The Washington times., 1905-10-22

This is the time CT the year when the
purchase OF the food required daily by
the families, whether rich or poor, in
the District is reduced to science from
an economical and a gastronomical
standpoint. Center Market Is the place
where this is best illustrated and ex-
emplhed.
The observer can there see in a days
time how all classes lay In their stores.
II is the stage on which the rich and the
poor. the man and the woman. play their
parts, trying to get the best of every
thing The handling of the money diff
fers in custom according to the classes
to which the would-be purchasers be-
long.
Price No Object.
Strangely enough there are set times
OF the day for the various classes to do
their marketing. This is especially true
of Saturday.
On that day early in the morning there
appear the chefs and housekeepers of
the very rich residents of the city They
buy with only one idea, the determine
tion to get the best of everything They
have been told by their employers that
the best must be had. They do not have
TO foot the bills. and their disregard of
pronounced.
They do their work In the morning be-
cause 1t is then that the products Of
fered for sale are freshest and best
Their hour of appearance is along be-
tween 1880 O'Clock and $50 o'clock Many
OF them go to market in conveyances OF
dinerent kinds. They all make large and
many purchases. Consequently, it is at
the very beginning of the working day
that the market men make a great
profit.
Following these servants of the
wealthy there comes in q short time
the class known as department clerks
and other early risers." They are noted
chiefly for the way II which they ask
the prices of commodities before they
decide to purchase. But they have not
much time to waste in idle dickering
and arguments
Their work. beginning at 9 o'clock.
calls to them TO hasten-and they do
hasten. Nevertheless they pass over
the expensive things and grasp at ran
dom those articles which come within
the limitations OF their purses. OF the
hundreds OF this class that visit the
market, they come and are gone within
thirty minutes as a rule.
Then the Housewife.
Between 3 and II o. clock there is the
ieisurely housewife, who holds the
stage She passes from stall to stall
with critical eye. and. at times, with
worrying specifications as to exactly
what kind ofTegetabIes and what shape
of meat she must be given.
Hurry is a stranger to her Plenty
OF time she has for arguing about prices
and specifying as to the condition and
quality of everything. II is at this
time that the faces of the marketmen
begin to wear that tired. hunted look
which never quite leaves them through
the rest of the day.
While during the department clerks
time there have been seen nearly as
many men as women in the market. the
next period shows usually only women
From noo2 until and 4:30 O'Clock
there is lull in business at the mar
ket- Then comes another rush All the
clerks who have been in office, and who
did not have time before Office to do
their marketing rush to the stalls to
get what they can from the stock that
has already been pretty well picked
over
Again many men are In evidence. One
cannot realize the number of men upon
whom the marketing burden in placed
In Washington without visit 10 Center
Market There the truth is driven home.
Thin men, tall Eeen fat men, short
men. all kinds Of men carry baskets or
load themselves down with parcels.
They jostle agains; the women or
stand by their sides as they engage in