The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-14
weapons for Women.

/ w
AND PIsTOLs-THE HIGHEST PRICE GOODS
ALWAYS SELECTED-A LADY'S PURCHASE
YEsTERDAY-sKILL IN USING WEAPONS
TALKS WITH DEALERS.
Yesterday afternoon an elegant carriage
drawn by span of bays stopped in front
of an establishment near the corner OF
Tenth and ID streets. The business OF
the house is confined almost exclusively
70 the sale OF firearms, and some OF the
/ finest patterns OF Remington pistols can
ALWAYS be seen in the show-windows. The
carriage waited until an dttdch6 OF the
! house came out, and after being informed
of the wishes Of the lady occupant OF the
I carriage, he reGntered the house, and re-
/ turned in a few moments with several
handsomely pistols i'll his hands,
which he placed in the lap of the lady.
She proceeded to examine each and all OF
them. and i'm making. the examination
handled the weapons with rs much ease
and skill as an inhabitant Of the border,
whose life mainly depends upon his
craftsmanship and the ready use OF the
weapon which accompanies him always.
| The lady seemed perfectly acquainted with
the mode of loading, and expressed her
preference for the double action weapon.
! The prices were asked, and without much
| ceremony she selected one that suited her
fancy, paid the cash for the cleaning instru-
ment. and the black Jchu drove away.
A Post reporter, who was standing y
few feet distant and witnessed the trans
action, followed the salesman in and asked
him ii many OF the firms patrons were
ladies.
eve sell good many pistols TO ladies.
I e a 10
weapons, and they generally select the most
expensive patterns. For instance, the lady
who made the purchase few moments ago
paid SIS for a pistol. end she could have
bought one Just as good in every respect
for So, but without the silver mounting"
''Do you know the lady who Just left?
eyes, | know her husband occupies a
prominent position in one of the depart
mentS, and is said TO be q man of consider
able means"
The reporter then dropped into n we'll
known pawnbroker'S store and asked the
proprietor about the sale of weapons TO fe-
males.
ave sell great many pistols TO women,
but our customers in this line are nearly. if
not all confined TO women OF the town.
There are very few women OF that class
here who are not prepared to defend them
selves in cases of emergency. While many
of them purchase firearms. not few prefer
dirks and stillettos. know nothingabout
their courage to use such weapons, but that
they have them / can testify from the fire.
ouent sales made. A fancy iyory-handled
dirk seldom remains on my hands very
long. After il appears in the window a
purchaser soon calls, and purchasers Of
/ L.. al & do alx rna nrie
fancy prices, as we say, for fancy goods"
"DO you know Of any ladies in Washing
ton who are experts with the pistol?"
- know OF several females whose skill
with a good revolver would surprise you.
| Some OF them practice in the house at TAR
gets across the room. Some time ago had
occasion to call at 4 house on business, and
one of the lady-boarders was amusing her.
self in a second-story room with practicing
at a target. l went up and witnessed
the sport, and can say that her skill
| as n markSman is not surpassed by
men who have been handling side-arms
all their lives. You perhaps remember
/ Modjeska, the famous actress; she was
| here this winter two years ago, believe.
/ Well, was i'm st. Louis during that win
ter, and she played m engagement there.
During her stay in that city she went into
"a shooting gallery one day with her agent,
and surprised the l'ttle crowd Of crack
shots there by showing that she possessed
more skill with the rife than any one
present.
"IIaye you many patrons among the
theatrical people!"
"Not here Washington is not a great
theatrical city; but take the big cities, and
quite a business is done in the line you
mention. There is not one actress in fifty
that does not understand the use OF fire
arms, and not one OF them of any promi-
nence but what has revolver which
always lies on the dresSing-case where
the actress can grasp il handily. They
! generally 60 prepared in this way in order
TO protect themselves from robbers and
thieves, who know that actresses. as a rule.
are well supplied with diamonds and cost
! ly iewelry."- Washington Post.