The sun., 1893-11-12
SHOPPING AS A PROFESSION.
WOMEN OF TdSTE VINO EARN 4 GOOD
INCOME ~ DUYING EOR OILERS.

| Uuay Mn, and Men Who Distrust Their
Own Judgment, Arc Their Hest Custom-
ers-one Bright womnn's Experience.
| In these days OF hurry. when time Ia worth
moro than money. there is one thing in par
ticular for which tho man OF business has no
leisure and that is shopping. At tho hours
when tho shops are open ho is busiest. and the
very season in which he has least leisure is
the time when no finds it imperatlvcly neces-
sary to mako certain purchases II he bo .
married man his wife can do his buying for
| him, tut the bachelor would be Obliged to
| take valuable time from his business were IL
not for "A now profession which hns sprung up
| to meet the necessity.
| 1t Is womans fertile brain that has seen this
| opportunity and turned it to good business
account, md with the advent OF tho profession.
al woman shopper tho evils OF buying are
swept from the path OF overworked mankind.
There are many OF these women shoppers who
| make profitable living out OF their profession.
| Some OF them take any kind OF ordors and do
! large business for women In other parts OF the
| country who write for ribbons or silks or fancy
| articles. Then again young women who come
! here TO buy wedding outfits often apply to the
woman shopper. who goes about to the stores
| with them and advises them as TO tho best
materials and prevailing styles. or late how
ever there has grown ur in this profession o
find this easier. men being less faulthnding
than women In matters OF purchase. and quits
az profitable. To succeed In this line requires
q rare combination Of good taste and ability
To begin with tho shopper must make her
self known to tho best stores OF oil kinds, for
1t is to them that she looks for her profits.
Tho people for whom she buys pay no COM
mission: on tho contrary. she often buys &C
lower prces than they can buy, because she
LAM NJ ,tte et W y1iaf
articles OF tho best quality at the lowest pos
sible prices. In consideration OF her patron.
age, the stores pay her a certain percentage
on all purchases made. So much for the busi-
ness rart OF it. which Is the simplest. 1t is In
knowing what to buy that the skill and taste
OF the buyer for men is put to tho test.
A great part Of the buying is done for men
who wish TO give Christmas gifts. Therefore
the shopper finds that in many cases she 10
buying not only for men but for women also.
and that her selection must be- pleasing not
only to him for whom she is acting as agent.
but also to the fair one TO whom he purposes
sending II. Thus 1t behooves her to have an
exhaustive knowledge OF tho intricacies OF
fashionable bric-a-brac and novelties Of all
kinds. She must be up in all the latest styles
OF cut glass: sho must know what shapes pre-
vail in silver glove buttoners: what material
fashion decrees for opera glasses: what
Of the recipient. and where the en-
craving shall be- and what shall not be en-.
g.avcd Mt ali: Just which kind OF flowers arc
appropriate IN all cases. and what flowers in
general arc tho fad; where the latest. best,
and handsomest books can be found: what is
the proper color and make OF winter gloves:
whether jewellei buckles will be worn or not
this season: Just what designs the most
fetching in hat pins and brooches. and a thou
tkar tl,t th. ,tnt, ,,lnti ION NJ
tenth OF which would drive man into drivel-
ling idiocy Not only this. but she shoald know
where bargains are offered in certain articles.
aud bo quick to seize such chances.
Again, there are many things Of masculine
attire or equipment which she is called upon
to buy. Men send TO her for calling cards. and
she must know Just how the engraving should
be done and on what size and shape Of raste-
board. acquisitions for cuff buttons. scarf
pins. and shirt studs sent to her. and she
must decide on what jewels are appropriate
for each and be able to tell what design will
replace the once popular tleur-de-s. Haber.
dashcrs' shops must De as familiar to her as
her own house. and gloves and neckties share
her attentions with silver or glass ware. Even
articles Of actual clothing arc sometimes pur-
chased by the omniscent woman shopper.
From all o. which IL will be observed that she
must understand her business thoroughly
Is n woman who now lives well on upper Fifth
avenue from the iHcome which she derives
from her ability as Il purchaser. At ono time
she was wealthy. and being OF those
women who must always be thoroughly UP in
the latest faLs and fnncies OF all kinds. she
was an incessant and insatiate purchaser of
all kinds OF articles. When her husband lost
his fortune some years ago. and sho found
herself at the age OF thirty wears with a very
/ ,aj ipp ba dot inn 10 fnr ha
she had acquired in her shopping
to practical use. Accordingly she went to
number OF the best firms in the city and
told them what she purposed doing.
asking for percentages on articles
bought. number OF the best firms
made liberal offers to her. She began ona
small scale. buying for friends who were will.
clientele growing at u romarkable rate. Then
she dropped lltile by little her women clients
and similar fSI aricles Even 1 afier tent tho bus
ness grew 80 on her hands that she Was
9bliGed to hire private secretary to attend to
81" is SO overrun with orders that she finds
4 Il imposs!be 70 keep UP with her schedule.
her methods. stipunting that her name should
not be used as that would injpre her bus ness.
t she Sua SAID. That M2i Was % When my was
buying for women as we'll MS men. Now
n few old clients Women, nre too iinicky, to
buy for. Nothing suits them except what
they get themselves. and they were constant
ly wanting TO exchange things. which en-
tailed too much extra work. Now with the
men it l. different; they either know Just what
they want or they leave the matter entirely
In my hands: and are satisfied with what
get. Most Of my customers are bachelors.
Married men get their wives TO shop for them.
Or course n great part OF the requests are Tor
we !dng presents or holiday gifts, In those
cases my clients often write what kind OF an
article they wnnt. send me n card to enclose
VITA tho git AMI | sent it directly to the
person for whom 1t IL intended.
SON" OF the letters ! get are quite anus
ing Recently n man wanted me to buy for
him some winter undcrcothing. He wrote SO
rautinn>lY and beat about the bush with such
cvidra en- harraSSment that 1 was obliged to
writ" hnck TO ask whether what he wanted was
or silk tights for "A gymnasium
performance. hnother wanted to KNOW II it
was proper Tor him to send pair "f g"w"lled
CART era To his lancdc. ami il So, would Ule0s0
purchase pair with appropriate dwelling.
No'eS from mon wanting flowers are ir"Iuent,
WHAT ilowers are hest for tall hrun"ite'