Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09
COURTESY IN STORES,
Further Contribution on q Much
Discussed Topic.

Discussed Topic.
From the Philadelphia Press.
| The woes OF the saleswoman--or lady, II
she SO prefers it-have made many q
draught on public sympathy, 80 prompt to
go out to the wrong person. Not that she
Is exactly the wrong person. There are
doubtless martyrs on both sides of the coun-
ter. but we hear less Of the martyr on the
outside, who is certainly as much Of
bruised and bleating worm" as Sir Boyle
says, as the other. The pale girl. pulling
down box after box and bale after bale sor
the exacting shopper who ends up with the
purchase Of a package of hairpn5 and the
threat to report her to the foorwalker for
lack OF attention. Is certainly more pic
shopper who finds the fascinating pursuit of
making one dollar do the work of two still
further enhanced by the naughty indlffer-
ence when 1t is not active animosity) OF the
girl whom she is too good-natured to report.
No one thinks of her rights and wrongs
least Of all the saleswoman.
l have heard of. but never seen. the wo-
man to whom shopping was diversion and
the examination of articles she hasn't the
remotest Intention or means of purchasing
delight. The papers poke fun at her, the
saleswomen complain of her. but every wo-
man l question responds with q groan.
Heavens, no! hate to buy even spool of
cotton She may exist. however, and she
may torment the girl behind the counter out
OF all patience; but that Is no reason why
the next shopper an amiabie and harmless
person, should find her pleasant smile met
with look Of severe rebuke which makes
her feel like a little girl caught in some
misdemeanor her appeals to the others
judgment with an icy II don't know, I'm
srre: Just sun yourself "and then be obliged
to wait from ten to twenty minutes, with
her package and change in full sight, while
the young lady converses with a male fell
low-clerk, or with an interested feminine
around discusses
and Name" attended last night.
1t Hurts All Around.
'Wbat kind of manner do you expect for
81 week." was the parting shot of a girl
discharged for rudeness to customers ard
doubtless the same feeling underlies much
of the inattention or incivility to which the
unoffending shopper is subjected. Doubtless
Is contains warning to employers, but to
the saieswoman herself the obvious answer
is that so long as her manners are as they
are so long may she expect to be valued at
"a, and dear at that. There are, doubtless,
proprietors who do not know that women
say of their stores: "Oh. don't go there:
they have such horrid. disagreeable girls"
Those who do realize the harm wrought
by one discourteous clerk occasionally put
up notices that Customers will confer
favor by reporting inattantion on the part
of employees which. like any other scare
crow, quickly outlives its usefulness. The
moro browbeaten the customer, usually the
greater her disinclination TO make trouble.
and possibly lose a girl her place. and most
of the complaints are made only by the
acting customers with imaginary griev-
ances.
Librarians, for some mysterious reason
are more disagreaable than all other classes
of female clerks put together What subtle
influence there should be In the atmosphere
of books and letters-which is generally
supposed to be pre-eminently adapted to
soothc the savage breast-to completely sour
the milk of human kindness. do not know;
all l know is what every one can testify to-
that a reduced princess, obliged TO do mental
work, could take lessons in disdainful con-
tempt from the supercilious young lady who,
II you are patient and persistent enough,
will go against her apparent convictions
and give you the book you want. With her,
| as with number of others, 1t is not case
of active rudeness SO much as of non-agree-
ability, which is quite exasperating-a
calm Indifference to your wants and even
your existence, which proclaims YOU too
mean a thing for contempt.
Why They Are Disagrecable.
The raison detre of the disagreeable sales
woman is not very far to seek. The trouble
in probably one-half the cases is simply that
they are ignorant Of the rules of good breed
ing. and do not know that iciness of de-
| meanor is not a proof of refinement and
that the repose which marks the caste of
were de We're Is out of place behind a coun-
ter. The others are merely tired and cross.
Customers bother them, and they are going
to retaliate An important fact escapes the
girls notice; II Is their business to be polite:
1t Is not the customers They are engaged
and paid to make buying and selling easy;
the customer is pledged to nothing Of the
kind. And If they neglect their business,
what can they expect of her?