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Show SHOPPING IN INDIA. The Merchant nnd His Wares Come to You There, With a Train of Women to Display Them. Shopping, which to men Is a business or nccesslt) not much desired or enJoed, and conducted more or less hastily, Is tor women oi'e or the Joys of lite It Is tho slle b which trade and commerce and the arts appeal most to their Imagination Imagi-nation It is the romance which springs from snd dignities all three the pleasant point at which they also can lake part in tho immemorial pastime of buying and telling Little children lovo nothing so much as to play at keeping shop and, grown to the estate ot nuiden or matron the gnmo of childhood Is continued by the tulr with undiminished delight et how varied are the modes and methods of shot ping In different parts of the world' What It Is like In the capitals capi-tals and chief towns of Lngland ard the continent or in America is a thousand times better known to -he owners of the bright e)e whieh read these lines than any mere male writer could presume to describe hut let me pvlnt a little pic ture fiom India, in Mofussll town or country station It Is a hot, blue afternoon and ' tjrftn being ended the ladles of tho household recline In eas) cane chalrn about the jorch or veranda The ralilb tho men are all on duty In camp cuteherrl or office of-fice and the golden but Idle hiurs are passing somewhat tedtousl) while tho punkon flutters overhead Suddenly there Is relief Thero Is excitement ex-citement The Indian dealer Is heard approaching ap-proaching Ihe putttwalta outside the j orch announces with the nlr or one who tells g,od new, that the iorahlok are coming and followed by much shuffling of dustv feet a nestly-clad .Mussulman gllles Into tho presence with man) low salaams He speaks in moat cases a broken Fngllsh onotigh to sa), Mem-Hahlb Mem-Hahlb liken look new Europe things? Llahut schcha vera good vera sheep I ermlsslon being given and convoed to them, a knot of coclle women slip Into the shadow of the moonflowera and purple pur-ple bong clnvlltea covertni, the porch und ench or hem deposits tn orderly prox-linlt) prox-linlt) to the merchant the I irge squaro tin box she has been earning all day on her head Their master, cool In his snow-white snow-white garb but cooler still In the craft which lurks behlnt hla dirk e)cs and smiling face, dispossessing himself of his slippers squats on the edge of the steps and bids his people bring rorward one be one each bokkun Doubtless this is not so absorbing or satistactory aa a London afternoon pasiod In the delirious pursuit of ellglblo remnants at a West 1 nd bargain counter, but there Is a true pleasure tn it all tho same while tho borah softly prallng hla wares and dwelling upon his own high character for I roblt) and reasonable I rices pours out tho treasures of Ills own caravan The smooth rccd matting of the door-W4) door-W4) Is soon piled high with silks anl satins, muslins unl crepes and chiffons gloves heedful!) peeked aw a) rrom tho sun In blue puper und tin el tint) boots and shoes rrom Paris blouses unl sun-hats sun-hats and ribbons, and at the last Jewels an I ornaments The, wily trader knows how to keep tils best articles ror the moment when tho remlnlne assiou to possess has reached Its climax, und It will not bo without a hoodl) addition tu his bag ot rupees or agreeable entries mado in strange script upon his hisab when tho damsels of bis train fold nnd pack up anew the ar tides nnd h-lp eueh other to b dunce them once more on their shlninc jett) heads Air Ldwln Arnold In London Telegraph |