The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01

Tor by him without a written order. Faith
ers often have to do that with their daugh-
ters. Women buy all kinds OF things that
they wouldn't need in twenty years, just
because they see them for sale cheap.
These jokes we see in the comic weeklies
about the woman shopper aren't jokes at
all; they are serious truths.
Another queer case came up here to-day
Several weeks ago a woman came In ana
fruit. She paid only S1.T5 for the lot. and
this morning she came with bill of dam
ages against us for $40, and said that II
we didn't pay il at once she would put the
matter in her lawyers hands and sue us.
She claims that the tops of the jars did not
catch and that her fruit spoiled. Forty
dollars is a pretty good price TO pay FOR
four dozen jars of canned fruit.
THEY TRY ON HATS.
Millinery seems TO turn the heads OF
great many women. They will go into that
department and try on every hat. taking
three or four hours of some saleswoman's
time, and come back and do the same thing
the next day and the next and the next
and end up by saying they never had any
intention of buying. but merely liked to see
themselves in the hat.
I'VE have no end of trouble with women
who take hats out on Saturday, wear them
on Sunday, and bring them back Monday
and say they don't suit. Often We have
to take the goods back and give the Gus
toner a credit check. And then what do
you suppose she does? She goes to the
candy counter, say, and buys cents worth
of candy, demanding her balance in cash.
We have to give it TO her, and, 10 and be
hold she has worn thirty-dOllar imported
hat all day Sunday by merely paying 5
cents rent, and had that amount in candy
into the bargain Habitual shoppers learn
all of the tricks of the trade. They often
clip the birds, wings, feathers and RIBBONS
on hats into a more becoming shape. as
they put it, and then want us to exchange
them.
with, and l guess they do meet many hard
cases. We try not to cut off dress lengths
in wool and silk to be sent c. o. D., but
often we have to, and about half the time
the purchaser has no intention of taking the
goods. If women knew how statesmen and
shop girls caught it when they spend hours
showing a customer goods and fail to make
a sale they would think twice before they
tCck up SO much valuable time in going
Just to look
You probably wouldn't believe me if I
gave you estimate of the number of
women who offer us stamps in payment
for goods and become Infatuated because
we will not take them. All the women who
shop don't get cranky. however, and it is
a genuine delight TO wait on a woman who
is courteous and knows Just what she wants
and whether the article suits her as soon
as she examines it, l often hear one girl
saying to another:
" That customer was so nice. feel that
any number OF crazy ones won't be able to
upset me to-day
It's exasperating and at the same time
amusing, too, to listen to the TRADES of the
women who seem to become temporarily
insane while on a shopping tour. They do
or say something that would, outside of a
dry goods store, arouse serious doubts as
to their mental condition, and always put
the blame on the person who waits on
them. The superintendent has to listen to
hundreds of complaints every day, and to
hold his job he has to hold his temper,
though it often requires an iron will to do
so. He has TO be a man of large heart. of
large brain. of large understanding; he has
to control himself and to pacify and con-
troll others. Yes. women do some mighty
strange things when they are shopping,
but after all, shopping is pretty hard work,
and woman wouldn't be half woman if
she didn't get nervous and forget and do
these queer things and then put the blame
on somebody else. God bless EN-"