The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-29
(By La voyaeeuse.)

fIilS. Jan IA bargain safe III Il
large French department store. Does
not that sound 10 the average woman
as call to arms TO the soldier As
the rallyinC sound of the clarion 10
tired troops: Or as-oh. any old
thing. but the average woman atore-
said will understand what mean.
Truly, sympathy does make the
whole world kin. and equally a de-
rartment store sale" which has been
well advertised in advance. will bring
forth the weaker sex by battalions as
quickly in Paris as in New York. Chi
caso. Boston. San Francisco, Philadel-
phia or in any other city in Gods
country.
But wait. There is difference:
also. there's reason" Shopping
in the Paris shops reminds one of the
adage. far off fields are always
green" and equally many American
women delude themselves with the
idea that in Paris shopping may be
found in its most attractive form;
but that is where they are mistaken.
as experience later will prove.
OF course, the shops are the most
Turing features of the American
woman's visit 10 the French metro
polls. but the first visit is likely to-
disenchant them. Not that the shops
themselves are not in size immense.
many of them. They are. and besides.
they contain articles of the very fin
est character. while the prices are in
some cases. more reasonable than in
the United States. But the French
methods of doing business at once
strike the American female shopper
as far inferior to the way things are
done on the other side of the Allan
tic.
Assuming that the American woman
shopper speaks French fairly well. she
starts out to visit the large depart
ment or other stores with little idea
of the fatigue and worry ahead of her.
To begin with. the business methods
will at once strike her as SO entirely
different to what she has been accus-
toned to at home that she will be puZ-
Zled and uncertain as to Just what to
do and to do it. unless accompanied by
some one who knows the ropes
The manner of handling purchases
made by customers here is unheard
of in the United States. For instance,
you buy yard of yelling. You then
meekly follow the sale woman to a
desk where she hands the article pur-
chased to a cash girl or calls off "Une
ligne' in metre de voilette. doux
francs Guatre-fingt cling centimes."
which means. One line. yard of
yelling at siXty-five cents" Then she
disappears to do up your package
Being quick-eyed. on her return she
usually picks out her customer from
among the crowd. but if the package
has been handed to cash girl, she.
too. calls out the items of the sale
and shouts out above the noise,
Whose is this?"
AS will be seen. this is not easy
shopping. even if one speaks French
we'll; but with that advantage lack
ing-well. it's rather hard work shop
ping in France.
Making all allowance for their vast
ness. the excellent goods the better
houses undoubtedly carry. and the va
ried stock from which one may
choose. Paris shops are not all ones
fancy paints them. If you intend
and wish to save brain flag, take ad-
vice from me and make your pur-
chase at home. Many things are
really as cheap. il not cheaper, taking
il all in all. in the large shops in the
big cities of the United States, ex-
cept in few special lines: for at
home you can get Just what YOU
want" and when you want il. In 9TH
err words. YOU can not beat the good
old L. S. \.
The two largest shops on the Boule-
ward Hausman are obliged to enlarge
| their premises about every six months.
| The Galleries Lafayette. which is very
convenient and well known to many
American men shoppers. is so crowded
for space that it has been Obliged to
buy large piece of ground directly
behind the present shop on which
stands one Of the best known land
marks of Paris-the former residence
of Nine Recamier. who lived and exer-
cised her influence over French kings
courtiers and others by reason of her
beauty and charm of manner.
This old building which brings to