The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-05-06
THE JOURNAL.
nnRRoWFn pLuNIEs.

Passing through a street in the /
upper part Of the city with a friend
the other day, she pointed to a row
Of brown stone front houses, saying !
"A woman resides along here some
where who makes a handsome hVlng
BY renting out dresses for parties.
receptions and other entertainments
AsTa continued our walk she went !
on to say: s0ne Of the upper stories
of her house is vast wardrobe,
where all sorts of garments were ar
ranged on frames or hung on the !
walls. Women 90 there, select the |
dress they want, try it on, have the !
trimmings changed, if they wish, or |
alterations made, by taking in here. |
letting out there. and the dress sent
home in awOdiste's box, or conveyed
sway in carriage, to be returned 4
when the occasion for which it was
borrowed is passed. These dresses
are handsome, are stylishlv made
up, and of expensive materials, and
when fresh and new rent for high
prices. It is not uncommon for
woman wishing an expensive toilet
to choose the materials, which the
dress-lender purchases and has
made ss desired, charging a large
sum for the first wearing. This
arrangement is a very convenient
one to Madam or Miss who wish to
appear well and have not the means.
It is less trouble, less expense, gives
variety of toilets, and there IS
nothing on hand to 90 ont of fash
ION, to be taken care of or be done
over; and then the morale OF this
transaction is so good, and 1t IS so
cleanly. Of course, any injury sus-
tanned by the garment is paid for,
and the party is required to settle
In advance and leave security.
Generally. these dress-brokers have
husbands or sons or nephews who
keep jewelry stores, or have jewelry
to lend. This adds to the convent
ence. and lessons the trouble Of an
evenings outfit, enabling a woman
to make grand displays upon little
CAPITAL. Do women who are usually
stvled ladies-respectable women
do such things2 / hear one ask.
Yes, as the story goes, respectable
women, or rather girls. do just such
things; but they are not ladies iD
the true sense of the word. They
are women Of society, but not Of THE
best society. They are girls, of
whom there are thousands here and
elsewhere, (only elsewhere they have
not the opportunity that city like
New York affords, where every
tsste. inclination, desire, appetite
has means of gratifaction; andwhere
people are to be found whose life's
business is to furnish the means,
who live. move and breathe but for
fashion and show. Not snobs exact
". for in general TO be a snob argues
the having Of money, and the spend
inc Of II. There is some aspiration
IN snobbishness, and some reality,
too. for they ape gentility, and by a
lavish expenditure hope TO secure II.
They are the wives and daughters of
people of limited means-small law
vers and doctors, ete.-who think 1t
incumbent on them to make a show
that their position demands it;
manv Of them people Of education,
who. not able to purchase, 60 to
these dress brokers, who drain them
as the Jews drain an heir apparent.
There is a tacit understanding be-
tween the parties that these transac-
tions are to be sub rosa. 1t would
not do to make them public. When |
It does leak out and become whis- |
nered or limited that there are such
iackdawsIin society, people not in the
secret viii not believe it, although
there is a constant wonder how such
and such people can dress as they
do.-Cor. Gin. CkrOnicdIe.