Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-17

musicians are pretty generally tabOoed,
owing to the almost unanimous belief
among managers that a woman violinist
will attract three customers to a mans
one.
The pipe organ and the orchestrion are
also not infrequently employed in the con-
cert halls, are erected i'm some suitable
spot by the store that cannot boast a
hall. Each is usually contracted for at
prices ranging from $3.50 to 500 a week,
and the man who is travelling around the
country with its sets it up, arranges the
programs and directs the two daily con-
certs. He doesn't need to know anything
about music. IL he has an orchestriOn he
simply sets going the crank that starts the
music; and he does away with the extra
expense of an organist by utilizing an
automatic player.
Such a musical instrument can always
be counted upon TO attract heavily, and
sometimes 1t fills the store to such an
extent that business is hampered by the
crush. Such was the case recently in
Minneapolis, where the crowds became
so large and Overpowering that the
chestriOn was stopped and the announce
ment made that, owing to the jam, the
concerts would be discontinued until the
store could be partially cleared.
drawing cards as classical music. Almost
a half hundred noted canvasses are being
exhibited in the stores that do not own
their own art collections and their own
ers, who paid big prices for them, are
making neat profits on their investments.
A well known painting of ample dimensions
brings in at least $lO0 a week.
The chalk-talk man, the sand-picture
builder, and the crayon-portrait artist all
find the department stores a fertile field
of income. The worker in crayon is es-
pecially in demand. He will do a rapid
fire portrait of any customer who presents
a slip to the effect that she has purchased
s. worth of goods. He is kept busy the
six hours that he usually agrees to work
in return for $50 a week.
The income of the man whose speciality
is natural history exhibits is about the
same. He displays his cases of butterflies,
or bugs, or birds and birds eyes, or stuffed
small animals, in a corner of the store,
and morning and afternoon he gives
short talk on the habits of the creatures
represented in his collection.
The specialties of the itinerant demon
strators, who get all the way from SO to SIS
a week. are as varied and distinct as the
demonstrators themselves. Soaps, nos
trums, powders, face washes, hair bleaches,
cOrsets, foods, skirt supporters new cook
ing utensils, all come within their sphere.
But the demonstration who is always sure
of drawing a crowd shows by example how
ent periods of the day.
He first makes his appearance from be-
hind a screen at the back of the show win
dow all attired for his morning canter
along the fashionable bridlepath. After ex-
for fau mil he dives
behind the screen, to reappear in a short
time i'm the sack suit prescribed for the
morning walk and business.
Correct dress for afternoon and evening
functions follow, and then the demonstra-
tor appears for the remainder of the two
hours devoted to the demonstration as a
wOrkingman, with overalls, jumper and
spade, and in various picturesque costumes.
This man draws a big salary. Another
window demonstrator who also makes big
money poses as a fashion plate on a re-
volving pedestal in such a hfe,ess manner
that he keeps the crowd guessing whether
he is a living being or q wax imitation. He
works four hours day, and remains on
the pedestal fifteen minutes at a time. He
doesn't even wink except when his back
has revolved to the Giggiing spectators.
Even then he does not dare to wink too
frequently for fear OF changing his rigid,
lifeless expression.
Except to demonstrate clothes, the stores
do very little to attract men. One or two,
however, have installed smoking rooms,
which are chiefly patronized by college
youths or young men who make engage
ments to meet their friends in the store,
and spend their time until the hour OF the
appointment arrives in lOlIing about the
rooms
Christmas. of course, brings out all sorts
of entertainments peculiar to the season.
At this time of year a big store thinks
nothing of spending $4,000 to $4,000 for the
entertainment of it's patrons.
A certain western store last Christmas
put in a miniature electric railway, which
ran around the four sides OF the store Just
above the first floor. and was supported by