A cockney poet writes as follows:—
'Twas ever thus from childhood's hour,
That chilling fate has on me fell;
There always comes a soaking shower
When I hain't got no umberell!
We have given elsewhere in this number the Philosophy of Shopping. We now give an article of an entirely different nature:—
Directions to Ladies for Shopping.—Shopping is the amusement of spending money at shops. It is to a lady what sporting is to a gentleman; somewhat productive, and very chargeable. Sport, however, involves the payment of one's own shot; shopping may be managed by getting it paid for. Ride all the way till you come to the shopping-ground in a coach if you can, in an omnibus if you must, lest you should be tired when you get there. If you are a lady of fashion, do not get out of your carriage; and when you stop before your milliner's, particularly if it is a cold, wet day, make one of the young women come out to you, and, without a bonnet, in her thin shoes, stand on the curbstone in the damp and mud. The best places for shopping are fashionable streets, bazaars, and the like. Street-shopping principally relates to hosiery, drapery, and jewellery of the richer sort. Bazaar and arcade shopping, to fancy articles, nicknacks, and perfumery. In street-shopping, walk leisurely along, keeping a sharp lookout on the windows. In bazaar-shopping, beat each stall separately. Many patterns, colors, novelties, conveniences, and other articles will thus strike your eye, which you would otherwise have never wanted or dreamed of. When you have marked down some dress or riband, for instance, that you would like, go and inquire the price of it; haggle, demur, examine, and, lastly, buy. You will then be asked "whether there is any other article to-day?" Whether there is or not, let the shopman show you what wares he pleases; you will very likely desire one or more of them. Whatever you think very cheap, that buy, without reference to your need of it; it is a bargain. You will find, too, as you go on, that one thing suggests another; as bonnets, ribands for trimming, or flowers—and handkerchiefs, perfumery. In considering what more you want, try and recollect what your acquaintances have got that you have not; or what you have seen worn by strangers in going along. See if there is anything before you superior in any respect to a similar thing which you have already; if so, get it instantly, not reflecting whether your own will be well enough. You had better finish your streets before you take your bazaars and arcades; for there the shopping, which one might otherwise call cover-shopping, though excellent sport, refers mostly to articles of no manner of use; and it may be as well to reserve toys and superfluities to the last. Married ladies, when they have laid in all they want for themselves, are recommended to show their thoughtfulness by purchasing some little trifle for their husbands, who, of course, will have to pay for it in the end.
