The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-09-05 00:00:00

"SMALL EXCHANGES."

---
Somewhere in one of Mr. Trollope's many novels,
figures, if we remember rightly, a worthy lady, the
wife of a ea auntry medical man vexed with
impecunious patients anal a large family, who remarks
pathetically that, for her part, she does not at all
hold with the belief that a "a morrow's crown of
sorrow is remembering happier days," but that, on
the c antrary, she has found the bitterness ef life to
consist in its many little trouble,, which would be
nothing if they caine singly, but are terrible from
their niultititle. This profound reflection she enforces
with the appropriate illustration that, on the whole,
the children's boots worry her much more than
an execution in the house. A curious light is let upon
these little tmuldes and their nature by a paper which
calls itself The Ba:aar, Exchange and Mart, and
Journal of Oa Household, and which is published
twice a week, at the moderate price of twopence. Its
object is sufficiently indicated by Be names. By a
system of very cheap advertisements, charged for at
the rate of a penny for every three words, people, to
whom, it is clear, every penny is an object, are
enabled to communicate with one another, and to
effect a small saving by exchanging old things for old,
or buying all things cheaply instead I/f going to the
expense of new. The columns of the Ba:aar appear,
as far AB can be made out, to be pretty equally
Patronised by both sexes, anal the most common form
of advertisement is that in which the advertiser
offers to exchange something which he or she
no longer wanta, as, for instance, a side-earldle, for
smatithinit, which is wanted, as a parrot-cage or a fern
maw, adding, however, that "cash will be taken," and
that "offers of any kind " will be coneidereaL The
gentlemen usually seem either to I>e in pressing
need of a little ready money, in return for which they
offer jewellery, meerschaum pipes, revolve, breech.
loaders, bicycles, at fabulously small sums, or else to
desire to carefully effect a judicious exchange. One
of them has "a good microscope," for which he
wants "a second-hand tourist knapsack ;" another will
exchange his " side-drum and sticks" for "a butterfly
cabinet." This young man's friends will probably
have no revel's to regret the change in hi. pursuits.
A third has "a good tenor trombone as good an new,"
Bicycling is quite a department in itself, and the
number of young men who want to get a bicycle
cheap is only (Inane,' by the number of those who
are either tired of their bicycles or want to convert
them into cash. These latter have almost always
some ingenious pretence for the sale. One assures
that "sole reason for selling is too high for owner"—
which is intelligible in spite of its grammar. Another
is "giving up through doctor's advice ;" while a third
boldly declares that lie is "going abroad." More
significant is the announcement of a gentleman who
wishes to dispose of a gold lever watch, telalin,g
"cost £lO last May. Want cash badly ; must sell
quickly. Deposit." There exists, however, a
necessity for even smaller sums than £lO. "A
inagnilbent smoking cap covered with ocalal cm-
broidery " Is to be lanai for 20.. ; while, as if to warn
us that 'sobriety is not always convertible with
prosperity, is Oamel Templar is willing to take 20s, for
a "very handsome third-degree regalia, tin box
included."
With the ladies, the great object appear. to he, to
quote a well-known title 'to dress like a lady on £l5
a year," as a means to Which they seem to endeavour
to pick Ur the cast-off finery of women a little better
off than themselves, and to get rid of their own to
theme who are even poorer. We can trace the course
of the " lcvely cerise satin striped grenadine polonaise,
richly trimmed milk and lace," of the "pearl ~,erey
grosgrain silk, trimmed alropings and fringe, back all
made in one, made to order at .T. Marrene and Cie.,
line de la Pale, Paris, fit slight figure oft. 1 in. ; can
show bill; never been worn," and of the "exquisite
silk and cashmere dress just from Pane, elegantly
draped; uncommon dark colour; new," from the lady
to her lady's maid, and from her to the shop-girl or
small tradesman's daughter In the suburbs, and from
her again down to the poor maid-of-all-work, who
I wants something " stylish" in which to pay a Sunday
visit to Rosherrille or " 'amay " Hampton. The ;
, demand for furs, in anticipation of the approaching
winter, is very brisk, the chief favourite being I
evidently sealskin. It has been said that if Goetahe '
were now alive he would make his hero attempt ;
Marguerite, not with jewels, but with a "full-sized ;
sealskin jacket end muff "--possibly with a "stylish
rink hat" to match. The trade in bonnets is less I
brisk, the reason being that any girl who is at all
clever with her fingers can, for a very few shillings,
make herself a bonnet which would sell in Regent I
Street for three or bear ;.„-nineas. On the other hand, I
such articles as a "fashionable new high-crown drab
hat "—which a girl cannot make for herself by any '
skill of industry- seem to fetch a good price.
