The age-herald., 1898-10-16
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The Serious Side of The
 First Shopping Expedition

IuSA onopphiJ EApSuih'Sh
 Next to the joys of shopping on one's own account, comes that of shopping for an- other woman; and after this, is watching still another woman who is out on a shop ping tour When the latter is accompanied by her husband, and they are furnishing house for the first time the importance of it all will be invariably forced upon you, and the serious side of shopping is so evil dent that one is tempted to take sides in the controversy.
 Yesterday in one of the stores there was a young couple who were evidently furnish ing their house for the first time. As any one knows, it is difficult for any two peo- pie to think alike on the same subject, es- pecially when it concerns the furnishing of a house, but this young couple had appar- ently made up their minds that they would not take the responsibility of making a decision on anything so serious as a water color or black and white etching, framed in green and gold. Along the wall were hung number of dainty water colors in storm and calm, but the woman paused before a little black and white study that showed an harbor, a deserted pier and the sea beyond It was a restful view, and she moved to where the sunlight fall- ing across it destroyed the effect, so that when she said to her husband that she thought this study as she called il, would look we'll in the library, he smiled in the way one sometimes smiles at child that wants to have it's way: That" he said, with the air of a connoiseur, Hacks color''
 The dealer came forward.
 'It is little sketch, sir, from famous drawing, and is not made for brilliant col oring," and he held it where the shadow falling across it brought out the pathos that seems to always cover the sea. The woman's eyes grew tender, and she stood for moment silent Her husband broke in impatiently. He turned to his wife:
 If you really want this picture, why you may have It, but
 T didn't want the responsibility of select ing everythieg," she broke in After we go and buy everything, and then we are not satisfied | want you to be as responsi- be as l am."
 Oh he said, .I am not backward about saying what l don't want,' and they both turned to look at great panel picture that represented slender figure of a wo- man in soft white filmy drapery. She was under an apple tree and the blossoms were falling about her.
 "Shes beauty the man said, "so the price is not too steep"
 The woman said nothing. She was evi- dently thinking that the size of the picture would be utterly incongruous with the rest of the room.
 Finally she began to look indfferently at a group of steel engravings, but in her eyes was the thought of a moonlt scene a sum- mer sea, an autumn landscape. Her hus- band went a step nearer He waited for her to speak, which she did presently, with out lifing her eyes.
 We can come again." she murmured But she saw her mistake in a moment
 The decision must be made now" said the man, and the dealer looked up for fur ther instructions.
 I he man at last found something en- chanting.
 There he called out to anyone who happened to be near Here is something worth having. It's of historical value"
 Ills wife looked up. A frank smile dis closed her white teeth. There are times When d smile means resignation
 I he mal lifted the engraving from gl cup of others. It had been so long out of Nlew that the dealer had forgotten it. It | Was a hldeous scene, and represented Char lotte Corday in prison. Her white face locked through the priso nbars, and the | most gruesome effect was produced The l picture was the usual size that one aener- ally sees in engravings picturing NaooIe- or farewell to Josephine, or Washington crossing the Delaware.
 There is surely nothing more beautiful or pathetic than Charlotte Corday in prison, but a steel engraving to be framed inoak and the figure of woman the mur- deress of Marat. behind prison bars was the most incongruous combination possible.
 The dealer and the husband negotiated lew minutes, and the engraving was or defed to be framed. A half hour later the woman returned We" she said very generously, have changed our minds about that picture, and we want this instead" poiting to the study" that showed inc harbor deserted pier and the sea. She or dsred it framed in green and gold and not content with this, invested in two water colors framed ovally in white and gold Just what brought about the reaction in