Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-01-02
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She Shopped

LIN 0A1OPP~N
IT wasn't responsible" Baird said.
RI always had known better than to
venture into q department store with
woman bent on shopping, but, you
see, I was on my wedding trip. So
when Anne suggested going shopping
I smiled fatuously and consented.
"Anne made for the elevators and
led me to the topmost floor. Being
totally ignorant Of the correct method
of storming women's store, took It
for granted that starting in at the top
was the rule, and that you got locked
II you didn't begin that way. ! be-
neve 1t was the floor where you get
fitted and altered when you buy ready.
mades. bashfully skunk along be-
hind Anne as she strolled down ma
hogany corridors through the doors Of
which came walls and complaints and
storms from women ih the process of
being altered and fitted.
"Just as opened my mouth to ask
Anne what she had bought to be fixed
and when she had bought it, she turn
ed on me blandly and said she was
ready to go down to the next floor.
There was furniture display there
and ! think she priced every piece Of
1t. In half an hour my head was a
mixture Of Flemish bookcases, ma
hogany dining room sets, rocco
screens and tea wagons.
Much as / loved Anne, began to
feel pale. figured out that my whole
annual income would Just about pay
for what the dear girl apparently had
in mind.
when she began talking with the
attentive salesman about an $500
c4rved chest ! drew her aside. MY
DEAR said I in quavering tones. real
ly, you know. we can't afford an eight
hun
"sSilly!' she said. AS II I didn't
know that! Why, I'm not going to
buy any furniture-I'm just looking!
And she sailed out Of there under the
outraged eyes of the salesman with
out turning q hair.
GLOW women do It I can't figure out
they undoubtedly possess = sort of
courage that men lack.
when got my breath I found We
were on the china and glass and pic
ture floor. We priced about 100000
worth Of stun there-at least Anne
did. The salesman was 80 impressed
by her air that he did his best to sell
her q dozen plates. very cheap at $1,-
500. I assure you that got cold
chills, 90 realistic was her assumption
that possibly II tho plates pleased her
she might condescend to have them
sent to our address.
"And she was absolutely impervious
to my agonized glances.
"she considered sets In rock crystal
and she turned up her nose at 500
coffee cups. At last she led me down
to the floor beneath. It was full Of
hats-women's hats. Ammo almost
purred. What ON earth she wanted
there I couldn't imagine, because I
distinctly remembered hearing her say
that her trousseau included ton hats.
"Sho didn't give me . chance to
point out to her that she could wear
only one hat ut . time. because she
promptly had the head milliner and
two earnest saleswomen surrounding
her.
.That girl tried on thirty-three hats
by actual count and, As each one was
more expensive than its predecessor,
you can imagine the state Of mind I
was in. I never knew there were so
many different kinds Of birds and
feathers and things in the whole
world until that day. ! saw myself
proceeding through the rest Of our
trip Juggling bandboxes and just as
was working up an extremely bitter
frame Of mind Anne smiled sweetly
ut me and said she believed she was
ready to 60.
I'VE left the saleswomen reviving
each other and proceeded to the silks
and velvsts. It was perfectly wonder
full how much Anne knew about quail
ties and wearing abilities. She routed
six statesmen before she descended to
the linens and linEeries. I won't at.
tempt to relate our visit to that floor,
but some time want to tell you
about $500 tablecloth and napkins
to match.
"The rest Is q sort Of mist. ] know
that at last we found ourselves In the
basement among the kitchen furnish
ings. There Anne simply had glor.
ious time pricing things. Up to now
she had bought absolutely rothing, SO
/ woke up with q start when she ran
out from a dark. underground corner
with teakettle In her hand.
isn't this dear?' she asked. And
only so cents-think of 1t! How love
ly 1t will look in the fireplace!' So
she bought It