Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-09-02
ALL NIGHT SHOPPING.
The Latest Way In which Big stores
Use the Telephone.

Use the Telephone.
The Boston fishermen, whose fleet Is
the largest that sails to any nshing
ground from an American port
laughed when they read the recent
report that a Norwegian has invented
q telephone by means of which the
mise made by fish in the depths OF
the sea can be heard. Still some or
these fishermen have learned the truth
of the saying that wonders never
cease, and they will not go so rar as
TO scott at the h.ca that the telephone
may vet be fixed feature of the fish
ing industry. They have received win
eouanimity the decision of one big mer-
chant TO furnish his ships with steam
travis. and as for the telephone, thw
must have read lately by the light OF
the forecastle lamp the news that
people in Boston are shopping at night
by telephone.
The night telephone shopper vas first
heard of in Boston last year, but it
was not until this year that all the
big department stores found it advis-
able to adopt the novelty. Nowadays
the big Boston merchants print as a
feature of their daily advertisements
the announcement that their patrons
would do we'll to take advantage Of the
night telephone service, which is in
tended not only to meet emergencies,
but to facilitate the correction Of mis-
takes.
Generally an emergency that arises
at night is Of Il most serious nature.
For example, there is the demand for
doctor, for clergyman, for the police.
for firemen, and these demands the
telephone has served so long that the
public in general thinks nothing about
IT, But sometimes a death comes into
house late at night aud the mourn
ers find themselves without proper
apparel. Here Is an emergency in
which the telephone has not been OF
service heretofore, but it is one that
the night telephone in the department
store can serve. A call sent to one Of
the big stores is attended to the first
thing In the morning. and in this sim
pie manner the mourners dispose OF
matter that ordinarily is the cause OF
considerable confusion and delay.
One Of the managers of Boston de-
partment store says that the night tele-
phone clerk has some queer expert
ences. In the first place, upon him
falls the burden Of complaints from
people who had expected their pur-
chases to be delivered during the after
noon or evening and who, through
, some unavoidable combination OF cir
r cumstances, were forced to retire for
the night without having the pleasure
! of unwrapping the bundles and exhibit
= ing their contents. Sometimes, too, a
= woman who is going out Of town early
in the morning sees the night before in
} her paper an advertisement Of some
thing she wants very much and which
< will be sold at special sale, say IN the
e morning. In days gone by she would
q. either have had to put herself under
: obligations to some friend to make the
purchase for her or she would have had
to lose the opportunity altogether. NOW
she neither loses the opportunity mol
q embarrasses a friend, for, calling vi
s the night telephone clerk, she leaves
' her order, with the assurance that Il
e will have special attention as soon as
c the store opens.
+ Frequently people who have lef'
e town in the afternoon, after having
e forgotten to buy some needed article
0 telephone in to have it sent to then
i the first thing in the morning. In
1 dozen other ways the night telephone
u service in the department store is prov
n Ing its usefulness and the managers O.
It the stores expect that as soon as thu
d public more fully understands the new
=? arrangement calls will come thick an'
r fast during the still watches OF tn
, niOht