Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-01-02
sHoRFlnc ~ LONDON.
american Purchasers Find Themselye.
Much in Need of a Glossary.

American Purchasers Find Themselves
Much in Need of u Glossary.
Either The English salesman is an abnor-
Aaly taculesS individual or he has been
accustomed 10 generations of shoppers
whose mental capacity has been of the
smallest, for he invariably treats one as
though one Were an idiot of the very first
water As ! have said, unless the Gus
toner knows exactly what she wants and
asks for 1t in language understood by this
popular people, she runs very slim chance
of getting anything at all. Thus, she must
not ask for muslin but for long cloth"
while If she wants some swiss" Sue must
ask To be shown muslin" If she wants
some calico for her servants dresses she
must not ask for that, but for print"
Calico on the other hand, must be
asked for if one wants some cotton or twill
sneetlng. She must not speak of spool
OF cotton" unless she wants TO be greeted
with the stony stare Of vacuous ignorance
but for a reel of thread, " and then it may
be placed before her with the Sinking
query, And the mex thing, midimm' for il
may be noted that statesmen and sales
women-who, by the way Ylave not yet at
tanned the doubtful elevation of our sales
ladies" and gentlemen 'midim" their
feminine customers to the verge of eXasper-
alton. Again, if you ask for a pair Of
shoes, what in America are known as
ties will be offered To you, while if You
ask for boots you may possibly get what
you want, though it is hardly probable.
The English boot i adapted TO the English
foot. You have an American foot" said
bootmaker the other day, 'and | haven't
a boot in my shop that Will really fit you &"
An American wOman'S only chance of get
ting what She can wear upon her feet in
this country is 10 go TO a French shop, and
then she has to pay about 5Oper cent more
than in New York
You must not ask for a white skirt, :"
but for top petticoat;" skirt here Is
only used in describing the outer and visi-
BILE garment, the inner and more spiritual
affairs are all ''petticoats" Similarly if
one speaks of "a waist as transatlantic
phrase Is wont to term the upper portion
of street or other dress, the CtTesSmaker
Will turn on one with plying smile and
remark, do you mean a body or "A bodice?"
while the American bodice" is here an
''underwaist" While ii a reference is
made TO .'corScts" she Will correct one in
the same tender fashion, "Oh, you mean a
pair OF stays" Don't ask for a morning
wrapper Int for dressing gown"
If you want pair of ''rubbers"' to guard
against the London Nlush and mud, don't
try To buy them under that name but ask
for g1'p~hes.' The English have a ira
dltlou chat Americans ali refer to the arti-
Giles rs gums and declare that we ordi-
nariIy request "A visitor to wipe his gums
on the doormat," a harmless double en-
tenure which affords them the keenest en-
joyment. If you want some coarse ''Swiss'
with which to make servants caps you
must know it by the name of book mus
lin, >" or YOU will never get it, for, as have
| said, the English salesman never cares to
| meet one half way and try to find out what
the customer wants
If one were to ask for paper muslin"
he would probably have a fit He only
| knows it as glazed cambric' and resents
| any other nomenclature. As to things not
| essentially feminine. but still in the wom-
| ems department as purchasing agents
"bedspreads' are quilts" even if not
quilted tides are "antimacassars"
and window shades" are blinds" wheth-
er of the roller or Venetian order matter
| ing not.-London Cor. Boston Transcript