THE MAY FAIR SPIRIT

Southland Times, Issue 20773, 14 May 1929, Page 6

THE MAY FAIR SPIRIT

. AN INFECTIOUS. BACILLUS. Just what the essence of the May Fair spirit is it might be difficult to say. It is a care-free jollity, a warm and generous good-fellowship, a cheerful gaiety and lightheartedness. In fact the May Fair spirit is compounded of a lot of things. But there is no doubt that there is a May Fair germ or bacillus which thrives in a favourable environment, and when it thrives it becomes highly infectious. The conditions most favourable to it are those in which energy and enthusiasm are present in a pronounced degree, and a striking example of this fact was presented in the store of Messrs H. & J. Smith, Ltd. on Saturday. The staff were in fancy dress, and that was the beginning of it. • People in fancy dress are-affected by their costumes. There is no doubt about that. When a gjrl puts on the gay colours of a gypsy’s dress, or a youth the garb of a pirate bold, neither can behave in quite the same way as in ordinary • street, clothes. And when young people get together in numbers in fancy dress they infect each other and all about them with the fancy dress or carnival spirit. All this was and is obvious at the Progressive Stores. The attendants in their various characters, all excellently conceived and carried out, present a most attractive appearance, and in the May Fair atmosphere quickly establish friendly relations with their, customers. Not that their relations with their customers are not always friend-ly---no doubt they are, but the gay and busy store and the fancy dress put buyer and seller on exceptionally cordial terms. The store was crowded in all departments throughout Saturday, and if the management found that the day’s returns made a very satisfactory showing it was no more than their due.. As has been said, the May Fair, bacillus thrives in an environment of energy, and enthusiasm, and if everybody appreciated and enjoyed ,the May Fair spirit the energy and enthusiasm wliich inspired the effort and carried it through deserved to be rewarded.