Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-04
THE CARD-CoLLECrING MANIA.

Gloomy Predictions by statesmen
Why an Expectent is Pronounced
Hopeless.
"Yes, indeed" said a careworn, but out
wardly placid salesman, in eth avenue store
"they Suing In here from morning Till night
hegging & cards ards They hunger and thirst for
them o aA al dh ,e apgette is oottomless
Don't ask me; am only interested to know
how soon 1t Will end. l thilk there will be
gerous; people ought to be doctored for it- 1
tell you. its a soul blightipg maaia Excuse
me If seem to speak with bitterness, but am
salary now and sef naxe ss my
clothes taken in every two weeks
i" But 1t cannot hurt you; you are not the
No; but We are expected to sell something
to eltain percentage OF all who come in. and
no method has yet been invented to make
Ilcks up q cheap trif1e. but won't even take
that without chrome. We bought six large
boxes OF cheap miscellaneous cards less than
euchre deck"
What sort of people ask COR thems'
All sorts. None too high to beg cards for
dressed or weak In nerve to demand them
boldly. The druggist on the corner says that
every child that buys five cents worth OF cough
Sweepers beg for them, or hunt them up In ASH
barrels. A man in a large grocery house,
second block above, says he can't sell a cake OF
d IL.
There they come, two of 'em! know them at
glance" said the salesman, wildly; "they
have longing, unsatistied. hungry look
Two ladies soon passed out trlumphantly
with two cheap and awdry-looklng specimens
OF colored printing.
salesman. people OF all Sizes ages. and quail
tiles have It, though am grieved to state that
lair woman rather has the call on the card
mania Men and boys do ask for cards-es.
pecially boys-but we generally find that they
want them for their women folks"
Here the salesman took the reporter into his
confidence, upon solemn promise to withhold
his name.
"rm engaged to be married." he said, "and
happened 10 call on the young lady last week
out OF my regular night l walked into the
agine my chill OF horror when l found that it
had been recently employed In daubing cold
gum tragacanth paste on the backs OF come
She had pictures OF toys and clothes wr1ngers,
securing soaps ana canned provisions, and
even Autographs OF mems hats. My counte-
nance, as her brother told me afterWard looked
Ike picture he had seen, called Night on the
Battlefield 1t was a case OF loves first decep-
ton. She knew my horror Of this fashion, but
you see, sir, the poor girl could not resist the
evll example OF others, and so she kept the
signs OF her ruined taste out Of my way though
still INDUCING In It's excuses"
II hope nothing serious resulted"
well, may say that have had a very
pleasing letter from her to- day, and design
Gaining upon ner Tonight with view to
resumlng amicable relations. She offers to
renouDce cards forever. But shall not accept
so great sacrifice; the fashion will run itself
out in time, anyhow. l may as well yield to
my girl on this; IL will secure my tobacco rights
for years"
The speaker walked forward to warn of a
cevy OF school g1rls with the cry; mot single
card le1t-all out"
''ThOse school children he resumed, shave
preternatu perseverance In working for
their sisters. Our house has been thinking OF
closing while they are going to and returning
from school,
What kind OF cards do these people pre-
fer?"
Mostly high colored; but they will take any.
thlbg that looks like a card, and then ask for
an extra one. They strike out for quantity and
variety rather than quality. l tell you, young
man, It's terrible to think how they are dis.
tracing the public mind from the great inter-
ests OF the retail trade"
"Why not stop u"
The crushed salesman smiled cynlcally,
"Our fIm," said ne. "have ordered printed
notices to be stuck up In the show windows
and all around the store, reading, NO cards
given away but 1t Will be no good-none what.
ever"
"Why not ?"
my dear sir" replied the hopeless man.
they won't be nailed up five minutes before
half a dozen women Will be In asking for one OF
those very cardS"-M. Y. SUM-