Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-15

Along with most people we had al
ways wondered what window dresser
looked like So when we saw one Of
these artists standing on the sidewalk,
admiring the work of his hands, we
stopped and looked at him.
Every one knows that a window
dresser Is male person who is sup
posed to receive a larger salary than
the general manager because he pos
sesses the ability to attract the dear
public.
According to what we had always
heard about window dressers, without
them business would perish, or almost
perish. Unless it were for their delicate
touch In the display in show windows,
commodities would not move.
Commodities would simply sit on
store shelves, waiting for buyers who
would not come, If it were not for the
brainy window dresSerS, who know how
to combine articles with velvet and
other decorative materials in just the
proper way to Seduce the passerby.
Little does the average purchaser
know, according to what we had read
some place, that he does not shop of
his own free WILL but answers to the
mastery and subtle direction OF the
window dresser, who calls to him, Halt!
Look here"
Like most readers. too. we had never
known a window dresser existed. until
we read about him in one of these mag
azines which specialize in making read
ers feel uncomfortable by telling them
how wonderfully well every one else in
the world has done.
How uncomfortable those magazines
make one feel! If you are clerk you
are forced to read about another clerk
who became a millionaire in about six
weeks. If you sell pies, and do a fair
business, you are confronted with the
picture and deeds of man who sells
enough pies to go around the world edge
to edge If you are doing fairly we'll as
a merchant, you are told OF the deeds
of some innocent schoolgirl who man.
aged to build up mighty business as
the result of pining for new dress TO
wear to dance.
Our window dresser was balancing
himself on the curb, lettering back and
forth with his thumbs stuck into his
belt, as he surveyed the work OF his
hand and brain.
He was a sizeable fellow. with thick
lips and protruding eyes No doubt the
latter helped him in his task. He wore
gray trousers, and shirt of lighter
gray, festooned with still lighter gray
necktie.
Cooking his head on one side. he
looked fixedly at the window. We
looked, too. Everything looked fine, to
our way of thinking. He, however, saw
things we did not Maybe the tenth
rule of the nineteenth article OF the
code" had been violated.
He left his post at the curb. and hur-
riedly entered the store. We waited to
see what would happen. Soon the wal
nut panel swung back. His head came
through. He fixed his eyes on two
articles, glared at them. then moved
the one to the east as much as hall
an inch.
Then he nodded his head approving
Nv. He was satisfied. The public would
be better satisfied. He knew, even II
we didn't. He was a product OF mod
ern business whose ramifications leave
the layman gasping. There are a thou
sand and one details in business which
the average customer never even reailzes
exist. vet they PLAY surprisingly large
part in the sum total of any business
endeavor. and have their ms ana outs
quite as much as the more manifest ana
apparent activities.
X X X
We know man who buys women's
hats for large department store. He
draws a fabulous salary. He Is a tall,
rawboned man who you would tnlnK
knew nothing at all about womens
hats.
Wronoen.s hats are such delicate crea-