They taught you that an inch of hand
embroidery is worth a yard of cheap lace. And as for style,
cut, line--you can tell a Horn & Udell child from among a
flock of thirty.
Fanny, entering their office, felt much as Molly Brandeis
had felt that January many, many years before, when she had
made that first terrifying trip to the Chicago market. The
engagement had been made days before. Fanny never knew the
shock that her youthfully expectant face gave old Sid Udell.
He turned from his desk to greet her, his polite smile of
greeting giving way to a look of bewilderment.
"But you are not the buyer, are you, Miss Brandeis?"
"No, Mr. Slosson buys."
"I thought so."
"But I select for my entire department. I decide on our
styles, materials, and prices, six months in advance. Then
Mr. Slosson does the actual bulk buying."
"Something new-fangled?" inquired Sid Udell. "Of course,
we've never sold much to you people. Our stuff is----"
"Yes, I know. But you'd like to, wouldn't you?"
"Our class of goods isn't exactly suited to your wants.
Pages:
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346