Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-12-11


arrangement and the catalogues and lists of suit
able gifts, classified according to ages have done
much toward making even shopping for
simple matter.
ms, however, is very recent institution. In
the old days, a woman went to the large shop
without the slightest idea of what she wanted to
buy, and after ten minutes in the crowded, heat
ed aisles, surrounded by thousands of elaborate.
allur1ng. gayly colored possibilities with no ap-
parent order or arrangement, bewilderment and
not decision was her portion. Under such condi-
tons. even the most conscientious OF them seized
the article nearest She was at the mercy of the
saleswoman because she did not know what she
had better get or where she could get it.
But the womans bewilderment nothing to
the mans He didn't even make attempt to
shop he simply bought.
But all these things different now. You get
list of things which such-andsuch a store has
to offer for man, woman and child OF any given
age with the floor on which it may be found indi
Gated and you have only to walk in calmly and
deliberately and purchase it. 1t is literally in
dex of the peace and good will which you may
wish to dispense You do all your thinking be-
forehand and have opportunity to remember
that Mrs, So-and-So's library is furnished IN red.
and that Kaiser Sim vase would be more ac
ceptable than lamp.
Then when you have made your selection you
may make your way to the store with fairly
calm and tranquil mind, OF course 1t is crowded
with density which makes progress almost inn
possible blazing hot with multitudinous lights
and noisy with many clamoring voices, but all
that can have no effect you, You are sci
entific shopper and know Just what you going
to get and where you going to get It, Science
saves time money and nerves
There is another way in which Christmas hag
become science and that is in the methods
which the bic shopkeeper employs to attract the
crowds of holiday shoppers, Go into one of their
sIg.I. aud
They are aglow with light bright with the colors
of u,lnumbered fabrics and you hear far and near
the clash of music from many instruments. That
is simply to lure you in and once you are there
YOU see at first nothing but spectacle of con-
fusion and a conflict of sounds that would make
Babel lose caste as synonym. But II you start
TO buy what you have come for you will find
remarkable state of order SO far as the things
offered for sale are concerned. 1t is not really
a store; it's exposition.
There isn't a in the world who has a
keener understanding of the human makeup than
the big shopkeeper. He knows every string OF
the instrument and plays diligently upon them
all He lures people with advertisements which
are wonder stories. He halts the passing crowd
in the streets with windowful Of Christmas wax
works. and once they have come inside whether
with purpose out Of mere curiosity, the ma
chinery is there to hold them fast.
For weeks the designers. decorators.
painters dummymakers have been at work devils
ing and constructing some sort of living pictures
fraught with the spirit OF the Christmas tale.
There is the papiermache church, still and beau
t;fnl with snow-covered trees about 1t, light shin
ing from the tall windows, men, women and chill
dren mounting to the portal and from away in
tho inside sanctuary somewhere come the music
of a mighty organ and voices singing Christmas
carols
If is expensive but it impresses the people who
enter the store. 1t is the idea of it all that the
hearts OF the shoppers be mellowed and the spirit
he moved to buy and still more for the
holiday giving That may seem little far
fetched" as you sit at home with Crouch on
because something went wrong yesterday, or a
man YOU thought was your friend went back
Won. but get into one of those stores. where you
cant hear yourself think Of your troubles for the
noise and you viii realize that it is really very
clever conception.