The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-12-19
SHOPPING I'M LONDON
Methods Of the Big Stores In the
English Metropolis.
TRICKS OF THE MlLLINERs.

a Ruse That Was Met By e Clever
Counter Ruse-Ths Asitating Ex-
periences Of an American Woman I
Who Was Looking For Bargains.
In American shops the establishment +
and the customer are separate entities I
The firm displays It's wares; che buyers
examine them and purchase or not as
they see it,
IN London It is different. The mo
ment you enter the door Of shop you
are accepted as part and parcel Of its
Interests, member Of the family, as
1t were. Then a shopwalker pounces
upon you and insists on knowing what |
you want. Ii you hesitate as to your
reply. he plants himself squarely in
front Of you and waits. When, IN
sheer desperation (for you had intend
ed happy, almless sort Of looking
about, you say gloves" he grasps
your arm, firmly marches you to the
glove counter. seats you at it and de-
tails salesperson to wait upon you.
All this happened to me, and 10 an
exasperated frame Of mind / bought
pair OF gloves merely to keep peace in
the family but the bland and gentle
manly glove seller had no notion Of let
ting me Off so easily. He took 1t for
granted that that FIRST pair was simply
By way Of preface, and be displayed
gloves Of my size Of all styles and col
ors. The very foregoneness Of bis con-
clusion that would buy them all irri-
tated me, aud. briefly announcing that
| wanted no more gloves, paid him
for the pair had bought Surprised
and grieyed beyond expression, he
beckoned the shopwalker, and together
they cross examined me as to why
refused to buy more gloves. Did the
coiors not suit me2 Were the prices
not reasonable9 Disdainlng to answer
these questions, | endeavored to stalk
haughtily away. but this was not al
lowed. More III sorrow than iii anger
they told me must wait for my bilil
As the gloves were to be sent and e.
had given the exact chanie / deerled
this unnecessary. but soon, foura It
to be one OF their inexorable laws.
Bills, signed and countenIened. ulust
be waited for. &c matter pow trthing
the purchase.
The next thing l learned was that
the price asked is far from being the
real selling price OF the article. +
cringed at the thought Of offering 3
guineas for seven guinea hat, but
soon learned that ii was expected Of
q customer and that the marked prices
were Nicely amounts from which to
begin the dickering
And the rnses resorted to by these
wicked milllners. In Mayfair Is one
Of the most fashionable millinery shops
in the world Over the door gilt let
tiers spell one Of the most famous
Partisan names. To this shop went
for a hat Being very canny, ex.
pressed great interest In several hats
which ! knew | should not buy. At
last I carelessly inquired the price Of
hat which had really charmed me
from the first The price was guineas.
AS It bore four magnificent ostrich
plumes. this price was not exorbitant:
but, knowing the game, | bargained.
First ] asked il they would call It
pounds instead Of gulneas. This meant
a reduction Ia price Of only shinlngs.
but the indlgniy Il discoyered) was
beyond all words With q scathlnc
glance the saleslady Informed me that
they never sold by pounds in that shop
and / stored away the knowledge for
future use IN swagger establishments
Determined to beat them at their
own game then offered gulneas
) fcr the bat. This was met with ap
propriate expressions OF horrihed sur
prise. and as 3 great concession q.
+ guineas was proposed remained
! arm IN my six guinea offer, and, aftel
e a feint OF leaving the shop without
( buying a bat. It was reluctantly ac
cepted.
Then followed what I considered
o ruse Of extreme cleverness on my part
/. I had been told that Il left new ha
2 to be sent home the milliner woul.
Z change the trimming for others tha
/ looked the same. but were OF inferi0
j. quality. had been advised, therefore
e on purchasing a hat to carry It ava,
n with me In order to prevent this S
!. 1 remarked on paying for this hat tha
/. as wished to wear It that very after
il noon I would take It with me, tn
(. large handbox being easily managed i
y my hansom cab. The saleslady klndl
a agreed to this plan and sent the ha
Is upstairs to be boxed.
L After waiting fifteen minutes FOR III
n nat to return TO me ] began TO grol
suspicious. and when it did come
deliberately united the box, remove
the tissue paper wrappings and es
,s amined the hat Sure enough. the fou
n long. rich ostrich plumes had been e,
A. moved and replaced By four others q
Il the same color. but Of a distinct
a cheaper grade. boldly declared thl
~ fact, but the saleslady haughtlly d
/ MED it
IS "But, said /. '1ook IN the bat. Sc
d the stitches hastily put 10 to hol
these feathers. They were not they
= when the hat left men
q "Ah." she said, merely q fe'