An American on Shopping in the States.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 482, 21 June 1890, Page 6

An American on Shopping in the States.

Americans upon first shopping in London are very apt to vent nasal shrieks at each other in disgust of what they consider the offensive sycophancy and servility ot the English shopman. ‘Why, screamed a Philadelphia bride, ‘would you believe ib a Waterloo Place young man said “Thanks 1” when I said I wouldn’t take any of that silk to-day !’ En revanche, the Londoner just arrived in America booms vigorous objections to seeing a declaration of independence in the manner not only of our salespeople, but of everyone who condescends to wait upon him. ‘To whom shall I give these brasses ?’ a tourist was heard to ask in a vestibule car. ‘I say, boss,’ expostulated the porter, ‘ earn t you speak the Ammemcan langwidge ? Them ain’t “ brasses”—they’s “checks”!’ In one Boston’s Shopping Streets is a showy millinery establishment, whose lavish display of artificial flowers will smell as sweet if we call it ‘ The Bouquet _as by anv other name. That June morning Britannia yearned for lilacs to blossom on a new bonnet. A woman met us, stout, and of somewhat Hebraic comeliness. Britannia murmured of lilacs. ‘ Yes, dear, cooed the salee-lady; ‘I know exactly ■what you want. We have it just from Paris.’ Britannia’s eyes grew prominent, but she tried the bonnet on. ‘ There, dear ; I knew I could suit you !’ chirped Deborah (or Judith, and perhaps Saphyra). ‘lt exactly suits your style.’ ‘ Isn’t—it —a trifle youthful ?’ breathed Britannia. ‘ Youthful ? No, dear. You know I wouldn 6 think of offering you a bonnet to betray your age, as one too youthful would. Ho, indeed, dear !’ The Londoner bought the bonnet. But she never mentions it now except as that ‘ dear bonnet from The Bouquet.’ New Yorkers are given to much . Tip-tilting op the Nose at Boston and Philadelphia for their waterproofs and coloured petticoats so English, you know.’ Boston and Philadelphia on their parts do not refrain from shooting out the lips at New York for its overshowiness of taste and embroidered petticoats—draggling through summer dust and winter mire. There is the same difference in the shops and shopping of these cities ; and the frills and flounces and furbelows so conspicuous in one are replaced by more Puritan and Quaker-like stuffs in the other. _ But the principal shops in all American cities, while as fully provided with goods as those of London and Paris, lack the style of those shops. We have Oxford-street in plenty, but little of Regent-street and Piccadilly. The Wearing op Black Silk Gowns.

No great establishment here requires saleswomen to wear the black silk gowns furnished them at reduced rates, and required ot them in London and Paris. There are actually no sumptuary laws at all over here—motley’s the only wear, and very motley it is. In a Whiteley-sort of Boston bazaar a sales-lady wears a dingy black gown and alpaca apron, with elaboratelydressed and artificially golden hair, and complexion enough for a dozen renovated belles. In the same building a middleaged woman waits upon us, and addresses us incessantly not as ‘ madam,’ bub ‘ lady,’ wearing one of the coarsest of Cardigan jackets out at elbows.—From ‘Cassell’s Family Magazine.’