Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-03
SOME MEAN CUSTOMERS.
Remarkable Extent of Feminine Parsi-
mony in London.


From the London Telegraph.
Heads of departments and shop assist
ants are busy people, and to hinder them
with much questioning as to the Delinquent
cies of mean customers would bring one
into the same category in their eyes as
those undesirable persons. Still, the fact
that they exist is admitted, and they are
not confined 10 the patrons of any particu-
lar class of establishment. The court
nodiste at the one end of the scale knows
them az demanding gowns with the large
Quantities of soft fabrics and elaboration
of embroidery and effects that character
;zea last summers modes for the same
nrfce as was paid three years ago when
s,mnler STYLES. involving less material, pre-
vailed At the other extreme the pushing
draner encounters them constantly requiring
mora cheap lace and more shoWineSS in the
blouse at is, 11ad. 1t is even possible to
form some idea of their ratio to
buyers of the ORDINARY. type, anu
the manager of a great house, meeting the
ranuirements of customers of almost every
social grade, laid it down as result or
long observation that about 8 per cent
might be classed as dlsagreeanle ana per
assistants, however, in good and well re-
puted shops were taught that every effort
nust he made to satisfy and please custom
hn
fuse things that did not meet their needs.
Eron, the shopkeeper's point OF view 1t
would he a great mistake to allow ladies TO
think that it was regarded as trouble TO
afford them the wiqest possible range OF
choice and a customer was often pleased
when the assistant brought several exam
niles of the item demanded or mentioned
that Others of higher or lower price were
in stock H. n J.,
Feminine parsimony, it would appear. Is
almost as keeniy displayed over silken UNI
derskirts as it, is in gloves or millinery.
Every aspirant to smart attire deems 1t
essential to make a, display of gayly hued
fri beneath her gown. But she has not
the three to five guineas that would be
the cost of genuine and durable SILK petit
coat to spend Jon what was originally a
luxurious accessory. though she wants
something to look like it. The "enterpris-
ing" manufactures has entered into COM
petition on her behalf. and produces at
any price from 9s. to 19c. lid. something
or emerald or mandarin, with an abundance
of fuss and frill and rustic, which Is most
captivating to the bargain hunter But the
silk, so-called, is of the poorest foreign
manufacture and is adulterated to it's ut
most limits, with the result that two or
three DAVIS wear sees it cut and slit in all
directions Then the buyer brings it back,
demands new one IN exchange or that
her money shall be refunded, and leaves in
high dudgeon when 1t is explained that she
had quite as good value as she could have
expected at the price.
The ready-made costumes especially al
sale times, also lead to somewhat niggardly
demonstrations. When the shop makes an
nouncement that 1t will offer several hun
dred, say, OF coats and skirts at 1885, lid.
there is, of course primarily a rush to Sc
cure those In the most popular colors and
styles which is, perhaps, only natural. But
however low the price may be. the purchas-
err is wont to think 1t a gross imposition
II she asks for alterations and is expected
to pay for them. She probably does not
! give a thought to the conditions under