The times., 1898-07-31
CREDIT ABROAD.
In Europe American Women Cam
Shop without Cash

cover that the mere fact of your being
an American stands as security for most
extensive credit with the foreign trades
men, Over on the other side an almost
religious faith is cherished I'm human and
feminine nature when Ii halls from Co
lumbia's shores. and experienced in Eu-
rope for the first time in my life the
joy of discovering that my AngIo-Saxon
face was literally my fortune
The pleasing shock was first received
on no less unpropitious territory than
that of Spain. where even last winter the
Americana was looked upon with con-
tempt and disgust. However, I fetched
up. my first day ashore, IN a seductive
little bric-a-brac shop in Gibraltar At
ter purchasing clear up TO my limit. I
fell upon a fan without the possession
Of which / felt life would be a weary
waste. But l simply had not the s25 to
pay for IT. and / said so. The proprietor.
Spanish Jew. handed IL to me with a
courtly bow, saying. Send the money by
and by L assured him / was going to
leave Gibraltar in an hour. that three
weeks must elapse before / could send
him the money on from London. / ex-
planned ] was a total stranger in the
place Then he summoned up sufficient
English to say. Madam. / am a Jew,
and have been in this business twenty
nve years, but | rarely hesitate TO give
either an Engiishman or an American all
the credit they wish. Not once have they
ever betrayed my confidence. Go in peace
and pay when you cam
Now, you may think this unique ex-
perience, but after six months knock
ing about the Continent, and comparing
notes with other Americans / came TO
the conclusion that with a bold but in
nocent eye and a rich Yankee twang I
could travel around the globe on credit
1T was my experience with those
shrewd hard-headed little French dress
makers who proved this to me. and also
proved what a wide and lofty reputation
the New England conscience enjoys.
You see. / was on my first trip TO Paris.
and like all good Americans. my two
friends and 1 felt bound TO buy Ons
smart frock apiece cost what they
would. So we picked out modiste
whose name We saw very often in the
fashion papers as puryeyor OF rare
costumes 70 duchesSeS, etc We had no
letters of introduction TO the head OF the
firm: our address was one of the most
modest little hotels in Paris; We bore all
The earmarks of enterprising bread
winners out on a holiday. and we offered
ordered.
You see. we were accustomed TO
doing so at home, besides guaranteeing
to pay on delivery of goods But 10 our
amazement not only was no deposit re-
quired but no references were asked.
and the gowns were left al our hotel
quite as if we were leading million
aire<sss Furthermore. We saw goods
and models in that dressmaker's rooms
that seemed quite Irresistible but when
| we were urged 70 buy. We made clean
breast Of our financial condition.
Then we fairly gasped when the dress
| maker calmly proposed 10 supply US eacn
| with clothes TO the amount OF sd, let Us
take them tG America and pay Just as
| soon as we were able. IL was fairly
staggering proposition. and for while We
| feebly struggled to resist, but the mOdists
| only laughed cheerfully-
| Have no fear, ladies' she insisted.
| I know my business, and though there
are titled. wealthy ladies here in Paris
| TO whom l dare not extend a penny OF
1 credit the Americans they have what
/ YOU call the New England conscience. i
| have heard about that conscience and i
/ trust II every time. It's all right la
/ dies: Il is quite o. X She laughed JOY
| ously over the knowledge of American
| honesty and American slang. and I
brought over all my lovely Paris clothes
| on credit.
| Il must say they are no less willing 20
| trust espectable-lOOking American wO-
/ man in London, and in Italy they regard
/ an Americans promise TO pay as good as
| a bond. One New York woman showed
| me a whole boXfuI of lovely diamond
| rings a London dealer sent 10 her hotel
/ for inspection He left them with her for
1 three days, asking no other assurance
! than her promise that they would be well
| cared for. Another one told me on my
i Homecoming steamer how, without her
\ purse or her luggage. she was left be-
| hind at the station at Verona She was
| clothed in the valueIesS simplicity OF her
| bicycle dress but. bold as brass. she
| went into the best hotel in the town and
| explained her situation. She wanted some
money 10 telegraph to her friends. she
/ wanted lodging for the night. her bath.
/ her dinner and her breakfast and she
/ had only a cheap silver watch to put up
as security.
The plump. amiabIe hotel proprietor
heard her story looked her over. refus-
| ed 10 touch her watch and gave her ths
very best he had in his house 10 offer.
| She wonders is she could repeat that ex-
| perience successfully in her own country.
! Never at any time Go foreign tradespeO-
pie refuse TO send and leave goods for
inspection al an Americans hotel Pari-
sian and London miliiners will send
dozen boxes of hats TO a hotel and let the
prospective purchaser keep them twenty
| four hours to study and experiment with
| their charms There seems 10 be no fear
! that the patroness will dishonesty at
| tempt TO get a few hours wear out OF
| any of them and besides hats they will
| send shoes, undergarments. etc, homa
for discussion and approval
| After q six months sOjOurn among
| these fattering and c0lfiding foreigners
| came home and utterly failed to repeat
| any of these pleasant experiences in my
own land. I've tried il and / know that
the American woman is often not without
credit save in her own country"