Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1906-12-21
MRS. ROOSEVELT'S
SHOPPING TOUR

WASHINGTON. Dec 2t--Now that
millions OF women the country over
are looking forward with mingled 1
cagerness and dread TO the whiri of
Christmas shopping, il might be ven I
for them to resolve TO reform t,,6r
methods in that direction along limos
laid down by the Presidents wife Mrs.
Roosevelt has no Christmas shopping |
to do. She has done IL. She aosan /
buying the presents intended for rela- !
tives. friends and acquaintance This I
Nuleiide almost tweivemonth ago /
Mrs Roosevelt shops, Oh, yes-shous
more extensively. doubtless. than ihe I
average woman with the same moons. 4
! But she spreads her shopping over the /
year and the result IS that the great /
feast day finds her. instead of a tired
woman half glad it's almost over rest
ed and ready for the mirth OF the mer-
ny season. She does more or less
shopping ON from two TO three hundred
days in the course OF tho year. and
many OF the gifts now on their way
20 all parts Of the world were bought
last winter AS the chatelaine OF the
White House gives a round thousani
presents each Christmas. Il stands 20
reason that il she don't go about tho
buying OF them systematically she
would be in condition OF continuous
confusion FOR weeks before the hoh-
day
Mrs. Roosevelt comes IN here all
most every morning when she is IN
town and looks over our new goods
said salesman in a Pennsylvania ave.
nue. jewelry shop the other day. 1T
is rarely that she fails to select some
thing"
The slender woman I'm a black cloth
gown with a tiny toque and a long
white dotted chiffon veil selected gev-
eral things and, wholly unattended
sauntered out, turning toward the
White House. Shoppers are born. not
made, and Mrs. Roosevelt Is born
shopper. She got not only her moneys
worth in actual value. but invariably
something novel. pretty and appropri-
ate. When other women are running
distractedly from counter to counter IN
crowded stores. Mrs. Roosevelt is calm
} ~ making her selection OF Christmas
} gifts in her own boudoir. She has a
regular system evolved after careful
survey of conditions.
Few women read the papers. as as
siduously as the mistress Of the White
House She reads not only the news
but the clever advertisements which
tell of new things in the modish world.
Having learned what is novel. the next
thing is TO inspect. Mrs. Roosevelt
! has a list Of shops wherein she does
all her buying. She never goes around
hunting bargains. She looks in her
Washington shops. and IL she doesn't
find what she wants here she journeys
to Baltimore or New York. Her plan
is to purchase pretty tribes when they
are introduced, and then, as Christmas
approaches. to decide who is to become
the owner Of each. She has a wealth
OF small gold brooches, good luck ar
fairs, with birth stones or charms. and
these are embedded in dainty oovas
tied with red, white and blue ribbons.
This year each Of the small gifts Of
! Mrs. Roosevelt is intrusted TO a satin
paper box on which Is a graceful little
sketch OF the White House surrounie
by holly. The box viii be a highly
priced souvenir even without its con-
4 tents.
A pretty custom to which Mrs. Roose-
Welt clings. in spite Of her increasing
4 duties. is 20 write appropriate words on
the card that goes with each gift. That
4 Of course is possible only because SHE
} begins her work OF getting her gifts
together from the first free days III
the new year. Ethel Roosevelt is an
3 aid to her mother. Like her suu.
Miss Carew. she is clever with a brush.
She adds quaint little figures and some
times a timely nonsense verse to the
Z gifts intended for children.
Mrs. Roosevelt has other customs
Z that might be followed probably by
many Christmas shoppers. She never
! has things sent home on approval and
/. she never has her purchases charged
4 HerNhopping trips never are made eX-
{ cept when she is prepared to buy
4 ! Throughout Washington the clerks IN
various shops are loud In her prase
\ because she is a rapid purchaser. she
loses neither her own time nor the
clerks in asking useless questions OF
talking aimlessly about the quality. the
style or the price She settles all those
points before going TO buy. White a
large percentage Of the shopkeeperg
know the mistress OF the White House
well, not one OF them. save a shoi
dealer. can boast OF ever waiting on
the President. He. with his wife
I goes several times a year TO a de l'cI
4 i'm + street to buy shoes. He buys
Z those in stock and is fitted easily but
& all other necessaries. even Christmas
4 gifts. he orders through a representa-
4 tive ar leaves n 70 Mrs Rooscvcir