The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-12
FIVE WEEKS ABROAD.
XIV.

ourselves making repeated visits on
other days to these places of attraction.
| Not that we werebuying so much. al
| though some little purchases were gen
orally made each time. but because the
articles displayed were so interesting
and the comparison Of goods and prices
here with those in American stores was
a fascinating pursuit
This grew somewhat tiresome to the
gentleman in the party. but the ladies
never wearied. One day. after several
visits, when I concluded that I had
done" these big stores to about the
limit I stood near the entrance waiting
! for my wife and daughter to buy just
one more pair of gloves. The beautiful
| things in the store had somewhat
palled upon me and I was not then par
ticularIy interested. In gazing around
vacantly. without expecting to see any
thing or any person of especial interess,
l had been seeing so many and so
much. my eyes suddenly lighted upon
familiar face belonging to an American,
who was Just at that moment engaged
in the same heavy occupation L was.
The features belonged to D. NJ. Lord, of
Lord & Thomas, of Chicago, names
known to every newspaper in the United
!
which places business with all the good
papers of the country. I rushed over
to him. We exchanged greetings and
sympathy, martyrs to shopping that we
were. We were both convinced that
man could do a store quicker than
woman could, and. more important, at
! less expense. Mrs. Lord and her daugh-
ter soon came UP and, after an ex-
Z ,i117 T II under
stood. although was not expected to
comprehend, Mr. Lord went down deep
into his pocket and handed out his
purse. Being more thoughtful of course,
had done this earlier in the day Be
fore I could stop him. Mr.. Lord was tell
ing Mrs. MeLennan of number of
places where Paris hats could be OBJ
tanned. This seemed superfiuous in
formation, as we had been passing such
stores and departments on all occasions.
The Bon Marche. which the French
pronounce something like DO Mar
shay" covers a square: the building is
rather low, three floors and basement
1t is a typical department store, and
does not differ materially from that OF
New York ard Chicago, and is, by no
means. equal to Marshall Field $.
Siegel- Cooper's and other similar en-
poriums in the two great American
cities.
In regard to the prices of things there
is on the part of Americans. a diner
ence of opinion. One Chicago man, out
this was not Mr.. Lord, told me that be-
fore he had made his final visit to the
Bon Marche he found that he had
spent nearly one thousand dollars. add
ing Things were so cheap that II
seemed real economy to spend
money" This, however, was not the
concensus of opinion of the Kansans'
whose total expenditure in the store
was but a modest sum- 1t is our belief
that things are not generally cheaper
there than in New York, Chicago and
Topeka. with the one exception OF
gloves.
The ordinary American lady, with her
head well fastened on to her shoulders
seems to lose it in Paris over the sub
iect of gloves. We carried away nine
teen pairs. most of the purchases being
at the rate of one franc and fortv-five
centimes. that is, thirty mine cents per
pair. for gloves which generally cost in
Topeka from seventy-five cents to one
dollar and for fifty-nine cents those
usually retailed here for from one dol
lar and a quarter to one dollar and a
half; but Paris is the home of kid
gloves.
The Bon Marche is some distance
from what seems to be the heart of
the city: from our hotel it was quite
long cab ride. the location being on the
side of the River Seine, opposite the
principal points of interest.
The Magasin du Louvre IS a store
similar in every way to the one just
mentioned and appears to be its chief
rival 1t is more accessible and is di-
rectIy across the Rue du Rivoli, great
street, from the Louvre art galleries and
at one end of the beautiful Avenue de
L,Opera. at the other end OF which is
the Grand Opera house.
| Each Of these stores has very SIM
| pie and effective plan for settlement of
| bills and the gathering together of pur-
chases at the end of the shopping visit.
The plan is similar although simpler to
| that in vogue in the larger stores of
Topeka. Upon entering a purchaser is
given a little card containing twenty
or thirty stamps, about quarters
of an inch square. each printed with the
same numeral. The name of the pur-
chaser is put upon the card. and noted
| IN DoOh Dy the peFSon giving out -She
stamps. For every purchase in any de-
partment the salesman detaches a
stamp, puts it on the article and writes
his initials and the amount of the pur-
chase in the blank space made by the
removal of the stamp. AS fast as
bought the articles are sent down into
the basement where there are scores of
clerks wrapping and checking the pur-
/ chases cashiers at hand receiving the
pay for the total. Upon entering the
basement, the purchaser simply presents
his card of stamps and is quickly d.
rected to the spot where all his articles
have been gathered together
| To whatever point one turns in this