davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10

7 WAVING lost my train, through
II the stupid conceit of the stage
L driver who declared that in all
his fifteen years experience he had
never belated a passenger, I found
myself stranded in a small Swiss
village. with three hours to get
rid of before could continue
my Journey. It was dismal. unprom-
ising looking place, and l inquired of
some of the people standing about the
station if there were any points of In
terest in the neighborhood which could
be visited in the space OF three hours
With one accord they answered; The
Caldron; go to see the Caldron; it is
well WORTHY visit
Where and what is the Caldron?"
1T is halfway up the mountain, but
the road is somewhat complicated. You
must have a guide. Go to yonder lit
tie white house with the green blinds.
and you will find the best guide in the
country, and the best fellow, too
Father Simon"
knocked at the door of the little
white house 1t was opened by an oil
woman.
Does Father Simon live here"
''FIe does, butts 1t 10 go 10 the Cald-
ROM
Yes"
"weu. he is unable to go out today,
His legs have given out. and he cannot
! leave his bed. However, that makes no
difference. I have some one who viii
/ do just as we'll as he-Nero."
! "AlI right; send Nero to me-
But / must tell you that Nero is not
| a person"
Not a person"
! mo, he is our dog"
| What DO you mean?"
He will guide you just as well as my
husband would. He is accustomed to do
| it, For years he has accompanied his
master; knows all the points of view,
and can guide perfectly alone by him
self He often guides parties of travel
| ers. and they always compliment us on
| his cleverness. You need not fear. He
| has quite as much intelligence as you or
II. All ne needs is the gift of speech.
That is not necessary In this case as it
would be were he showing a monument
where he would have TO know dates and
relate anecdotes about il. Take Nero
It costs less. too Only 80 cents foT
Nero. and he win do as much for you as
my husband would for 81"
Well where is Nero"
Sleeping outside in the sun. He has
already taken a party to the Caldron this
morniag-Nero, Nero"
He came leaping through the open
window, an ugly little black poodle, with
long curly, woolly hair. He certainly
was not handsome. but ne had a grave
decided, important manner that was
most impressive. He looked at me with
a searching, comprehensive glance thai
said:
you are a stranger. and you want tc
see the Caldron?"
Not wishing to lose another train.
explained that I had only three hours il
which TO make the excursion, ".ss.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10

II HERE is tendency toward less
conservatism in evening dress
which is making itself felt in the
various articles of harberdashery that
go with the full dress suit as well as
with the Tuxedo or dinner jacket, and
it is especially apparent in the styles
of shirts and waistcoats shown at the
fashionable shops.
Whereas the plain white linen shirts
used to be the only one permitted by con-
yention and the rules of good form. we
now find piques Of more or less pro
nounced rib, figured linens or marseiIIes,
with spot or line marking of white on
white and satin striped linens for wear
with the long-tailed coat and semi-soft
front linens and fine white madrasses
made up in plated and narrow tucked
effects for use with the Tuxedo coat.
Indeed, some of the leading makers go
much further than this and exhibit en-
broidered shirts and fronts with an edge
finished with a narrow rufHe, but as yet
such things are hardly worth consider
alton. for though exhibited in the shops
they have not gained the sanction OF
weII-dressed men, and until that i'm
portant stop has been attained it is not
safe 10 run the risk OF criticism.
The newest shirt If of fine ribbed
white pique. or rather the bosom is of
white pique. and it may be taken as con-
shutting the smartest mode Of this sea-
sons style. not too extreme a departure
from the old conservative standard to
take any chance of the imputation of bad
form and yet more distinctive and as yet
decidedly less common than the plain
white linen of so many years vogue
The opening is cat all the way down
the front instead OF merely 10 the bot
tom Of the bosom so that the shirt
can be put on and taken off exactly like
jacket (Which has given il the name
Of coat shirt'D, and this accounts for a
third buttonhole at the bottom OF the
bosom. when otherwise there would be
/ but two.
It is getting to be more and more
usual each year to make shirts with this
opening, and while to be advised in all
cases. it is especially TO be advised for
evening dress, because aside from the
I questions of comfort and convenience. it
/ lessons the chance OF wrinkling the
bosom and mussing the hair in the
process OF putting on.
The shirt has its collar attached
style, but as matter of fact. the at
tached collar is not greatly to be recon-
mended for practical purposes unless one
wishes TO devote a considerable part Of
overdress allowance to the purchase Of
shirts. The soiling or whiting Of the col
lar puts the whole shirt out of busi-
ness, and in the average laundry it Is
sure 10 fare badly in the doing up A
wing collar or a poke pointed standing
collar is equally as correct as a straight
. standing shape for full dress. but it is
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10

