Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-12
HOW SHE SHOPPED.
rur rpLER ACCOMPANIES AN Ac-
TIVE LADY on BROAD STREET.
COULD TAKE CARR OF HERSELF.
qse Trip Was ostcnsibIy TO Please
.nc children, hut IL DIdn't Turn
ont That Wsy-AmonH Ladies' APP
YarcL

IbT'H
General orders issued last Friday ~ 7.SO
81, n. when the children were wing with
f.s,nr worms in wriggIing propensf-
,sss decrccd that we should go Christ
,-.s shopping that afternoon. The Com
~,-dcr-in-Chicf with forcibie flourish
~ her busting brush. remarked In con-
,,-fion with her mandamus that men
,s-e stupid hunks when IN the stores.
a., that / should be taken along 20
carry the bundles II was with sad
,ssrt that laid aside my non-remunera-
eve functions that day at I Il. NJ, wiped
~ stub pen on my hair. and gave the
,ssee-boy a farewell kick as departed
q, do my duty. At home the whole covey
n, chicks were IN waiting. and the Com
rosndef-in-Chief. who solemniy swore
,sot she had been awaiting my coming
Cor hours. was carefully adjusting a few
,,r-hcs Of whitening 10 her countenance.
,rsr this process had been repeated
.sysr.I times and she had given her
t,rss many little pats by way OK adj
trstInr them. we started on our Journey.
H. nv coat-tail pocket were several bits
IN lraadcrust. with which / had provided
,.vsslf 10 prevent riot or instruction on
49, part Of the youngsters. The air was
I'm Of discussions about Santa Claus, and
,hara was considerable diversity OF opin-
an, as to how a man Of his shape could
%, down a chimney, and also as 10 how
b. could nun a sleigh. in case there
weren't any snow on the great holiday.
when these questions We're put TO me L
was forced 10 evade an answer and to
refer my Interrogators 20 the Command
er-ip-Chief. who poses az an encyclopedia
~ domestic knowledge Some of the
h-r,s had outgrown their gullbility and
ys-e full Of susplsions. though their lack
~ faith by no means decreased their de-
s.-ss With them ways and means did
n5. cut as much figure as ultimate re-
sits
The Ccmmander-m Chief. when once
We reached the main thoroughfares.
completely ignored me, and concen-
tratcd an her energies on her errand.
She held her nose aloft and shifted at
the situation, after the manner OF
war-horse aroused for battle. Like
The boss gander leading flock
Of migratory geese she dragged
our accumulated offspring IN her
wake. and with a flying wedge, cut her
way through the multitude. The crowds
!nstlnc7ively made room for her and no
one dared resist. I IN particular did not
dare resist. Occasionally the long string
OF INFANT prodigies got tangled for the
fur-sheop and jumping Jacks in the WIN
d1ws often cased them 70 linger, and TO
walk with their heads turned backward.
But not long did they tarry, for. az
have said, the Commandments would
brook no resistance once there wac n
tanEerCUs approach 10 mutiny in The
ranks ~ the oppressed. A leme Degga-,
who had G leg that tremblcd 10 the time
OF six or seven dollars a day, was doing
his pitiful act on a corner. This w9g too
much for the children. There was some
thing irresistible abort the sighr. The
leg trembled continuously, and was more
f-uitflll of revenue thal the position OF
6 member OF Congress. I didn't blame
the children. for the sight was welrdly
sscinating. But the CommandeT-in-Chier
vas bent on other ends, and giving the
string OF humanity tug. she ordered the
column 10 march in a doTble-Iu ok ahd
Of we started There was no resistance.
None knew whittier she was going, but
We all felt certain that she would reach
her destination. Many toy shops we're
rssstd, but these she ignored. She had
some other object in view, and it was
pretty evident that she was going TO ac-
c0mpllsh L. once she halted the column
20 look at some Canton flannel remnants
IN a window, but this was only a, transit
tory delay, and the time lost was immedi-
ately made up by her accelerated pace.
Cd companions, who had known me at
he club when "object was no money 10
ne" paused as they saw me doing tire
lock-stsp, and followed me with sympa-
thlzing glances. while several motherly
ladies' attempted 10 count the youngsters
90 our string.
he commandments finally halted
n front OF a turner's store, and then
ment. The place smelt like a circus. and
the children were delighted. on all
s.lss they saw the skins OF fierce beasts,
with giaring eyes and teeth that would
have yanquished the most stubborn beef
steak Some of the youngsters were ter
Y1rzsd. but Grover Cleveland ever fear
less and !nvestigatlve, knew they couldn't
bite. and wanted 10 learn II the stuffed
tgsr had feas on him. Then he under
took 70 examine the fangs Of q leopard's
lead and rammed his thumbs into the |
glass eyes Of that once feroclous beast.
The Commander-in-Chief at this time |
had a steely glitter in her eye, and 1t |
was evident 20 those who knew her char
lcier that she was soon about 10 accom-
Iish her object. Just then the idea OF |
sealskn sacques occurred to me, and l |
had a c0ngestiye chill. But soon was |
greatly relieved. when the lady clerk was |
10 fetch a black martin boa.
small stuffed animal very much like /
that species of cat which Is avoided by /