To procure a coveted novelty of this kind
young ladies are apparently willing to aliepose, at a
perfectly reckless sacrifice, of such articles as "• ;
splendid toilet set," air "an elaborately carved ivory
card-caxe," or a " splendid solid silver card-case
exquisite workmanship," " • handsome gold
bracelet, with pendant," or esen —we are
,sorry to
observe -" a large sponge lsath, nearly new.' In the
lesser details of female -dress equal economy can be
practised. Tradesmen advertise in the Bo :nor lists of
prices from which it would seem that "to dress like a
lady on CU'a a year" must be a N ery easy achiesment.
They are, however, subjected to a brisk competition
on the part aaf private traffickers. One fair advertiser
offers " a pair of ladies white silk stockings, new,
cost !la 6.1.; will take :is.," and another wants "to
exchange lady's chemise, small size, quite new,
beautifully embroidered and made by hand, for either
steel chatelaine not less than six appendages, or silver
locket." We must not, however, further pursue these
mysteries of the Bona Lha, or lightly venture to deal
with secrets
so recondite as the precise nature of the
" Antephelic Milk," which is a perfect cure for
freckles anal tan ;" or of the famous " Indian paste,"
which "Mine. Coral" guarantees to be "the only
remedy for destroying completely and instantaneously
superfluous
hairs from the face anal arm,,or of the
"Spatula corset." which is to " improve the figure ;"
or of "a capital invention recommended by a
physician for preventing the known injurious use of
garters," anal which is "invaluable to all who like the
stockings to beak tight anal smooth." It is gratifying
to notice that their dress is not the only thing about
which belies seem to trouble themselves. One lady
has for sale "a handsome nanny goat," in return for
which she wants a Bath chair ; another, who evidently
believes in the virtue of ass's milk, requires "a
donkey that will foal the end of September." Lawn
tennis 'eta are going at almost any price, and always
on the frivolous pretence that the vendor is "giving
up country house," or " going abroad." But the
market in perambulators is " animateal"--as City
articles say—anal the prices exhibit a "tendency to
liminess." In booke and music there prevails a
system of Nomething very like co-operation. Wheu a
young lady has abbe with her "Gamy Livingstone" the
effects an exchange with another young lady who is
the happy posaessor of "Puck." Similarly, two or
three households take in three or four papers between
them, while one fair advertiser wants a piece of music
known as "Fairy Whispers," and offers in return
"Music Murmuring in the Trees"
It is to he feared, however, that all these little
economies indicate means so straitened as to mos.
donally amount to downright diatreee. Amongst the
general advertieements, those of small loan offices are
seniewhat conepicieaue, and one benevolent gentleman
espegially addretaiws himself to " solvent tradesmen "
who "want £lO for three months on their own
security alone." Equally prominent are the miscounts,
af ladies anal gentlemen who give high prices for cast.-
clothing, together with the benevolent offers of
varione financiers to impart s secret by which, " with-
out risk or interference to present employment, ladies
anal gentlemen, whether in Lonalou or the country, can
earn, with certainty, several pounds a week" Several
peolde are anxious to get manuscript copying. One
or two Wiwi wish to get a servant for nothing, on the
plea that the pi:we offers " exceptional advantages "
to a young, girl who wishes to " learn her duties."
There is a boarding echaol, with " resident foreign
goveniess," which takes young ladies, " daughters of
gentlemen only," at V2l a year, anal -to dame a melan-
choly list--one poor girl, who has both Cainbridge and
London University honours, wishes to take pupils at
the rate of three shillings an hour, or eight lemons for
a guinea. On the whole one rises from the perusal of
the Exchange and Marl with a melancholy feeling that
there must be a number of unhappy people whose
whole life is one perpetual round of small anal sordid
cares, anal who, a. Sheridan said, are not PO much in
want of a pound AR of a shilling. We may add that
it would seem as if there were people in the world
sufficiently mean to take advantage of this distress,
for conspicuous on the first page of the Bamar is a
"Black Book" intended to warn the reader against
certain " doubtful customers," whose llamas are in
some cases given in full, while in otheni the address
alone is set out. The unwary are further warned
against taking post-dated anima, or reposing a vain
confidence in paper marked with a gorgeous monogram.
paor girl who melts her earrings to buy a hat, anal
exchanges her silver card-case for a new jacket, and
the young wife who disposes of her little wedding
preaento in exchange for a double perambulator, ought
te be sacred from ;my swindler, however mean.
Apparently, however, there are swindlers in London
mean c 11111 l gh to cheat anal nab, in a small way, even
such unhappy creatures as these.