and the matter IS either smoothed over
or the boy who delayed the delivery IS
soon looking for a job
The Managers Many Troubles.
1t is the manager around whom The
whole Of the machinery of the store re-
wolves, as it is from him all orders ema-
nate, and it IS on his shoulders all of
the responsibility rests.
1t was to this potentate the writer
WIS referred when probing into the mys-
teries of the delivery system. The hrst
question asked of the heavy browed nan
who controls the destinies of so much
retail commerce was what trend in the
development of the delivery system was
causing the store the most trouble. The
manager replied the tendency OF all wo-
men shoppers TO order everything de-
Iivered, no matter how small, had be
come the bane of the life of the pro-
prietor and the manager alike,
Why" CALCULATED the manager, act
ually some of the packages asked to be
sent are so small that ne have to put
them IN shoe boxes to prevent thci7
loss in the wagons. / know of dozens
of cases where women whose homes are
in the suburbs have taken the car ii,
rectIy for home leaving here for deiiv-
cry a spool or two of cotton. several pa
pers of needles. or packages Of pins
Now. we make no complaint about this
We have a force to deliver these goods
and will do so. What We do object To
however, is the complaints made wncr
these little orders do not reach thc
homes of the purchaser at the eXac'
time desired.
"One can better appreciate what This
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10
FULL DRESS STYLES FOR MEN.

now SWEETEST to have the cuffs cut square
instead OF rounded. and small pearls are
the most fashionable style of studs.
Except with the Tuxedo coat, when 1t
should always be worn, the black even
ing vest is now almost q thing of the
past. Not only for dinners, dances, and
other formal occasions Is the white
waistcoat CONNIE il faut, but it is worn
almost exclusively with the long-taiIed
coat, for theaters, evening calls. etc. no
matter of how little formaIity. In point
of fashion there is little choice between
the single and double breasted shapes,
but the former are a little bit the newer
in style and are accordingly given the
preference by the smart haberdashers
and many men who observe the fine dis
tinctions in dress. AS said above, there
is a tendency toward less conservatism
in materials, and, while silk or satin is
not to be advised, figured piques, linens,
marseiIIes and other wash stuffs. in self
tones of white on white are correct and
good in style.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10
Four O'clock at Eleventh and Streets.

not care, so we destroy the stubs and
records. That is the paid delivery
system. If sent c. o. D. it is different.
By accounts I mean cases where the
purchaser has credit at the store. To
the latter class belong many OF the
wives of the Senators and some of the
wives OF the highest Government off,
Gals, including the members Of the
Cabinet.
Must Be Alert.
1.-The account and C. o. D. sales are
entered in an open book They are then
reckoned on what we call wagon sheets,
which are given TO the drivers These
men recheck the bundles themselves
and receipt for them. They Their know
exactly what their wagons contain, and
they arrange the lists so the purchasers
Will be grouped in certain localities
He examines the addresses carefully and
in many cases he detects mistakes
which have passed all other employees
in the store. Many of the drivers have
been employed to delivering goods in
certain localities for years. and they are
acquainted with the people living along
their routes. Thus If a package is
wrongly addressed to Mrs. Smith at 557
" Street he detects the error and an
nounces that Mrs. Smiths home is at
557 y Street Drivers are instructed to
use every means to locate a purchaser
before returning a package to the store.
This they do so well that ont of an av-
erage daily delivery in the busy season
of six or seven thousand deliveries only
about fifty packages come back
'Our wagons are started out every
morning, rain or shine. at 10 o'clock.
and again al 1 in the afternoon On
Saturdays this time is changed and the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10

