the German
supper hour, and people living near by will
send out a servant to bring some in for
the evening meal.
Conspicuous by their absence" are all
kinds of large painted signs, great placards
aud colored advertisements The law does
not allow of the Disagreement of the city
by painting advertisements on blank sides
of houses, or by the erection of large and
conspicuous signboards. The shops along
the business streets have all the necessary
names and numbers on them, and in the
horse cars are panels fitted in above the
windows bearing various kinds of notices,
and some of the car windows have adver-
tisements painted or ground on the glass
All theatre and opera notices and special ad-
vertisements must be posted on the
advertising columns which are in conve-
nient places all over the city. They stand
on the street corners and are about ten
feet high and four feeS in diameter, and
serve as directory for concerts, lectures,
and all kinds Of amusements for each day.
There have been recently placed in the
various open squares and on the business
streets of the city ornamental square
columns. On the top of each is clock
which keeps standard time, being regulated
by electricity from the city observatory. A
recording thermometer and barometer are
also On each column, and in the centre a
revolving cylinder on which advertisements
are placed. They are not only exceeding
ly useful but also quite ornamental features
of the city. ETHEL PATTON.
Business at the New York Postofflce.