Evening star., 1902-07-30
SHOPPING IN MEXICO
CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE URBANE
TOWARD sToREKEEPERs
Never Appear Anxious to Buy-Bid
Half the Quoted Price of
Curios,

1
| In the City OF Mexico hunting "a o,a ~
the pastimes which may be INDUCED in by
those who have taste for quiet sport and
who possess the requisite sklH and patience
| considerable measure of which is reduir-
ed. since the object OF pursuit must be ap-
preached with caution. and. once captured
held with a firm grasp.
In the pawnshops. which fairly dot the
city, one may find pieces OF fine old furni-
ture and objects OF art OF various sorts,
| such as old porcelains and paintings
These are often covered with dust and
tucked away in the darkest corners OF
musty back rooms. but this does not at ain
disturb the keen scented hunter, who re-
1oices at a condition OF affairs which offers
a field for his finesse.
Politeness Necessary.
1t usually pays for shopper to be polite.
and the potter the better. To Mexican
the ordinary brusQueness of the averasa
American often appears to be Insulting
rudeness, and since he regards his store
however humble. as his castle he expects
one on entering IT to observe the same for
mality and courtesies that he would II hs
were entering a private house In some so-
clai capacity. Therefore a polite salutatton
should be the first step In the transaction,
Ordinarily the freedom Of the shop is given
to prospective purchaser who can 90
!
poking about, rummaging in out OF the way
corners.
When he has found something desirable
the last thing which he should do IS "a
betray that fact by word or look After ex-
aniining several articles he asks the price
or them, including in the number the OBJ
1ect desired When the price OF that par
ucular thing is announced he gives a little
start OF weil-feigned surprise and disgust
and remarks: oh, IL isn't worth thatl'' or
perhaps he shrugs his shoulders and SAYS
IN a dislnterested way: Very well / don't
care much for it."
Cut the Price.
In either case the dealer is then likely 10
inquire with considerable easerness: How
much do you give me?" whereupon the DUR
chaser names a price one-half or oue-third
Of the price originally stated. and ap.
preaching the object in a plying or dis
dainful way, points out it's various defects.
a scratch here, crack there etc. and
ends by explaining that really he has very
little use for such an article, but that IL Il
were larger or smaller. or newer or older.
or, In fact, anything except what II actually
is he might desire 1t, but that, things be-
ing as they are, Ii is quite out Of the uues-
tion. However having made an offer. he
will, Of course. abide by it, etc
The dealer shows that he feels the shock
which the purchasers lack Of appreciation
gives to his feelings but the purchaser ap-
pears less and less inclined to press the
keeper waits until he is fairly outside the
shop and Enthusiastically departing. Then he
rushes to the door. crying out in counter
felt despair; Take it! Take ut" At this
gadsome sound the purchaser saunters les-
usely back, receives his purchase nonchal-
lantly, and does not let any OF his delight
leak out until he is safely away from the
shop. for although the present bargain Is
sale, ne must remember that there may be
another tima.
Practical SboDpipr
To one who has never tried this particu-
lar kind of shopping all OF this Will seem
trivial and petty, and even dishonorable,
but a few actual experiences will convince
the most scrupulous that the course Just
described is the only feasible one to be pur-
sued. One need not feel any compunction
about making small offers, because he may
rest assured that the dealer will not part
with anything for less than what is to him
Its market value: and one may feel equally
easy about deluding him to ones own
estimate of values, for If the purchaser
should in the beginning offer the true value
the dealer would Immediately raise the
price, and If that were acceded to- he
would at once conclude that the object in
question was some priceless treasure which
must not be parted with under any consd-
GRAFTON, or certainly not except for some
fabulous sum.
The dealer regards the naughty "gringo''
as his legitimate prey, and there is no rea-
son WHY lEe SnOulu assist the
pawnbroker TO make more than the modest
gain of 100 or 200 per cent on his transac-
tions. Where an object is truly valuable
If one could find the original owner he
might feel like doing something to compen-
safe his loss in parting with some possess
sion for a fraction of its value; but where
an article has passed through a number of
hands, there is no reason why one should
give to the last Of the series the benfit of
taste and knowledge which he deserves no
more than the ones who preceded him.