New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-09
SHOPPING IN JAPAN.
A LITTLE PLUTOCRAT WHO BOUGHT A
WEALTH OF CLOTHES FOR
MERE SONG.

She is dainty little putocrat. an authority on
clothes with capital &C" and she talked clothes
all around the world she sat surrounded by the
spoils OF a seasons globe trottins.
Why she said, they can make dress III
tventy-four hours in Japan. and cover it with en-
broiderv into the bargain. I don't know how they
do it. but they do.
When you land at Yokohama you will md the
corridors of the hotel lined with Cinnamon runners
from the dressmakng houses. They give you their
cards come to your rooms to get your orders ana
give you fittings, and the next day they will send
the dress home. Jack ordered a broadcloth suit
with frcck coat, and it fitted him better than any
he ever had his life. II cost him sl5. and IL was
good any suit he ever paid $50 for on Flrth-
Now here you see this little pongee dress that
they made for me. You it is all embroidered in
red and blue silk, and never before had skirt
fit me like this. and it cost me IS.
Then here's white flannel. with sailor collar
and cuffs embroidered in pale blue. They charged
me SIS. and II a regular Paris fit Here's white
India linen You the skirt is composed OF
clusters of fine. vertical tucks. alternating with
drawn work 1t took them four days to make that,
and they charged me S. Here's linen frock for a
child embroidered with vine pattern in>blue silk
that they made for 49,
.'Thev are Japanese who run the shops. but the
workmen are all Chinese. and they simply
wonderful They take Paris or New-York
gown and reproduce 1t so that you can't believe
your own eyes. They tell story in Yokohama OF
the man in the early days of tourist travel who
tore his trousers board and had them mended
He sent them to the tailor when he landed to have
them duplicated, and they sent back the new ones
with the darn neatly reproduced every stitch just
like the old one. But seriously. women have awful
times with their clothes In trip around the world.
After three weeks board every stitch of a SILK
gown will fall apart There was bride who
reached there in despair. Every gown in her ele-
giant Paris trousseau ruined. But she had
them all exactly reproduced you couldn't tell
the difference. and at one-seveuth of the cost Her
$500 gowns they duplicated Tor -" mats what
living on rice does.
It's Just the same with materials" continued the
experienced traveller DO you see this magnif-
cent piece Of cafe lat brocaded satin, yard
wide? l got that for rs cents yard. and it would
cost 81 in this country And just look at this and
she flung out opulent lengths of cloth Of gold,
shimmering and beautiful. This was ordered by
Lady Curzon for the coronation she said. and
then she didn't take IT, got it for 81 a yard; 1t
would cost SIS so in this country. I'm going TO
have il made into gown covered with irish
crochet. Now cast your eye upon this tablecloth,
The tablecloth was large enough for twenty-tour
covers. II had hem OF drawn work third OF a
yard wide and the rest of the surface, excepting
the spaces left for candelabra, was covered with
There We're twenty-four napkins. a yard square,
'That tsbIecIoth was ordered by somebody and
$3.50 and got II for s75. The napkins ordered and
had to pay $25 apiece for them. The set is worth
S@,OU IN TINS county <14N w NNP'N'S~N - $500
Honolulu FOR 81 e. ~ =,
it?" said the nterocutor. . 49,,
ooh that's not the only way" said the little
plutocrat. wisely. I've learned number OF ways
but I will say that the Japs. rather their chinese
Workmen. are the cleVerest people at the business
l ever saw VIII you look at that? 49,
Il was beautiful peated skirt of pale blue silk
poplu. apparently never worn: . =.
.'Vhen the Chinaman brought that in. said she
redectfyelv. Il was scared. said, on, John,
you've cut into my goods. He wagged his pigtau
SNo no said he; 'Chnaman foolee.' And ne
wasn't" Then she did something or other To the
skirt and u suddenly collapsed: rolled on the moor
m shining azure lengths. seemingly fresh from the
.'I'hat'S one way to get them past the custom
house. said she calmly NO man would ever
know II wasn't made up. | brought one trunkiut
of that kind OF clothes. But never saw anything
ike the indSuliies which travellers are subject
81 az this port now" she continued, with rising IN
dIenation. They used 10 have one man. but now
they havsiwo since this new Raines law, or what
ever il Is, went in or Is the Ralnes law about
sandwiches. something? Well, no matter; this
second man takes you and questions you after the
first man has been through your trunks. he Will
say to YOU. You have declared $l25 worth OF goods
Now What did you purchase out ot that $l2ot ana
an such questions that It's very embarrassing
for would be easy 10 contradict oneself ana
has % keep thinking about that all the time
one hundred and twenty-five dollars in a tone
of deep disgust Why those two paraSuls from
Paris cost more than that. These things are neces-
sary and we have got 10 have them. Does the
government think travel around the world
without buying the necessaTies OF lifec"
And the little victim of unNnd native land
hustled her cloth Of gold into the trunk with the
energy of righteous indignation