The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1924-08-06
American Shop
pers in Paris
By William Ivy, European Cor

respondent of The Herald.
In Paris shopping, of course, is
what the feminine tourist is most
interested in. The American woman's
trip abroad is just one shop after
another.
But you'd never guess what she
shops for most ardently in Paris.
No, not dresses, nor hats, nor lingeri-
es nor furs.
And thereby hangs the tale of the
poor bank clerk.
"What is the rate today?" asks
Mrs. Shopper as she stops in at the
bank in the morning before her daily
rounds of the dressmakers. What!
Only 1925! Why, the paper this
morning said 1O.40."
-"That was yesterdays closing rate,
madam"
"Oh, dear. Well, hate to do it,,
but / must have some money for
lunch. Will you change this $50 bill,
please? Or no-wait-I'll just take
$40 worth now, and come in again
this afternoon. Perhaps it will be
higher"
A nice old lady who is travelling
with her daughter and two nieces has
two five-dollar bills and two.
"What is the rate, please?"
nineteen twenty-five, madam"
'Now let me see-would that be
100 francs for five dollars ?"
"No quite. 1t would be 96.25."
"What a pity! You see the father
of my two nieces sent them each SIS,
and my sister sent 50 to my daughter
for her birthday. I don't like to give
them odd amounts. Dear me! Well
l suppose it can't be helped. Will
you change this SIS bill first, and then
this one, and then the so bill? No,
just take one at time or I'll get
them all mixed up. Well,
all right, if you will be sure to keep
the amounts separate. I'll tell you
put the change of each bill in a
separate envelope. Mark one, TO
Betty from Dad, and the other SIS bill,
TO Grace from Dad,' and the change
of the So bill, TO Elizabeth from
Aunt Caroline, with many happy re-
turns of the day. You'd better make
a note of it so as not to make any
mistakes. But it's too bad the am
cunts don't come out even"
Another amiable lady wants to
change $50 check.
"What did you say? Nineteen
twenty-five? Why, just inquired
not twenty minutes ago at the Bank
ers Trust across the street and they
were giving 1927" (The difference,
on $50, would be exactly 1 franc.)
eyes, madam replies the poor
bank clerk, "and at the same mo-
ment we were giving 1928. But the
rate has declined little in the last
five minutes"
"Well, it's very peculiar, you never
seem to give as much as the others"
Most of the lady shoppers in Paris
banks have lingering hope that if
they can get the teller into CONVERSE
ton he will be able to give them some
valuable tips on the exchange. After
all, being in the bank they ought to
| know more about it than anybody
else.
"Do you think I'd better change
my money today, or wait till tomor-
row? 1t seems that every time l
buy francs they go lower the next
day, and every time / don't buy them
they go higher. What do you think
is going to happen next? ?"
81 really couldn't say, madam. Of
course, there is a good chance that
the francs will fall still further"
"Well, that's what l was thinking.
In that case it would be better to
wait? ?"
"But on the other hand the French
government is understood to be try
ing to keep it as high as possible, and
in that case of course it may rise"
eyes, / see. That is what / have
been afraid of. Well, l think I'll buy
Jet me see-I think I'll change $25
now and then come back again later.
What time do you close ?"
"Four O'clock"
as the franc usually higher or low
er in the afternoon?
"That depends, madam. Sometimes
it is higher and sometimes lower"
ooh, is that so? Then it may be
lower? Well, / guess I'll wait. l
don't really need the money today,
but I'll come back again a little be-
fore a. Thank you so much. Good
morning!"
The poor bank clerks day has only
begun.
VET. ACHIEVES SUCCESS