SHOPPING IN NEW YORK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 91, 10 January 1908, Page 3

SHOPPING IN NEW YORK.

■There.are Americans from other towns who say very, unkind things about New York .shopkeepers, and - their greed,' but an lilnglishttonian -writin"; of. her'■'cxpofiences has nothing but praiso. for them.' Tho .business ionse or the-American sliopkieper is ever'a nonder and' a plqasuro for nicto contemplate. How much ho giyi's you for ; nothing I It must pay him to givo you numerous presents or ilo. would not do it. ' We all know it is by. way .of. advertisement - .that ho ...will- giro > ou. half-a-dozen of tho most artistic fans on : a hot,, summer ' day. ■' Somowliero-in a litt'lo oornor on tho back there is an advertisement of somebody's prc-digested food or a quick way. of cleaning plate,; but the fan ,cools ..you, and-is beautiful ;on.-ono .side. •il •navo formed - a dado round one of my -roojjis of tho quaint- fans that have been given mo in tho New York shops. •.-■■.-■• When I first arrived in Now York I went about hunting for a : special kind of business .chary calendar. . I .went from shop to. shop explaining what I-wanted,-.but always .was showii an . ornamental fancy card with sentimental verges.' In London I buy one everv year, paying a,shilling for it.. • Finally, I •found tho remains of an old ono, and took :it to. a stationer.

,/'oh. there aro plenty of. those in New lorkl he said, '"but wo don't soil them. Wo givo them away. How in any would you ■like—ia ' half-dozen ?" They We're made to advertise a new kind of penholder, to bo suro, •but apart from tho inconspicuous -advertisement, which was a work of art, tho calendar was_precisely liko tho London shilling ones. -As for blotting-books, almost any business ; houso . will-givo them, to yOu by the dozen, "hen yon spend money for them in this country, ypu buy silver-mounted ones. Tho "Demonstration Booth." I never can get over my admiration of the demonstration :, booth" system of tho New l.ork shops., These booths are what make'a shop seeni'like a fair. At ono booth lately thero stood one of tho prettiest girls I have ever seen, wearing a white linen dress and a smart ruffled white cup, baking tea-scones, •aiul smilingly asking tho passing 'shoppers ■to'stop and refresh' themselves with one. Sho would br,eak.it open, butter.it,. and givo it.,to you .on a .plato, calling .over to another girl at another booth, VCJup.of'colFce for this lady,/please I." ,' . '■ .'.

■ 1)0 you fancy ynu.pay for. that flaky teaor,. tho fragrant ~ coffco with. • ronl - cream? . No! ..They aro offered to you with, tho sfyapkccpcrVcompiimonts, and the politely expressed hopo that if at any time in- the.future you need to buy.a pound o.f. colfco or a;bag of (lour you will order tho particular, kind-'you havo just sampled, if it pleases you. ,In order to'gratify my, curiosity, ono day : I took a freo luncheon, at oiio of tho shops in this way. It camo in courses as.l progressed from booth to >booth.<. One young woman gave mo a ''demonstration" of soup; 'another offered.-' me sardines, daintily garnished with .lemon-slices; 'another- a wonderful 'salad - with >a new kind of. dressing; another a bit of-a certain brand ;of. cold ham ; another a pickle y another a jelly with cream; another a now/sort of breakfast.-food called "Elijah's Manna." -. I could'have a cup .of tho best Russian tea, colfee, chocolate, or unfernjented. fruit •wine, with air the courses or . any one of-them. One hot summer day a'bright girl accosted mo at one of the booths... ■'

"Will you have a glass, of ; ice-cold malted milk?".she askod. ;I drank it and enjoyed it,- and got out my purse, - asking for tho prico. ■ - •

"Nothing at lallj".she said. "It's-a demonstration of White Wings Malted Milk. Hove Slither-glass, do I It's awfully waiW to-'day, isn't it? And,'by tho way, if you like the malted milk,'you will find nothing so-cool-ing'on a'hot'day: ■ Hero is: a'/pamphlet telling'about it. ;Perhaps you will ; buy a can of it some other day if you don't need it-to-day. ' Good-byo."

English and American Good-byes, ; Oh, that- "Good-bye". of the' Americans! In England it means "God bo with you." We say it when going on a long journey. We say it then only to. our dear friends—perhaps to a well-loved old family servant. •• Here it is used by everybody on every occasion. Your butcher boy hands in the leg of lamb, and calls out'cheerily, "Good-byel" The newsboy sells you a paper and says "Good-byo j" Next to the "demonstration-booth's" .in tho Now York shops' Iliko the waiting-rooms, fitted,up with, every', comfort—magazines, daily papers, rocking-chairs, soft couches with doivny cushions, a white-aproned maid to loo.lt after your wants, hundreds of. fresh towels which you are free to use, soap in 1 a pulveriser, so you may grind or shake it out :as you would , salt, and thus it is just tho same as if everyone had a new cake for herself. And in theso waiting-rooms you may 11 so nil tho writing paper and envelopes you likes freo of charge. Thoy are lieautifully engraved with tho namo and_ address of tho shop, and any friend receiving a letter so written understands , that you just sat down to rest from shopping'and dashed it. off.' But the Now York shopkeeper so far-does not ■ supply postage stamps to : put on.' tTio letters written in his waiting-room. ■■ Really, that is'quito neglectful, not to say stingy J of hint I : . - ' Jliss .Milsom bess to draw the i attention of the lady readers of the "Dominion '"to her interesting advertisement on page 10 of. this issue. • ■ 7981