The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
SHOPPING is HER TRADE.
THERE rs SOME ROMANCE IN II,
BUT NOT MUCH FUN.

H'H' W. NNFNNh
Professional shoppers are among tho labor
saving institutions of the age, and the delight
with which women hail them seems TO give a
Knockout blow to that idea to which men
fondly cling-tho theory that women love to 20
shopping.
woman goes downtown to match some lace.
She trails around from place to place, elbowing
her way through crowded stores, waiting wea-
rly for a glance from tho saleswoman, finding
at last that the lace can't be matched, and the
frock can't DO made according TO plan. Hor
back is almost broken, her head aches. her
nerves are on edge, and sho wishes she were a
savage in a tropical cline with no clothes prob
lem. Then she starts back to Harlem; and the
portly man who sits reading his paper in tho
car, and has been in an Office chair most of the
day, says to himself or his friend: =" Blamed IL
I'm going to get up for these women, who have
just boon running around shopping and aren't
half as tired as I am" So the woman hangs to
a strap and wonders what would happen II she
should faint at the portly mans feet; and when
she reaches home the chances are che cries.
oh. shopping Is great fun! There's no doubt
about that; but 1t takes an iron woman to make
1t her profession, unless shc goes into it In n
spirit Of sacrifice and offers herself up for the
benefit of her sisters.
A large share Of the patronage of New York
shopping agents comes from out OF the city
~" ohihil loWho II lnt CDunITy. luuI was III
together the case when the agents charged each
buyer a commission. Women who lived in tho
city. and. by n sacrifice of comfort. could do their
own shopping, felt that 1t was extravagant to
pay some ono else for doing 1t; but now there
are agents who conduct the business on n differ
ent basis. The shopkeepers pay the commission;
and tho woman who hasn't time to attend to
a troublesome errand herself sends for the
shopping agent. explains what she wants. and
| ig ralinyaI IF all fnrthnr hnthar Without ,or;nr
a cent for the luxury. Then. too. the profess
sional shopper comes to tho aid Of the poor vic
tim. who, because she lives in New York, is
showered with letters from country relatives
and friends asking IL she would mind matching
the Enclosed sample.
A woman who has been very successful in
the shopping business laughed whom she was
asked whether she liked the work.
Like ita We'll, I've q notion that breaking
stone on the road would DO less tircsome,
though not so respectable. I'm doing it simply
because / suddenly found myself obliged to earn
my living. Up to that time spending. money
had been my only accomplishment: and I
couldn't at first see how to utilize that, but at
last 1t occurred to me that my taste was good.
and my luck in finding the very thing I wanted
had been proverbial, so 1 decided to mako use
OF those resources. My friends gave me a start
and wrote to their friends about me. l sent
SN'S sNO ''''SA y" ia NhO ~ ~ no |
and advertised in the country newspapers, and |
in a short time I was simply delugcd with com.
missions. OF course n great many of them didn't
pay much. but Others did; and one little order
You would laugh if you could read a list Of
the things I've bought, and YOU would laugh
away: Talk about side talks with girls!' I've
had side talks with men. women, and children. |
births, and funerals galore. There's one girl out
in Ohio, whose life I've followed for five years,
wrote to me about a party dress and told me ali
about at T., the h, party. Aftsr that she sent to
Noticed 10 c Il that s0's she Oh or aHsrsi' er 1S thh by in 4
e et"s; ana but ! s sSs said !ba eE0W Mno gown hsr for ncs 2
in blue. FINALLY she wrote 10 me about Wedding
clothes and was quite confidential; We had a
were so bright and happy. that took a tremen.
dous interest in the AFFAIR. She wrote often
S,rf her Tn !" years @Hs a @cffbbe @t' H lnst ! week eeHf I Lad q \ lI isftte
from her mother. She wanted mourning things,
for E 'Re i11""nE shiG l had f Sied very ,9 w sgSaen X. moan,
was talking. 81 would never have thought That
there crave was r on HW. in your business" ~ ...
answered. wait a minute" ~ i agent
She tlshed in her shopping bag ana pulled out
Read that. 4" she said.
The letter. written in q spra wiling hand. ran
"HoNoRED Miss: Noticing of your advertise
ment in the paper. | make so bold ms to ask you
back hair. She wants q tortus:shcll one, and il
you'll send it along I'll send You the money.
that'il lay all over what the Others girls here
has; and RI stand the digger.
with no intention Of quoting, Kipling:, II get
lots of letters like that. I've bought all sorts OF
things all the way from valentines to wedding
t fhfnfSS ris T rhToom | ,pr9 9 y the he brides ,Td gown and
the house afterwafd. To"iiy, no family should
Of oe w baTso me fsrDI By the way ayd l do q great deGl
fen s"G around mri &owE o york m STATE p 9Saty w ii'sls
nave P 9sSG % Wrif6 nsd If ssI IT hadn't IT, been for
mGnts for the rooms and tell me what they are
willing to spend and then make, out the best
results in house furnishing with very little
money nowadays. l suspect the country people
have stuffed red plush p1rlor furniture than the
it % q sort of artistic mission.
I'm going to depart from my rules. though.
sells carpet and brocaded plush furniture. I've
had The incest letter from an old man. He
and himself. beginning with their courtship,
S saen G msE : d the STORY 9,t up to date; They've
they've seen. some pretty hard times. but now
he has come into some money. and he hasn't told
ter, and while she Is gone he is going to furnish
the old house, spick and span. TO surprise her.
carpet with roses in il for, the front room ever
since they were married. and he means she
buhll nave lhCe curtains AT every window eX-
cept the kitchen. and "a bureau with n glass ]
big enough to see yourself All over in. There's q
and a set OF dishes, and n real hair mattress
and all sorts of things, in that order. i declare 9
I'm almost as excited about 1t as he is. We've q
and every time my bell rings 1t gives mo a start, =
for feel sure Emily hes come before we are .
should happen to either OF those dear old souls
before the surprise comes off Two a great ,
notion to go M and settle the things into Tho '
house. It would be only a three hours ride, and 9
love to go. 4
"Of course. most Of my commissions are pro- :
sale enough, but It's astonishing what an in. .
sight into the character and lives OF the people !
l work for ! do get. I've heaps of photographs !
Of my customers. Girls send them to me so that I
III know their style in buying hats and other c
things for them; and brides with whom I've a
grown chummy over trousseaus send me pic @
lures taken in the wedding gowns / selected and 7
Sometimes ! have gowns made to '
order here and send them ont; but usually
Just buy the goods and toll how to make a
them up. <.
my city trade has grown Mnnderfnlr lntolu