The age-herald., 1897-11-14
Prom the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 Most of the big department stores are overrun with chronic shoppers. A chronic shopper is a woman. of course, and she starts from home early in the morning, not with her mind made up to buy anything, but just to look She passes the entire day going from place to place, pricing goods and locking about. She goes home late in the afternoon all tagged out, telling everybody whom she meets that shopping is such hard work and that she has had day of 1t. Per haps she doesn't know that the people who have waited on her have had day of it, too. and that probably she has de- prived every person who has waited on her of one to five sales, according to the amounb of time she has consumed in Hooking"
 Two women who for years have been interested in the crusades made in the interest of the shop girls decided to find out the other day how the salespeople handle such shoppers. One was an eld- erly woman with white hair and sweet, motherly face; the other was a dashing young nlaitront with love in her heart for all humanity. The couple went from shop. to shop watching the conduct of the chronic shoppers and that of the women who waited on them, and they learned many interesting things. First they followed two shoppers through big store. Chronic shoppers commonly Hook" dn pairs. One of these was @ stout woman with an arrogant manner, and her companion was an angular creature with nagedng voice. They made a bee line for the underwear de pertinent, closely followed by the two self-constituted detectives.
 Muslin underwear," said the stout woman to the head of the department.
 'eFhis way, madam was the answer. "The counter to the left
 "Let me see some nigh,gowns and cor set covers" demanded the shopper of the woman who came forward to serve her.
 What size and about what price would you like?" asked the saleswoman. Glanoing at the handsome toilets of the two women in flent of her she gave the saleswomen next to her pleased look, which said more plainly than words: "This Is a sure sa1e-good customers"
 "It dossn't matter about the price, an- swered the shopper. "Show us what you have.'
 The saleswoman began to drag dswn the big boxes from above and to bring out night dresses of every cut and de- scription. She began with those that sell at $1 each, and finally displayed those costing $15 each. The two women looked them all over, pulled at the lace collars and yokes and frills until the saleswoman was in nervous terror lest the goods be pulled to pieces, criticised the work, and commented on the styles. Then the woman with the nage.ng voice calmly said:
 I've are only looking today. Now show us the cors=t covers. You adver- tise that it is no trouble to show goods"
 Certainly not" answered the sales won.an but with q book of dtsappo.nt- ment, and she began to dig out big boxes of corset covers from under the counter.
 q should like to see some bridal sets of underwear" sad q Pretty girl to her.
 I'm very sorry, but I'm busy just at prs sent" she answered, and the chronic shoppers stared at the person who dared address the saleswcman waiting on them. They passed another hour look ing at the corset covers and th=n made TOT lne uy-DldQc QcpetA tAltEiAb without so much as thanking the sales woman. The two detectives stole after them.
 line shoppers seated themselves and locled at tailor suits, Russ.an bl-use suits, Eton suits, dinner gowns and fancy waists until tn ir eyes must have ached, and the back of the woman who caIred these things to and fro grad ualy grew bent. Finally she said: .tNVen, I really believe I've shown you everything we have down here, but per haps you could get something in the inl- porting department above" The nag ging voice answered: "Oh, We are just booking today. We don't intend to buy"
 The siqoppsls went next to the ,nil la,- cry and them to ahe coat department After stopping for lunch they turned thsir all-entiOn to smaller things, SUI h as belas. stockings. gloves, umbrellas and so tn, and finally decided to go across to Ch ap & Ncgools to see what bar g,si.s they had on that day.
 Meai time, the crusader 4al run acl ss dozer,s uf ot':lar women, who were hlving great rdles of goods laid out on the coun. ters before them, just to look at them, and they decided to find out just how tn } salespeople felt aIooll wai.ing oll such shoppers.
 T should think you would get out of all pa;ienc- showing g -oi's to people who a1ave no inteat.on of buying, my q ar, :" sad the motherly looking woman to a girl who had just been dealing with a particularly fractious case.
 .Yes I Go at tinles,' answered the girl, weorily, but I wouldn't dare to crv it. Every year it gets wofs,i and worse The shops are ovs rruG, Win Wo- men who cocne just ito look and ret to buy. Sal srssop,e are iequestei to hand e with the usnro T. courtesy and cons dsra- tlO.s every person who comsS into thc store, and that IS true of all ithe big