Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-02-18
Shopping Is WOman'S Duty
Otherwise VIE wouls speaa tie
Money Man Rzrns7

hXTOU herei- exclaimed the sweet |
faced old lady. seating herself
by a blooming young matrou at the |
lunch counter. The two were Mrs
Golden Wedding and Mrs. June Bride.
OF Staten island. "Why. didn't know
YOU were coming into town to-day. my
dear she continued. "else we should
have arranged 10 take that tedious ride
together. / thought you'd flushed
your shopping"
Does a woman ever finish shop
ping2- asked the young woman. queru-
lousy. "Mr. June Bride hurts my feel
iugs about this shopping business
Will you tell me why men ridicuie WON
en- 80 eiernaily about shopping? We
are subjects OF all sorts Of newspaper
Jokes because we shop. and We are con
stautlv tainted for IL by those who
pretend TO care for US. One would think
that the chief end and aim OF every liv-
ing wonan's existence was 10 so into
the stores and bay things that she
doesn't need. just because they are ad-
verfised az a bargain
All OF the women az the counter in
hearing distance gave the author OF
this outburst an encouraging symPa-
thetic look.
I'm downright glad you brought
the subject up. dearie," answered Mrs
Golden Wedding. soothingiy- Its one
I've often wanted 10 speak 20 you about
We poor women are all very much mis-
understood about this shopping bust
ness"
There. I always said So. exclaimed
little woman across the counter. who
made no bones about listening 10 the
conversation.
The average man thinks the aver
age woman enjoys shopping" contin-
urd the Old lady. "She does not. but IL
is the business, the duty. may say. %
the average woman. and II she negiects
Il her household viii soon go % rack
and ruin"
What's thatg- asked Mrs. June
Bride. eagerly.
simply this. II Is mans business
20 make money and woman's business
10 spend n. II she spends il reckless
" and foolishly and wastefully theT
she Is failure. but she does not do heI
full duty as wife and mother unless she
knows how 10 spend her hnsband''
money judiciously. wisely and well
Man twits woman about her prcpen
kity for shopping. II she didn'i shop
who would buy things? Who has shs
more spare time. the man or the WON
an? The woman. OF courae. and It's be-
business 30 look out for the best value
for her money"
II just hate TO shop" interrupted tn
Young woman. Il always have a head
, ache after a morning IN the stores an'
, nothing fags me more completely"
Nine women cot Of ten feel tbl
, same way about it, answered Mrs
Golden Wedding. but We might say -
uutl doomsday and 10 man would be
lieve as. except my husband. CAV
him a lesson yesTs ago that he won
forget"
-Do ten me about it, urged th
/. younger one. and all the other womel
deliberately listened.
!. well. Il was this way. He twitte'
me every morning and every Afternoon
about my shopping and seemed 10 b
under the impression that didn'
know how 10 do anything else. didn'
want 10 know how. and that was all
? did. Was crazy 10 master Fr~uch an
= German AZ The slime and II frefted ia
because had 20 do so much shopping
E lat We were very poor then and coz
Z si8ered u Just - much part of n
business 10 spend cor income 10 ~
best Of gny ability a. 81 wss his TO nsAis
Q s. spent q great deal Of time MAJ
irR that money GO long Nay. As ias
4 I got sired o. having fun poked ~ m'
: and Determined 10 quit shopping alt'
: eesher. did, and pretty soon ehas
yefxned In onr iitile hone. orders
. mx meat and groceries from the 30,
4 who came 20 the door. nessr counsir
sbe cost or anything, ard ~hsr sey .