The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-19
HOME THOUGHTS.
The Ethics ofshoppIng and the Conscience
OF the Shopper.


Tho Ethics ofshopplnGHnd The Conscience
OF the Shopper.
Now York Post: That there Is a great
fascination to many people in the act of
buying needs no demonstration. and IL
derlsive masculine better halves are
capable OF great interest wen In shop
ping for clothes, as occupation OF which
they are In the habit of speaking with In
finite scorn. Indeed, It is quite possible
TO find the germs OF many a romantic
story in the groups not infrequently en-
countered in the the beet known shops,
where sun-burned, hard-handed young
fellows can be seen anxinusiy inspecting
a winter coat or silk for a gown, gar
ments that are evidently to create epochs
In the lives OF their wives,
Buying the boys first trousers Is not
without a ileetlng moment Of delight to
his young father. j well remember once
~encounterlng n new very great lawyer In
a chlld's furnishing shop, where had t.
wait what seemed to me an l~ntolerably
long time while his little son etruttea
back and forth, his short, fat legs en-
cased in their first knee-breeches. A
peculiar smile which has influenced
many a jury, expressed much amuse-
ment and infnlte pride. There is not q
woman OF us oil who could have found
more pleasure in the same event, nor
taken longer to decide. How interesting
is the outfit for boarding-school, over
which the mothers heart aches; how i'm
portant The prudent purchase OF warm
winter garments by old people, who talk
together conildentlally and feel the tlan+
mel with alternating hands to Judge OF
softness and durability. The layette of
the baby only as yet hoped for, the bridal
finery, the wedding gown-who shall tell
the story OF their happy purchasing?
And the myriad interests of furnishing
the first house: the ~Oft-repeated visits
to all the various emporiums out of
which. sIowIy, MS by e~nchantment, OBJ
ject after object Is chosen, until, by taste
and judgment, at last the dearest home
in the world Is ready for occupancy-who
does not envy that experience?
Not the least delightful practice Of the
art is the starting forth with a well-flled
purse 10 make the children happy at
Christmas, though this Is not equal to
the 10y eked out Of the h~ard-earned shll-
llngs, stored through long months OF
labor, to brighten that dear time in the
homes of the very poor. Washington
Market and its vicinity on Christmas
Eve will give YOU good ground to believe
that a divine influence attends the pur-
chase of trines, and that there are an
gellc records kept Of the unselfshness
which opens those small purses,
But there Is n dark side to the subject
which It 10 difficult to analyZe. A large
PROMOTION of the multitude OF womeR on
what we might call the Shopping list"
undertake It for various widely differing
reasons alike in only n particular,
amazing selflshness. II would secm but
the first preliminary to know at least tho
color and material, and to consider that
the statesmen and saleswOmen are not
standing for hour after hour at their sta
lions for amusement or pleasure, buS
that lifting and unfolding heavy rolls Of
goods Is not an ensy task. Yet hundreds,
nay,lt Is more accurate to say thousands,
of women start out with nothing more
definite in mind than, we will say, some
kind Of u wnlhng-drese," and will spend
days tn looking at every prevailing color
and texture, and many times end by
sending home materials which in twen-
ty-fuur hours Is returned 70 the shop as
unsatisfactory,
There are just complaints of discourte.
oue and dlsobliglng statesmen. but they
are phenomenally In the minority when
counted against wholly lnconsldorate
shoppers, who have taxed strength, in-
genuity, and good temper TO the failure
point for no purpose whatever, Not In
frequently n dozen pieces Of goods viii
be unrolled and held In good lights, and
their economy. durability. or fashion
sincerely explained for women whose
only purpose has been 10 see the new
goods without the least intention OF buy
mig. They use the shops for unpaid
places OF amusement, It would be hard
to ind n moro unfair procedure,
Another class collect samples for no
stronger reason, apparently, than TO OK
anime them at their case and chat over
novelties with their friends. Special
preparation IA made for them In these
days, and amounted yards OF material
nre cut zip into bits FOR their Erntihcl-
ton. Out of nifty samples thus given.
an average Of one sale ia n liberal cstl-
mate. Unless specially asked for by
"Well-knOwn customers, the better