The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09
HUMAN SIDE OF SHOPPING,
CGRIOSITgES or 4 WAL ORDER
STORES BUSINESS.
People All over the Country Write OF
Their Needs and Aspirations Calls for
Eyeryth From Reaplng MachIneto
a Love POtlQR--Adylce Given Too.

from his reaping car
From Chicago. got it by mail. l
got my reaper there. too"
And on that same day the log roller on
the Penobscot River in Maine may have
received his spikes and the New Mexican
his new lariat from the same place-from
one Of the big mailing stores that ship
a package every fifteen seconds. The
farmer in Kansas opens n thousand-page
catalogue of what man wants here below.
picks out the kind Of wagon he needs, and
gives his letter to the mail-carrier And
the wagon rolls into his barnyard in time
for the harvest IL he doesn't like the color
OF it, why back it may go, and no objection
is made. II he wants TO exchange it for
baby-grand piano, the change is made.
Visit one Of these stores and Won are in
formed by the man AT the door that you
are welcome unless you live in the city.
Only persons who live outside Of Chicago
| are admitted They sell no goods in Chi
| cago.
Whichever way you go there is the same
organized activity, Here is the grocery
department, AT whose head s veteran
| grocer. There is the old German expert
, who mends the guitars and fiddles. In
another place several hundred feet below
him. is the mailing department. where
answers are given 90 all inquiries, and no
, questions Me asked.
F., There in the old man who can tell without
, thinking he county and State in which
! every post office in the Union is situated.
He has mate who can read anybody's
. handwriting. Here il a card catalogue Of
f! the company's patrons and friends.
| Together with all the rest from every
! township and hamlet is filed the letter from
| the most responsive man in The world,
f! He had received "A half-tone picture of he
| head of the firm. printed upon the first page
Of en- advertisement. Ne wrote back;
Il enclose a picture Of me that l had
| taken Al Patter's junction. | hope our
| present friendship may continue"
| Sally Jones hardly reflects as she turns
over the magic list of laces in Beaver, Wis,
while she examines the catalogue, that If
the thickness Of the paper were increased
| ever 80 little, il would cost the company
SIS 900 more a year in postage.
Yet. with all it's machinery and army
of dry goods captains and private clerks.
| this is only a country store. 1t serves the
-
store serves al the four corners. II has
| little or no urban trade
And al Cys emporium at the crossroads
| is he centre of life, where he Colonel comes
| To pass the time of day with the county
smith, and the harvesters are wont 10
| gather in the evening, so the character
| and tastes the keen huinOr and pathos
| of the farmers life from Bangor TO Los
| Angeles can he seer 10 best advantage in
! the big mailing stores.
| You wander through the bewildering
| maze OF departments gathering facts abou,
the two-million- and-a -haf-dollar stock that
| il always on hand. The American people
are still fiddIing people. The fiddle sill
sings al the Georgian breakdown, and the
! Mont ana farmer still plays Sweet Evelina"
by the chimney corner. You find this out
from the kindly old Dutchman in he repair
| shop Not few but hundreds Of tiddles
| with broken backs come from the back
| woods TO he mended,
Every mail betrays some trait of country
| or community that is diverting. This
confidential document came from Maine:
l want TO buy something, to increase the
that II snais are broken from their shells and
soaked In white wine with oil and sugar,
J and little anoined on the forehead each
| nj ght. the memory can h. 80 strenG, hened
| that events. even of the smallest Importance
| occurring many years back, can he fully
| remembered. But you see the doctor does
/
| used nor the kind Of snails. oil and sugar.
Please answer the f0,l99wing questions =,
snaiis3 What kind Of oil? What quantity
| of oil? What kind of sugar? What guam
tity Of sugar? What kind of wine, What
! quantity of wines Please send me these
| things
The Yankee smokes -two-fers" and the
| Sout herner chews tobacco and molasses,
| while the Western farmer demands bot h
kinds The American countryman wants
| rocking chairs and red carpets and china
sets decorated with gold carnations.
And more revolvers are sent South than
| 10 any other region, but you are told that
| the fact shows nothing The expert tells
YOU hat more people carry guns in Chicago
| than in any place in The country. In the
| West they all have guns on the plains. but
these things we sell South are concealed
| weapons.
| An exhaustive study could he made upon
home decorat ion from the daily shipments
II could no, be called the home beautiful
hut il would betypically American Conch
| shells and starfish are shipped will marble
| mantel tops to ornament the parlOrs And
| family tintype albums are still in as great
| demand az the latest fiction,
| The aggregate of orders goes o prove hat
| we are q progressive. curious, witty and
| int ensev human people The slightest i'm
provement in machinery brings forth an
| increased demand. Not only that it brings
| correspondence also about the value Of an
| plances and inquiries concerning the adj
| vantages of a steam reaper over a two-mule
| team.
| People write asking for remedies for
| bad temper and for persons in love. Whole
souled ladies' all over the country write 10
| express their satisfaction with the new
| drum oven and fue stopper. while the funny
| side of life appeals so strongly to some
local wags that they include poetry with
| their orders.
These stores have grown o he a recog-
! niZed part OF many communities and Of
| many families Domestic cares and local
| needs are brought to them in confidence:
| their advice il asked and their suggestions
| are accepted. Al Christ mas time thou
sands Of children write for presents Here
| is one which proves that Santa Claus II i'll
| rides through the land on Christmas eve,
| and that faith in his reindeers still holds in
| the hearts Of young America:
| DFAE SANTA CLAUS. There Is enough
| snow. Bring me horse, KUN. some migs
| and real. 1f YOU don't get this letter. bring
| me something, anyway.
The big stores invite the count ymen TO
| come TO the city. and advises them against
| he slippery arts of the condolences men
| And they accept the invit alton, coming
| in good faith TO be cordially received
A courteous man meets them AT the door
| viles them in and puts the place nj their
disposal They wander wherever they will
in the easy manner which distinguishes
| rural from city people.
! The ranchman finds a comfortable seat
! on packing box, and spins his yarn to he
| boy with the hammer. Ladies' from Butte
| Va her about a dress form and exchange