The Paonia newspaper., 1910-12-02
Her Shopping
Tour

You seem to have lost all enthusi-
asm and interest in your trip abroad"
said Elsie's caller. Indeed, you act
more like a person who is performing
q duty than one going on a pleasure
tour"
IF l hadn't made all my arrange
ments and told all my friends that l
was going believe that l would stay
at home" returned Elsie. petulantly.
why. you peculiar grill" exclaimed
the surprised caller "All you've talk
ed about for months is your trip.
What has happened?"
That's just the trouble" walled
Elsie. Il talked too much. When you
are going to Europe don't tell a soul.
or you will feel as do now. Steal out
the back way in the dead of night
with your steamer trunk under your
arm. It's the only sensible course to
pursue. l know from experience"
Il don't get the connection, DEAR"
said the caller. Your advice il pic
turesQue. but far from lucid"
Tell me the TRUTH" broke out Elsie
why did you come over this after
noon? Was It Just to see me? Tell
me the truth. remember"
why. my dear girl. naturally
wanted to see you before you left"
Then you are the one oasis in my
desert of selfish friends" declared
Elsie. ferventIy. you will understand
me better when ! explain to you that
! have more orders and commands to
execute thin any department store
buyer going over to purchase the sea-
sons stock Almost every girl I've
ever known has intrusted me with a
commission TO purchase from one to
dozen articles for her. Are you
sure you don't want me to match some
impossible shade for you or to bring
you an advance style hat?''
Nothing at ALL" smiled the caller.
$50 that is your troubie?"
I've had to make a classified list. I"
confided Elsie. taking a little leather
notebook from her desk. and put down
the number. size. shade and price
limit Here Is Hortense Hulburd's or
der. She wants me 10 bring her a
coral comeo from Venice. a rose
plume from Paris 10 match her even
ing coat and a lingerie parasol. Anita
Parker wants me to canvass the an
tique shops of Rome for a Pompeiian
hanging lamp and a medieval poison
ring Edna Macy wants a suit OF
French lingerie. an amethyst bead
necklace and two hand embroidered
shirt waists"
You'll need a bookkeeper to attend
TO your money accounts" declared the
caller. looking over the list.
I'm sure I don't know where the
mc-ey 10 coming FROM" said Elsie.
gl6 lily. i've just a nxed amount of
NOM for my trip and none of the
girls happened to think that wasn't
= capitalist They all just inciden-
tally remarked that should let them
when got back and they all said they
hoped I would get bargains.
Il have so many samples of various
shades in my travelling bag that any
one would think | was saving up
scraps for a crazy quilt But no one
even suggested that ! might have tn
pay duty on all the things Why.
when Hortense called up on the tele-
phone last night and asked me to buy
the lace for her wedding gown In
Brussels she was really offended when
I said I shouldn't get to Brussels. She
said she thought that as long as I
was right there in Europe I might do
such a little thing to oblige her,-
You poor girl" sympathired the
caller. rising to depart III Z were
you should lose the list and simply
bring home my sincere regrets.
can't understand such selnshness.''
,''rd be socially ostracired II I failed
to carry out all these orders.- said
Elsie. please don't tell a soul how
feel about H. Hortense said she
knew that I'd enjoy picking out her
cameo. and Anita declared that Z was
the one girl whose artistic taste she
would trust in the selection OF beauti-
full antiques"
Il won't mention IT," promised the
caller. but do think you've been
awfully imposed on. Good-by. dear"
Half way to hei car Elsie's sympa-
thetic friend stealthily extracted n lit
tie piece of blue goods from her purse
and let II fiutter into the street.