CHAPTER XII.ON SHOPPING.
A partyof visitors in which there are one or more ladies will unquestionably go on a shopping excursion of greater or less extent, according to the tastes of the fair ones and the length of the purses possessed by their escorts. It is not intended to give any advice as to where to go on such occasions. To do so would be to “get oneself disliked,” as the saying goes. It is not possible to mention all the great shops or stores in detail; it would be manifestly unfair to praise a few to the exclusion of the many. There are a few great houses, however, the names of which are in a sense landmarks, and have nothing to lose or gain by being either spoken of or omitted.
It has been said that one can buy absolutely anything on State street, from a stick of candy to an elephant. Certain it is that there aresome stores on that thoroughfare, notably Marshall Field’s, Gossage’s, the Boston Store, Mandel’s, Schlesinger & Mayer’s, the Fair, the Leader, J. H. Walker & Co.’s, and Siegel & Cooper’s, that contain almost everything obtainable for money. State street is the great retail thoroughfare of the city and in any of the stores mentioned the customer is certain of fair treatment and his money’s worth. These houses are all extensive advertisers in the daily newspapers and if extensive purchases are contemplated it is just as well to scan these advertisements for notices of “special sales,” as they are called. During “special sales” of certain articles the reduction in the prices of those articles is very low and much is to be gained by looking out for announcements that may save the purchaser considerable money. The first five houses enumerated are located between Randolph and Madison streets. The Fair, which is a wonder in itself, and very popular, owing to the cheapness of its goods, stands opposite to the Leader, at State and Adams streets. James H. Walker & Co. have a large building on Wabash avenue, at the corner of Adams. Siegel & Cooper’s great place, occupying nearly a block, from Van Buren to Congress streets, is one of the sights of the city, being, it is said, without exception the largeststore in the world which is devoted to the sale of general merchandise.
All the leading stores have high-class restaurants attached to them, a feature keenly appreciated by lady shoppers, who find it very convenient to rest from their arduous labors long enough to take luncheon and then resume the happy pastime of getting rid of the dollars that their husbands and fathers have bestowed upon them for this purpose.