The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-07-30
By ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
Then there is the shopping fiend.

the metroponSes-
Still only the other day in an Indi-
ana town a woman was crushed to
death at a remnant sale.
The truth is that this peculiar type
of feminine human is indigenous TO no
particular soil or locality.
1t is TO be found in Boston, San
Francisco. New Orleans. Paris. Con-
stantinople, Seattle. New York. Indi-
annapolis and even in Richmond, lndi-
ana.
The shopping fiend does not always
shop.
Although what the origin or etymo-
logical significance of the word may
be is lost in vagueness.
| 1t is defined in the dictionary. how
ever, as Ito visit shops for the purpose
of buying or examining goods"
This gives the shopper a wide lati-
tude
And she takes il.
Chiefly in examining goods"
| There is legitimate examination of
goods. And then there is the distinct
ly illegitimate.
People may visit beautiful shops
and stores for the mere pleasure of
walking through and looking at the
wares there displayed
This is one thing.
| Another is going to an emporium,
under a pretense of a desire for a
purchase, and putting the clerks
through the third degree.
| Haven't you seen them?
Romping round a store, asking Ques-
tons, having everything in and out of
sight pulled off of shelves. throwing
things round. pulling. hauling, twist
ing, until the counters look like the
center of a whirlpool
Making audible and more or less in
sulting comments on the quality of the
wares examined, glazing at the poor
servitor behind the counter. ordering
her, or him, possibly, about like a sla-
vey and generally creating irritation
and havoc. Acting, in short, like a saw
age at a ghost dance.
1t is curious how many people think
it isn't worth while to be polite to en-
ployes of stores.
How ordinarily courteous people
will show the most surprising lack in
addressing the attaches of various bus
mess establishments which the former
haunt.
It's very much the way they treat
house-servants.
And its owing to this last, by the
way, that the famed domestic prob
lem is largely due.
If domestic service was elevated to
the plane of all employment, as it
should be and, in fact, is, the work of
the household would be plain sailing.
This is a democratic age. That is,
in feeling. The average level has been
raised and is gradually raising. Its
only a matter of short time when
social distinctions will be made on
the basis of personality, not income.
nor previous condition of industrial
servitude.
However. this is by the way.
1t is a fact, though, that the femi-
nine shopper of the class that exam
ines but rarely buys, incites to anar-
chy
They are the sort that complain, by
the way, of the bad manners of clerks
Not that there are not rude employ
es in the busy marts.
For there are those cold and haugh-
ty ones whose approach is as fearsome
as a presentation at court.
| But these are exceptions. In most
establishments the attaches are cour-
teous and obliging because it is their
business to be so. If they aren't they
will get a notice of accommodation
on short order.
Usually they are a long suffering
class
Haven't you seen some girl, pale
and exhausted, pulling down pile after
pile of goods for examination" the
while madame fingers and criticises
and comments and interrogates and
compares?
In the meantime she greets joyfully
the appearance of Ella and Susan.
So glad to see you-where have you
been-did you go to Marguerite's par
ty-wasn't it a bore-did you notice
the darn in the table-cloth-well !
never-before I'd give party-yes he
left her-couldnt get along at all
don't blame him-wasn't it perfectly
awful-yes, they don't speak now
she throws things awfullest temper
pretended to be playing bridge-in
Centerville-you don't say-well. you
can't believe in anybody-say did you
hear-well of all things-why 1
/ thought she was-oh. no, he went
did you see the s2.5S dresses at Plu-
to's marked down from 929-let's
! go over and look at them-well there's
nothing here-I never saw such place
never have a thing you want-the
clerks are the worst ever-the mean
est things-don't show it If they have
it-well, let's go some place else-oh,
to the vaudeville-sure-
| Exit the trio.
| AS they leave, however, they nab
| the floor-walker and say that the girl
with the black hair at the silk counter
was insulting. that she wouldn't show
them a thing they wanted. that they
had intended buying something but