delivery of small bundles means when /
say that some of them have to be car
ried ten miles without extra charge to
the customer. We cover every corner
of the District. and in several cases go
beyond the lines into Virginia and Mary
land We have one wagon which does
nothing else beyond carrying bundles TO
the trains for out-of-town purchasers
The local railroad men have begun to
notice the increase in these deliveries,
and are commenting on where the anti
bundle craze is going to end.
TO meet-the demands we have been
compelled to establish q new checking
system which rivals the banking system
of the Government. BY means of 1t we
rid ourselves of the old nuisance Ct
customers returning goods for which no
record ca2 be found.
THE saIesmen's books are similar to
those Of bank. as regards the stubs,
On each Of the latter is written The
amount and character Of a sale. the
cIerks number, the cashiers number.
the wrappers number. and so on all TIC
way down to the man en- the wagon.
Three duplicates are made by means OF
carbon paper. One of these goes to TIE
cashier. The second is placed inside The
bundle. and the third is pasted Oh he
outside.
IF the package goes astray, the wrap
per and the coupon on the inside are
lost forever, but on visiting the store
( the customer finds that the purchase is
in the salesman's book ard is on file
| at the Office OF the cashier. BY this
means a package can be traced for two
years At the end of that time we con
cIude that the customer has received
her goods. or If she has not. she does
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10
CONQUEST.

Spring and winter met one day
Near the huddled hills;
Seant his locks as Hchens gray.
Springs like daffodils-
They were known as open foes
Over all the earth;
Spring detested ice and SHOWS;
Winter. blooms and mirth-
Long his tense and tyrant clutch
Prisoned fen and field:
Long the streams, 10 bar his touch.
Raised an icy shield
Spring, to break their letters free.
Summoned ali her charms
All her wondrous witchery-
To take the king of storms.
May I pass, kind sir?" she said,
Beaming, blossom wise,
Up at him with lips of red,
Eyes of April skies.
Winter wavered, Ioath TO go;
Smiled and stepped aside:
Bowed his head and bending low:
Certainly" he cried.
Sports AfeId.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10

Shoppers silk 1t goes shooting down TO
the basement. where it is wrapped by
packer, and in a few minutes boy is
on his way to the home of the purchaser.
Routine and Special Delivery.
Had Mrs. Shopper failed to announce
that she wanted the silk atone it would
have gone out on a wagon, with hun
GTeds of other bundles intended for Gus
toners in the same locality. TIC
chances are she would have received
the package sooner than by the boz.
because the wagons are drawn by good
horses and travel fast. Thus the silk,
which may not have cost more than 30
cents, passed through the hands of the
salesman. the inspector. the wrapper,
the delivery clerk. the checker, the
shipper. and, lastly, the boy or driver of
the wagon. 1t has consumed about an
hour in its travels, and the proprietor
CT the store has paid out about % cents
of the 80 received.
If the boy arrived at Mrs. shopper
home at the time agreed upon, that ends
the matter. II he does not, then there
is a chance that Mrs. Shopper will ap-
pear at the store the next day and an
nounce that she has serious complaint
to make. She is referred TO the com
plant office, and the patient individual
behind the wicket listens to all she has
~.
wealthy woman and customer who
| spends much of her money at the store
she is referred by the complaint clerk
to the manager, the court of last resort.
With him she registers her complaint
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10

