The Washington times., 1936-01-17
n OW
The Very Idea
Is For Sale
NO ADVICE
By HELEN ESSARY

job and can't get one.
Well. if you are one of those
yearning creatures, rea6 about the
Very Idea Shop down in Lake
Charles, La,
Lake Charles is a pleasant, hos
pitable town. It's accent is soft
and relaxin'. But its spirit is
brisk and undefeated. The Very
Idea Shop is Southern guile with
q purpose. 1t "offerS a 24-hour
service in the Very Idea You May
Need" 1t balkS at nothing within
the law and the Ten Command
ments.
Among the thousands of com.
missions, its optimistic organizers,
Miss Rosa Hart and Miss Alice
Muth, undertake without the
culver of an eyelash, are these:
They coach for West Point and
Annapolis, make place cards, pre-.
pare public addresses, entertain
husbands with the wives permits
sion, and deliver packages on their
own bicycles. They get servants,
find apartments, make candy and
write articles for club magazines.
In their announcement they said
they were prepared:
To undertake gift cards for your
undertaker'S cousins birthday.
To prepare cute answer to a
telegram or letter.
To entertain your aunt from Ke-
okuk while you are recuperating
from her visit.
Give the right answer to a ques.
ton in grammar or in etiquette.
Change your library book.
Supply short course in Sans.
krit.
To entertain you for an evening
or stay with the kids while you
go to a picture show.
P. S.-We thought at first we
would give advice. No one ever
wants advice. So we have in
stalled % Complete Agreeing Sys-
tenn"
-, The Very idea Shop has caught
on like wild fire. The Misses
Muth and Hart are working and
thinking day and night. But,
being ever polite and willing, they
wrote me some of their most
amusing commissions.
one was:
81 want a card for a doctor
who is going to an Army camp;
he is very critical of women and
reads a lot and 1 hope he hur-
rieS back"
Another said:
"Will you please write me an
article on a model community
400 words and photography"
A harried lover said:
"T want my girl to receive two
letters a week from me. Can
you get them to her on Tues
day and Thursday"
A phone call ordered:
"A fOrtieth wedding ami
versary booklet for two people
who are in the cotton business
and have three children by
the names of Edith, Rosita and
Horace"
Other commissions have been:
81 wish you would stay with
my little girl so 1 can go to a
midnight show"
"PIeaSe get me IA place cards
for a dinner tonight. My hus-
band made a bet and lost it.
Now he has to entertain those
men. Make me funny verses
and drawings"
A man returning home to Bos
ton wanted presents for six mem
bers of his family. Also souve
Mrs of Lake Charles. His price
limit was small. All the articles
including toys had to and did
fit into box 10 inches long,
inches wide and an inch and
half deep. The proper size iol
a mans handbag.
Miss Hart says her most diff
cult task was to write and CIV:
a mock broadcast of a style
show, put on by eight firms who
did not always agree. e.
Two of the CHEEKY little com
missions of the Very Idea Shop
were the creation of a three-foot
Easter egg decorated with loca
scenes; and four-hour Hal
loWe'en party for 80 children.
once they baked a chicken tt
order. Another time they enter
tanned all Louisiana Kiwanian'
at a State meeting.
Mailing packages, taking agec
uncles and children to the picture
show, and writing slogans fol
firms and themes for college stu
dents are jobs the shop losses of
with flourish.
washington would be the Per
feet Place for a Very Idea Shop
Preparing snappy comebacks fol
aggre sive Republicans. Demo
Gratis or Liberty LeaguerS; teach