Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-01
SHOP WITHOUT MONEY
Many Women in the Big
Stores Not SO Extravagant
as They Seem.

daily contact with men and women
shoppers had II good deal to say about
"oXtravagant spendcrs," foolish buy
ers' and "wasteful mismanagcrs."
Now they speak pityingly about the
women who are a prey to the shopping
microLc.
There is no other way to account
for the vagaries by which thcy seem
TO be possessed" said New York
jcwelry store clerk The other day 4
story WAS printed about well dress.
ed woman who went the rounds OF
leading jewellers having expensive
trinklcts sent c. o. ID. to fictitious per-
4 sons ut fictitious addresses. When
arrested she said she couldn't help 1t.
Well, there isn't Il store In this city
that sells jewery that couldn't tell
offhand dozen such stories, and doz.
ems more about c. o. DIS sent to pcr-
sons with a bona fidc address who
promptly sent the goods back for some
trifling reason or other. And the
queer thing about II is that In no case
WAS 1t "A confidence game. Confidence
/ games are In another class.
These women were ladics-or
seemed to be. None wanted TO steal
the piece of jcwclry she selected, nor
tried 10 make off with 1t. She sim
ply had to buy It. even though she
couldn't pay for II. There's no klcp-
tomania or plain stealing about that.
It's another sort of mania altogether.
Shopping microbc? Exactly. Ii
seems to be something that gets into
the blood and plays the mischief with
w
"Thc other day two young women
! came into look Mt neck chains. the
kind that have n jewelcd pendant at
tachcd. They were not extensively
dressed and | wondered when | was
asked to show chains that cost sever
nj hundred dollars each, but of course.
| had to irot them out kept a sharp
! eye on the tray though, and on the
women who hung over The things
comparing. praisng and showing the
keencst delight in handling them. FL
nally said one with grand air: al
will take this pointing to Il $500
chain and pendant. please send II
c. o. D. took her name and adj
dress ana when the pair left the
/ store quietly put the thing back in the
case. No, | didn't even take the troil-
bic to telephone. and | heard nothing
moro from the young woman Had
tho transaction lnen O. X she would
have telephoncd in few hours ask
ing Indignantly why the chain had not
come"
Next to iewelry. lingerie waists and
silk stockings arc most often ordered
! with no intention of buying. In near
ly every hosiery department Mt this
season the display includes fascinat-
Ing examples in silk marked at n
great bargain. sometimes as low as 81
per nair. Few women can resist them
ut that price.
The other dav two stout women
nnuscd before one of these signs
Of the hosiery. exchanged approving
| mods and then as one was turning
away. the other said hurricdly To the
| saleswoman. ON take six pairs
send them c. @. D. The saleswoman
| glanced mt the customcr-an the
| glanc was eloquent. Rut without u
word she wrote down the name and
number given and took half dozen
| pairs OF stockings from the box to
| send 10 tho delivery room.
"They Will he back tomorrow. she
answered IN reply TO remark about
| plain looking persons buying cxpon
sive goods. 81 often send stockings
| costing s25 pair and moro to be paid
for on delivery knowing that they arc
certain to be returned. don't dare
refuse to send them, for one never can
tell how much money woman has
tn spend by The way she looks when
shonping in hot weather.
Most women love beautiful stock
ings-silk stockings in particular
and many can't seem to resist order
ing some sent home C. o. D. This is
done far oftcner now than when
first came to this counter five wears
AGO. In fact at that time il never
happened Mt all. so far MS can re-
i member. It's new disease, ! guess