The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-07
BARGAIN DAYS IN LONDON.
With n Few Wicked Hints as to inva-
sion of DingIey Law.

Elizabeth /. Banks, in Chicago Post.
l have just been calling on an American
woman residing IN London While l was
there she told her maid 10 bring in the
boxes" and into the drawing room were
fetched huge pasteboards, some OF them
two yards in length and a yard in depth
containing dresses that are TO be worn at
the yacht race IN New York next autumn.
Elton jackets and skirts all trimmed with
shiny braid and lined throughout with silk,
price 3 g~uineas, or SIS. Light summer SILK
dresses. with glace silk Innings. trimmed
with exquisite lace, price ; guineas. or so.
Paris models. only TO be appreciated ana
raved over by being seen, she had bought
at $50. silk Innings, OF course! She was
in too much of a hurry, as | told her; other
wise she would have been able TO have
bought those same Partisan creations for
CA after the lst OF July, and as they are
for the boat races. that's more than time
enough. Such hats. of tucked and shirred
chiffon, with wonderful roses yelled with
the fimsy stuff as she had bought at y
shillings and D pence. II a decent hat can
be bought in Chicago for IS I'd like TO
see it! Chiffon boas that go around the
neck and fall almost to the bottom of the
skirt she exhibited, having bought them at
- Shillings.
There is nothing in the way OF female ap-
parel that isn't cheap in London just now
and that won't be cheaper still two weeks
later. Many an American woman who
used 10 do her shopping in Paris now con-
fines her purchases exclusively TO LONDON
during the June and july sales, and finds
she can get things just as pretty and much
etc. exhibited in the windows are French,
anyway. They came over early in the
spring and haven't been sold Oft, partly be-
cause of the court mourning, which made
lofC of the ulfr1-f2S hiOnphla folk continue
in black or black and white, or lavender.
though they were under no compulsion in
the matter.
This year there is an especially large
lot OF bargains. but every June and Juiy
one may so cut and do wonders even with
500. The shopkeepers feel that they must
get rid of their spring goods before their
autumn ones come IN. To the Chicago
woman with $500 10 so holidaying this sum-
mer l would say come over TO London.
Paying all your expenses, journey TO New
York, ocean voyage. etc, and staying in
London two or three weeks. living econom-
ically, you would have 800 left for shop
ping, and with that you can go back TO
Chicago the last of July with such an ar
ray OF frocks and stockings and things as
will make all your female friends wall and
gnash their teeth I'm envy. If you are a
girl and going to get married in September
come over and get your rousseau.
And how TO get back with your things
show your disapproval of a wicked, unjust
and wholly unsympathetic law made by
men for the torment of women, made to
force naturally gentle and pious woman TO
use language in her heart and wish almost
she were not an American? l am sure this
question has already occurred TO you as
you have been reading my cordial invitation
10 come Londonward and be clothed as
BELTS your station and your income.
But oh. how can / answer this question
through the medium here provided me? Ii
l told you you would know, TO be sure,
and so would the officers of the customs,
and then they'd take your beautiful bar
gains away from you. you who have been
buy a large amount Of finery. on the prin-
ciple that from her that hath not shall
be taken even that which she hath"
Well. you know the wicked Dingley law
things anyway. and with 500 you may do
marvels If you are clever. 1 have told of
the wonderful hats for lbs Cd. Why they
couldn't be bought at 6s Cd I'm sure
don't know. l think they can In July.
Don't say the customs men will value them
at SIS or $50. What do they know of prices
who only American prices know? If your
hat is marked 6s Cd just inform them that
figures cannot lie. | leave you in this mat
ter. not TO your sins, but 10 your own re-
sources.
AS | have said, 500 will go a long way
during the July sales, and even If you do
have TO pay some Suty on your bargain
bought costumes the duty on a SIS Paris
model can't be enough to bring it up even
TO half the American price for the same
thing. or course there is the difficulty
that the man who examines your trunk is
nothing more or less than an idiot on the
subject of prices of things. He will argue
that your frock couldn't have been bought
in New York or Chicago for less than 500.
1 expect perhaps you would better try to
get as many of your things as possible at
one shop and have the shopkeeper make
you. out a bill for 5000. That will save
confusion.