girl at the toy counter tells Mr. Hopkins that there is a woman
downstairs who will help him select something for his wife. He goes back
to the man in uniform to locate her and finds her in a secluded booth on
the first floor. She asks several questions about whether he would like
china or silver, furniture or linen, but Mr. Hopkins wants to give his
wife something personal--something she can use or wear. He has been
married several years but not long enough to know that this is a
dangerous thing to do, but the woman is wise. She suggests a silk
parasol, a kimono, or a dozen handkerchiefs.

Such a service as this is not possible except in very large shops, but
in most places clerks are quick to respond with suggestions for gifts.
There is a pleasure about buying them and selling them that does not go
with ordinary transactions.

When he buys a parasol the clerk suggests that they have a very large
assortment of handbags, but Mr. Hopkins's day's work is done, and the
clerk does not insist. None of the clerks in a good department store is
insistent. They offer suggestions and stand ready to serve, but they do
not try to impose their ideas or their goods upon the customers. Mr.
Hopkins leaves well satisfied with himself and his purchases. He will
come back.

The trunk is delivered in the afternoon, not by the regular wagon, but
by an express company. It is a busy season. Mr. Hopkins is still further
delighted. These people keep their promises. And as he tips the man who
brought it up--he had to climb three flights of stairs--the man gives
him a card. "Here's one of the boss's cards," he says, "in case you want
any hauling done." Without doubt the man has been instructed by the boss
to distribute his cards, but he does it with such a grace that it seems
to be on his own initiative.

It rarely happens that a business man or woman can shop in the leisurely
manner described above. Most of their shopping has to be done during the
half hour after lunch or during a frantic few minutes snatched at the
beginning or the end of the day's work. One morning Mr. Hopkins had to
leave home without a collar because he forgot to send the dirty ones to
the laundry (his wife was away that week) and dashed into a little shop
to get one on the way to the office. He would have felt like murdering a
clerk who wanted to show him something nice in the way of gloves or
mufflers, and he would have had a hard time to restrain himself from
violence