The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
PARIS SHOPS.
the BI6 SHORES Nor WHAT THET
ARE IN THIS COUNTRY.
rae Lack OF Cash Girls ara Pneuustic Tuses
and the Abundance eF Persessi 1ntsFes'-
wiiea or the Paris D~ressmakerS ans
Their auccess with ia American WOMAN.

wiiea or the Paris Dressuakers ans
Their sucosss with the Americsu woman
For comfortable, completely equipped, con-
venient, and handsome shops, where the pese
wares are temptingly displayed. the clerks are
shrewd and active, and change is quickly mace,
the big American cities easily take the LEAD OF
the world. That is what every daughter OF
Uncle Sam concludes when che goes to Parisu 70
do her shopping. Fer natural expectation az
ways is to drive at once to the famous Avenue
de ropGra or Ruo do la paix and there spenu
long, happy days strolling through gorgeous
cmporiums where all the bargains Of the season
will be spread forth for her inspection.
AS q matter Of fact. there are only four largo
dry goods stores in all Paris, namely the maya
Yin de Louvre, the Bon Marche Of WORLDWIDE
fame, the TroiV Quarters, and the Printcmps.
From IN American point OF Wow they arc do-
cidedly inferior buildings, set IN rather mac
Cessihle quarters Of the city, and not frcquenteu
by either tho wealthy or exclusive Americans
or Par!siang, Tho managers OF these huge
houses have, moreover, taken no pains 10 eN'
hibit their goods In an attractive manner. mo
vast show windows are ~cluttered and disorder
ly, no doftness or %neatncss Is expended IN ar
ranging wares. while the nervous, expeditions
American woman Is often brought to the verge
OF tears by the archaic methods or making
| change or one of the many ridiculous iron.clad
rules and regulations.
Pneumatic tubes, cash girls, and electric
baskets are all unknown to or scorned by the
Partisan merchant. II a spool of thread Is
bought, the clerk, on'concluding the purchase,
: leaves his counter and leads the customer to a
desk. There che stands in line and takes her
turn at filing past n brazen-voiced bookkeeper
and assistant. In stentorian tones the sales
man relates the nature and amount Of the pur-
chase; the bookkeeper, who Is evidently chosen
as much for the strength Of his lungs as his
knowledge Of mathematics, repeats this infor-
nation to his assistant, who wraps up the arti-
Gle, files tho sale check, and then the pur-
chaser Is pushed in front Of the desk to lay
down her money and got her change. In a mild
yell the bookkeeper counts out the change, and,
IL the parcel Is to be sent or forwarded c. Q.
D., the ~bookkccpor softly bellows forth name
and number as he registers them in his book.
When this complicated process Is over the
salesman escapes again to his counter, and
the shoprer, thinking to obvia.e constant repe-
tition OF the scene, asks for a card. Tho man at
the desk stares and shakes his head; such q
convenience Is not known in the Partisan de-
partment store, where there Is also no system
OF passenger elevators, save for one plodding
little iron basket, which holds only five persons
and tremblingly crawls between the floors. 1t
comes like q shock to the American to learn
i lhub oll1 oh
hours, can she hope to'secure samples; that no
collections are made on delivery, unless one Is
purchasing goods Of value over S5, and that at
the ribbon counter no goods are ever sold by the
yard, but by tho piece.
All these are drawbacks surely. and yet tho
Partisan department shop is full Of compcnsa-
lions. Nearly every clerk speaks good English,
he is passionately, almost dramatically, inter-
ested in the shoppers purchases. and to Amori-
n 100 aNr,-A
lie about on all sides. They are not, however,
bargains In silks. ribbons, sunshades. under
wear, gowns. wraps. or millinery Of the new
est or most elegant style. Indeed, 1t is next to
impossible to go into any Partisan dry goods
i saoss a eo1or ou and = % Sesss pe OF dozen on nn Yards 4 '1 Of
rich woollen goods, in the style OF the season,
With the ia most oS,, Sp:t9 I'd m,, braid Fan and Fl Tlh hons
and to the dressnakers; It is to the small
Parisians give their patronage for every article
of T wearing epR pare a Except pr o o9stGmss a. t,.v AZ,
called. are an Interesting feature Of Paris They
have R made L. the 7e s slG'ry Of Oft dh th aY TsnGsd de rqpp US,s.
Yards. In every ono some woman or man Ia.
bors to supply the luxurious feminine public
one one only yps six usnderskirts are made, another i
known to the rich women Of two continents for
& Is.l haP 9inT ssas]siis GRn1s; snS viii tie s,E RSSep1 Fsssive o. /
aord that she Would like to look over some S1S q
{ are made ready and sent, under. the care of a
; clever talker,. for madam,s inspection:
) can Women who buy extensively in Paris with
out e.s eyer quitting ,,ed + foot }t tpo a P shS'PI and dI yet nr lad ad
. however. who rules supreme in the world o
trade and fashion. She, deals directly with tn
+ g TDnst T Tho%sS yon cs on otik 60 s to q faq hiS
. shop and buy the materials for an elegant gown
|. merely sT drop a hint to your a, dre eniT az and sh'
= the latest and most splendid weaves. Becaus,
$ she holds the trade in her, hands. thu, manufac
o and let her act the part OF intermediary. be
y tween themselves and the women instead Of thu
Q seems to give great satisfaction to every on
concerned, and for tho American women 1t |
g g SPREAD ssidash NTH s ss%piss. bits tS Of 81 r HshSrs S E tas,s
s Innings. braids, fringes. laces, &C., and slowl.
. evolve a delicious creation from the chaos, \
p eide what the all.important gown shall be
T should a woman prefer not to Lisit her dress
g and model gowns will be readily taken. and
r Enns Z for %G the P Pa tas n' modist e'f Is 0 tho aI mos {
thrifty S obl i0dGs , creature aT In tt the world wan.r Q !
C SSp'is tin tin ateh prey sD'" and d BY cheerfui " s%daci {
and impertnrbable good temper she almost In
q customers and wringinr the last dollar froI
It her victim, boasted American enterprise Is bu
e; At the finger tips of any clever Partisan m,
ID diste the names Of all rich Americans are regi
tered. She Is the friend of the proprietors {
those hotels the wealthy Westerners frequen
d and she has her eye on the lists Of incomin
% steamers. The second, but more probably til
n first morning Of your arrival, in Paris. as 20
n are combing out your hair. there is a knocl
y and, at your word of Admission, In pops, nj
3. the maid, hut a plump. well-sowned ~creatur
* who's bright blue or black eyes meet your
1,t with gay determination.
Before you have time to take breath she he
" slipped In ahead Of you, and rapidly in goo
81 English Ia debating on your, need Of a few goc
n gowns, the present styles, being just suitab
er to your figure and in offering to show
N 'But I am mot In Paris for clothes. ] ha,
IN no money to spend that way" you begin
ZONE anger and as~tonishment.
'Fxactiee! Exactleel Madame need NJ
buy, hut at least It will amuse madame to loo
at q few pretty things; merely to pass the tim
~ be offered a big hamper is opened and the chat
and sofas are covered with q glory of colo
In five minutes more tho artful creature h.
. persuaded madame to try on one or two lit
oil things. There ia no urging to purchase, I
- - - n,I Aattarv mud vnf uIh