Gallipolis [Ohio] Journal
May 21, 1863

Quote :

“Where Men Are Out of Place.--Gail Hamilton,  in the last Atlantic Monthly thus discusses: The one place in the world where a man has no business to be is the inside of a dry goods shop.  He never looks and never is so big and bungling as there. A woman glides in and out among crowds of her sex, steers sweepingly clear of all obstacles and emerges triumphant.  A man enters and immediately becomes all boots and elbows. --  He needs as much room to turn around in as the English iron-clad Warrior, and it takes him about as long.  He treads on all the flounces, runs against all the clerks, knocks down all the children, and is generally under foot.  If he gets an idea into his head, a Nims battery cannot dislodge it.  You thought of buying a shawl; but a thousand considerations in the shape of Reglans, cloaks, talmas, peajackets induce you to modify your views.  He stands by you.  He hears all your inquiries and the clerk’s suggestions.--  The whole process of your reasoning is visible to the naked eye.  He sees the sack, or visite, or carpet put upon your shoulder, and you walk off in it, and when you are half way home, he will mutter, in idiotic amazement, ‘I thought you were going to buy a shawl!’  It is enough to drive one wild.”

Transcribed and submitted by Linda Trent