The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-12
THE nousExEEpERs Il FRIENDS.
Two Young College Women Who DO Mar
keting and Buy Household Supplies.

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Two Young College Women Who DO Mar
keting and Buy Household Supplies.
Two young college women have lately opened
an office in upper Fifth avenue and are now
acting as housekeepers for fifty families. "Ex-
perienced marketer. City and country homes
provisioned. Only the best grade OF every
thing supplied and at most economical prices
is the announcement on their business cards,
and on the reverse side it Is stated that kitchen
ware and cooking apparatus Of the most desira-
bile sort are specialties with the partners, aud
that linen. silver, cut glass and other things
for the table will be selected with discrimina-
ton. Their customers begin with people liV-
ing not a stones throw from their head1uar-
ters. and include families in Hudson River
towns and in Connecticut.
Hitherto New Workers each season were
eating new grown Bermuda potatoes fully six
or eight weeks before the out-of-town people
ever got a chance at them,' says the e1pert-
enced marketer OF the firm In explanation Of her
function. This year my customers had new
potatoes on time. and at New York prices. too,
Anywhere Off the line OF the New York Central
Railway the marketmen and provision dealers
are backward about getting supplies. There
Is complaint of the lack OF fresh vegetables IN
those regions. but I'm remedytng that, and
people agree with me that it's just as cheap to
eat ROOu lFeSn sun Us pOOi- 1HcAe 10 iN'heS -
the good to be had. and my province is to get
the very best for my clients, The dealers give
me n commission. not my patrons.
What made mo select this business? The
! obvious need for it. After l left college l was
in charge OF the household hints department
Of n woman's paper. and that gave me a glimpse
of the needs Of hundreds OF households. Every
woman had the privilege Of writing to that
department for any information she want
ed. and there was such a lack of practical
knowledge in the letters that | judged the
housekeeping department OF the average
household to be more in need OF help than any
other. Women could get educators for their
children. and people to buy their gowns and
bonnets for them. and TO sew for them.
and supply fashion ideas and decorative
| hints. but the kitchen machinery worked
badly. 1t occurred to me that to supply people
with thoroughly good food at the same eN-
pense as the interior grade was an IMPORTANT
mission, and l secured a few customers who
were willing to trust my judgment. / VENT to the
various dealers and familiarized myself with
the different grades Of meats and vegetables
and fruits. and with the very elastic scale oil
prices by which these could he secured in diff
ferent parts Of this city. l studied the subject
OF shellfsh. and learned just what tell
tale marks to go by in discriminating be-
Nllo tAA fS'A 80
The market people. seeing that l took
an interest and could help them to regular
customers. gave me points: and now when ar
extra supply OF anything comes in that lower:
the price of that particular commodity for the
time the dealers telephone to me. and | advise
my customers. This, Of course. does for m
town customers only. When l select a cut o
meat at the butchers l give him to understand
that that exact cut and no other is to be sent t.
my customer. and when | choose oranges o
grape fruit for an out-of-town customer | no
only pick out the best, hut l have the fruit son
here TO my office to be shipped.
"Coffees. teas. cocoas and canned goods are
man piIe In e one : town ! coffee not soeood asthe grad,
that soils in New York for 30 and - cents sell
habltuaIiy for 40 and ~ cents a pound 4 IN
out OF town are VIGOROUSLY high, and thei
the goods are net the best, A yoThn4:
with HSS'T provisions; His house hSd been rul
no taste for housekeeping anyway and allow
ing, the servants full fling The husban,
sSs ex THAT he f fhs meals mSs n sHpplid a9'i het
been good. but they were not good. SO he cam
to me-. Yesterday | received IA message owe
Park avenue residence. It was early in III
morning and I found the master Of the hous'
""'We'rc in trouble he said. There's sick
ness just now, and We never are fortunate in on
servants. Inefe = npDOuy 10 Duy anything o
take the responsibility. Snil in and see wha
you can do, and order some stuff for dclicat
people that it won't cost a months income t
pay for
but / have a big reception on my hands up in
Connecticut town. I have to have a reception
and I have not entertained in years, the lad
/. wrote me. Please make an estimate, and at
, tend to every extra needed, from the inyita
tions and decorations down. It's got to be,
} good sized function md ! want you to take III
trouble off my shoulders So il happens tina
NVhiln Pm nor "a pltnrpF nor IA house decoration
nor n florist. ! haye to see to II that the pcopl
| give orders TO do my patron justice
The stay-at-home partner in this firm. tn
t one who keeps the accounts, has made the sui
ject Of kitchen supplies her main study. Ever
l detail from IA rolIingpin or batter, dipper Ut. I
I a range she has acquainted herself Will
=, Having practical knowledge OF the field she
enabled to weed out tho real useful kitche
: appliances from the too intricate. things thu
= are only good TO. hang up on n hook and /
looked at, All other women purchasing agen'
concern themselves with matters of person
: or household adornmcnt, but these two de
with the practical. everyday eXigencies.
SP4DEFISHES AT THEIR