" MISS Drown anu ne "ouiu
be obliged TO her II she kept
her hens out OF his garden"
Miss Browns compliments to Mr..
Smith. and she would be obliged TO him
If he kept his garden gate shut. as she
could not afford 10 engage a walking
governess for her hens"
Relations were decidedly strained be
tween Mr. Smith and Miss Brown.
They lived next door TO each other
in a row of suburban villas, and we're
only on sufficient speaking terms TO
admit of their carrying on hostilities
with an assiduity worthy of a better
cause.
They were among the oldest inhabi
tants of the terrace.
Miss Brown had come first-some fc-
teen years previously-and Mr.. Smith in
the following spring. They had met At
tea party at the Champions in No. 10.
had been duly introduced and IT had been
clearly a case Of animosity at first sight
They had gIared at each other, bowed
with great hautcur. lost their tempers
hopelessly over whist, and
Parted with words of high disdain,
Since when they had used no other
When the terrace wanted TO say, In
the millennium" or When there are
two moons in II. sky IT always said in
stead, When Mr.. Smith and Miss Brown
make it up
The beauty Of it was that they were
on fairly good terms with everybody else
indeed. might say very good terms.
only Mr.. Smith got crusty at times; and
They were rather afraid of Miss Brown
more. indeed. of her expression THAI
of her tongue. All human happiness ap-
peared to have died out of her face and
a humorous sarcasm to have alone sur
yived from its ashes.
The children took her differently. how
ever, and all the cOntusons and
scratches turned in at the little gate
of No. l to be condoled with and
"amended'-as far as possible.
Miss Browns compliments TO Mr.
Smith. and If he did not at once see TO
the clearing OF his gutter [Mr. Smith
was his own landlord, as was also Miss
Brown. both having bought their houses
On a leaseI she would be obliged TO
send in a plumber at his expense"
Mr. Smiths compliments 10 Miss
Briwn. and If she attempted 70 send in
workmen he would prosecute her"
Miss Brown was rather poor. She
kept no servant but lively old char
woman came IN for a couple of hours
every day Ito set things straight" as
she said. and also to act as bearer in the
constant interchange of such civilities
as have been mentioned.
All the little gardens in the terrace
were beautifully kept but those of Miss
Brown and Mr.. Smith were what the
charwoman described as the 'pinkiest'
of all. Mr.. Smith had grass mower.
and Miss Brown hadn't. What more
simple than for Miss Brown to turn into
No for the loan Of Mr.. Smiths? But.
needless to relate. she would have
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10
SCOTCH WOODCOCK.

For six persons have in readiness six
slices Of toast. six hard boiled eggs. two
t0blespoontUls Of butter, one OF -four.
one OF anchovy paste, half pint OF
milk. grain OF cayenne and half tea
spoonful OF salt. Slice the eggs onto a
platter or deep plate and chop up fine
with silver knife. Put the butter in
the chatting dish or saucepan as de-
sired. When melted and hubby. add
Jae -four and stir until the mixture is
frothy. taking care that it does not
brown Add the milk a little at a time.
stirring all The while with the back Of
he bowl of the spoon. not the edge.
When it hollis add the anchovy. salt and
pepper. Cook. a moment add the eggs
and cook three minutes. Serve on the
coast.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10
At the Busy Corner Eighth and Pennsylvania Avenue.

means get it there by o'clock. The
dressmaker is waiting for it,
This order means a special delivery,
which is in a department all by itself.
A boy may be sent out to Tenleytown or
the other end Of the District The de-
livery systems of the stores include all
of the territory il the District and some
parts of Maryland in their wagon routes
What name please?" asks the clerk.
why. Mrs. shopper" replies the lady,
YEARLY
What address,
please Get 1t There on Time"
why" Gmpatiently). forty forty
four" she replies, naming a street in
the suburbs of Georgetown, ''and please
get it thore on time. The last package
did not come until II o'clock at night
and I had to sit up for it. although you
agreed to have il at my house not later
than o'clock"
The clerk smiles, but says nothing.
There is complaint Office to hear all
of such affairs. He tears off the silk.
The lady sweeps away and up goes the
purchase 20 IhedSuItI' VINO 10 PS4O H
ed at desk midway between the floor
and ceiling Here the silk bought by
Mrs. Shopper is inspected and again
carefully measured. The second meas
urement insures against mistakes, as
sometimes the statesmen are guilty OF
errors. especially toward the end OF
busy days. Such mistakes. however, are
not the only ones with which the man
agement has TO contend. Oyersights are
found everywhere, which has caused to
be established the office CT the COM
plant clerk, and in some cases he has
assistants
When the measurer is done with Mrs
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10
THE DELIVERY SYSTEM OF A BIC DEPARTMENT STORE ::
A Checking System Almost
as Elaborate as That Of a
Bank-Record Kept OF the
Smallest Packages and the
Responsibility for ANY Loss
Quickly Placed.

