The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-06
WHY sHoP PARCELS OFTEN GO WRONG
Flurricd Customers Give the Clerks Some
Other Address Than Their Own.

| Flurricd Customers Give the Clerks Some
| Other Address Than Their Own.
Ayoung woman with much troubled ex.
| preston hailed the floorwalker in a bric-a.
| brac department OF Sixth avenue store the
other day.
Il beg your pardon" she said. but I gave
an order to one OF your clerks yesterday. and
have been haunted ever since with the idea
that made mistake in the address. l was
in n great hurry at the time. I'd been shop
| ping all day. and I'm afraid was nervous"
Would you know the clork II you saw her p
asked tho foorwalker
"Oh. yes" she replied "She was short and
very dark l don't see her now. though"
What did you purchase ?"
a large jardinicre."
Name. please"
Mrs. Charles johnson. My address Is us
East Eighteenth street, but have faint I'm
preston that I made IT rs East Fifteenth
street. ! am worried about it, because
wanted to give 1t to my sister. who has birth
day tomorrow"
The noorwalker asked Mrs. Johnson to wait
a moment. He had recognized the clerk from
her description. but the former had gono up
stairs to her luncheon. He sent for her and
she came down in few minutes. Mrs. John
son recognized her INN ediatcly.
oh. yes. you aro the clerk who waited on
me. Can't you tell me what address l gave
you? Mrs. johnson is my name"
1t required only moments reference to the
clerks sale book to find the entry. Sure
enough. there had been mistake. but it was
not what Mrs. johnson supposed. 1t read:
Mrs. Charles Johnson. Red Bank. N. j."
How stupid !" said Mrs. Johnson. much
veXed Il see it all. now. You see my sister
lives in Red Bank. and expects to 60 back
there in few days. must have been thinking
OF that when gave the address. Now. what
will do? must have the present tonight.
SO can give 1t to her in the morning"
Him." said tho noorwalker. What is your
sisters name?"
Mrs John Wilson,"
We'll. then. you will have to pay the OK
press charges both ways on the package or
else call for it Mt REQ Bank. or course. the
express company won't deliver it to your sis
aoe repd Mil
it back to us II 1t isn't called for"
MSn oo sHs han
The tloorwalker looked at her as II he was
trying to decide whether to believe her or not.
Apparently he was favorably impressed. for he
"it IS rot the proper way to do. but i you
another iardini6r" to.day and keep the ono
sent by express when 1t is returned. OF course
you understand that is not our custom, but
Mrs. johnson looked much relieved and
thanked the ho9rwulker .effusively. The clerk
press charges amounted to-. received the
money for the same, and sent another jar
dniere by special delivery to Mrs. Johnson's
Mistakes similar to the foregoing nre OF fire.
4uent occurrence in the big department stores.
hurry to reach their offices or to attend to
more important affairs they get their facts all
great many women are tired in mind us we'll as
body after they have been shopping all day.
and thfn p1tnra The
thought she had made, but hadn't. TO say
l2o East Tenth when the proper address is
done hundreds of times. TO say east for
west seems less ridiculous. but is the result
very often. too. A curious freak OF the brain is
that of giving IN address that Is in no way
connected with the proper one: It happens in
rpwtucket She shops around to find Just
ing that sho will meet her old friend Miss
Robinson of Springfield Mt tho wedding. SO,
s @h sa nSa4s o the RS5nscn 9
SPRINGFIELD. enclosing her card. Then she goes
home ,deShted at having mplished her
that her taste will he generally commend
arrives, il tho mistake is not discovered DO
fore. may be imagined. or course It is possible
Maj os o rs hpss then S
the former lived somewhere more remote from
this city the acknowledgement might be too
apt to raise Nod with the clerk. and to insist
that it was the latter's fault and not her own.
Frequently goods go astray altogether be-
1t is not an unusual thing for a customer to
say Springfield. Mass. when she means Spring |
fold. ILL.,. or Columbus o.. when sho means |
Columbus. Ga. The reporter was told OF one |
case where,a Mrs. stone purchased a cut-g glass
Wilson. but had it addressed to herself at the |
homo OF Mr.. Carter. the bridegroom. or |
such mistakes result In endless con-
fusion and sometimes in the loss Of the ar |
ticles. AS n consequence. 1t is now a rule in |
the big stores that clerks must rean over the |
addresses given them. and where they have |
reason to believe that the customers are con- |
fused or preoccupied thoy are expected to |
call their attention to the subject specially.
Still as mistak ts continue to occur 1t is evil |
lent that tho rule is either not enforced or else |
Is not q sure preventive.