wagons make deliveries at o'clock in
the morning and 1880 and 1920 at night
we have to have regular schedule
time for all deliveries, yet there are
many ladies who do not make their pur-
chases until after the wagons have gone
out on the o'clock trips. and then
they wonder why they have not received
their goods before dinner time.
Though the public is hardly aware of
1t. the driver IS one of the most I'M
portant men in the employ of the store.
He has to report at the stables at few
minutes after O'Clock. neat and clean,
and TO see that his horse and wagon
are in the same condition He has to
be thoroughly familiar with all parts of
the city. He is responsible for all break
able goods smashed in his wagon Nat
ural.y he is accused OF being RESPONSE
BILE for all goods lost or damaged, and
the person not on the inside would be
surprised to hear the focd OF CON-
plants that reach US concerning them.
Not Always the Drivers Fault.
when these complaints reach Us our
system of receipts soon trace the lost
article TO the driver, II It was last in
his possession. Then he is called upon
ito explain. In ninety-nine cases out OF
a hundred he tells US he delivered tha
article to the servant girl. The custom
er goes home and IN a day or two the
complaint is withdrawn. the customer
announcing that the servant had mis-
laid the article and had then forgotten
all about it.
The busy scenes about the wagon
station at the time the drivers are get
ting ready TO leave, suggest the direst
kind OF confusion. but such is not the
case. We have the city divided into dis
tricts and sheet writer is IN charge Of
each. To him the delivery clerk, who
receives the goods from the sales
rooms, hands the packages intended for
his district. Thus every driver has only
to take the packages handed him by his
sheet writer From him they go 10 the
customer. In our delivery room we have
about twenty-five employees during the
! busy season"
At this point the superintendent was
interrupted, and the interview came 10
an end. There was little more 10 say,
except that everything goes with clock
/ like regularity in such stores Mistakes
are not tolerated to any degree. A fine
is imposed for the first and second. The
third usually results in dismissal. The
discipline on a battleship is hardly finer
than that in the average big depart
ment store of Washington.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10
Mu1titudinous and Trying
Duties Of the Small Army
of Men and Boys Who
Are Charged With the
Work of " Getting the
Goods Home"

I T OW many women shoppers of the
n city of Washington are familiar
with the system by which their
purchases are delivered to their homes
by the big department stores?
To the average woman the many de
partments hidden away down in the
basement are mysteries she could not
solve if she would, and would not if she
could, provided, of course, her purchases
are delivered at the time she and the
statesmen agree upon. If there should
happen to be slip which resulted in d
delay, it is then more than probable that
she will learn for the first time that in
every large store there are almost as
many packers. checkers, shippers, and
delivery clerks as there are statesmen and
women engaged in dispOsing Of the goods
on the floors above. And she would also
learn. probably, that this number is in
creasing rapidly because of the growing
tendency of all shoppers 10 have the
smallest articles delivered nowadays,
when only few years ago it was not
considered bad form TO carry small bun
dies from a shop to my ladys house.
She even then would not be likely to go
into figures, but if she should she would
learn that the largest of the local stores
often employ as many as twenty-five
wagons. from forty to fifty horses, as
many men and boys, and about ten men
in the stables. The shopper would learn
that to deliver goods the proprietors
figure that they must pay out in salaries
and wages half as much as in all other
departments of store. This means that
TO deliver the things sent home" by
Mrs. and Miss Shopper the store pro-
prietors of Washington pay out annually
many hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"Mrs. Shoppers Order.
But all of this is simply a dry analysis
OF the matter. To get al just how the
great system works, take any day and
any shopper Mrs. Shopper. dainty
bundle OF femininity. spends good part
of the day paving over pretty silks. She
finally selects pattern of color most
becoming TO her eyes and hair and calm
ly orders enough to make her vest. 10
go with her latest spring gown. The
silk will measure not much more than a
yard 1t might weigh a quarter of a
pound.
You may send it, please" she an
ncunces to the salesman. "and by all
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-10

7 OW many women shoppers of the
city of Washington are familiar
Nth The svsLnm by which their