Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-29
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 (From law York Times
 Faw of the gus4,4 E. ho attended the iarge !! rec zasion al Mrs c s last week knew of that 1 lady '7 struggles to keep up appearances and | the devices she xesorted to at the entertain i ment. But Airs. G. must absolutely make her 1 debut this season, and so that very enterpri l sing oman, her l59ther, resolved to give q fine reception.
 The dresses, coming directly from the fUsh- ionsbls naodistes, did not have to be paid for at once. Those settled fer, the collation. was the next subject of anxiety, and this was mar aged at no great expense although Of course it had to come from one of the most famous caterers. Four hundred invitations had been issued; t WAS safe to assume that 200 would be likely to attend, and refreshments were ordered for 100. On such occasions the cR- ! terer of course must make liberal calculations on the subject of appetites
 | What ths caterer felt on the subject wili l never be known, but perhaps long custom had habituated him to such tricks, for they are by no means confined to the poorer Of society people.
 An out. of-town wedding touk place in the 1 fall, at which the bride was tho only daughter of a wealthy banker and the crowd which as sembIed at both church and house wa5 com posed of the elite of Now York. It numbered
 some 400, all of whom partook Of the sumptu-
 ous collation. which had been ordered for 300. Afterwards tho caterer wrote to the la-
 dy who had given the order saying that as re-
 treatments had been Served to 100 more peo'
 ule than the estimate had been given for he
 thought only feir that 400 should be paid for.
 This, however, by no means suited the ideas
 of the bankers wife, who positively refused
 to pay for more than the 300.
 Carpet dry goods and china dealers also sui
 fer at the hands of these socially ambitious
 people. Last week lady entered the store
 of a large china and glass importer and se-
 Iected 8 handsome set of dessert plates, to be
 sent home on appreciation. She wanted, she
 said to see them on the table by gaslight
 They were each ornemented with different dspd painting and were valued at Sl00 per
 dozen.
 That evening dinner party was given at the lady's Fifth avenue residence, and the guests looked adnlisingly at the dainty porce-
 lein which held their grapes, but the next day 1 the niatea were returned to the store.
 s'rhe7 did not suit, '" the boy was told whs called for them, and, strange to say, on the
 bro1n stone steps he met boy from another
 china establishment who had just had g large , pyramid and Q set of highly ornamented can
 delabra returned to him.
 That afternoon when the aegrieved man met his friend, the well-known carpet-dealer l whose establishment is but a few blocks
 distant, and recounted his experience of the
 fraud practiced upon him, the carpet man laughed and declared that he had had innum erable tricks Of the kind played on him.
 EtWhv only iaat month D he said ttAS mapu , as eight of my finest Oriental rugs several of which were worth a thousand dollars and , more, figured at fashionable reception. In
 the morning lady drove up to the store and entering made choice of all these beautiful , carpets, which she thought would just about
 suit her rooms. They were to be sent at once ' and the following day I could ascertain if { they ell suited. Well, the next day they were
 ali returned, but that evening they were very
 much admired by the guests, more than one of whom felt no little envy for the owner of , such treasures.
 ''Once ssnt number of fine portieres to
 house to sec which best suitsd the parlor , and dining room furniture, Those too, were |, l rsturneG after the reception. So YOU see | your experience is quite common one.' Dealers in bronzes and ether works of art | are sometimes similarly victimized, but per-
 haps tho dry goods men have the worst time ' of all Often have rich imported costumes
 been sent to the house and worn before being
 
 , lace shawls this is no uncommon occurrence
 Many the ''perfect loves of bonnets' , which are worn to afternoon receptions or teas and afterwards returned. One woman who dealt at downtown store used to have uits for hsr boys ssnS homs as well as clOks and bonuets for herself. Finally 8 clerk had his suspicious aroused by the fact that one of the boys suits was very slightly
 soiled. The case was reported and the woman , WAS made to pay for ths clothes. and no moro things were sent lon appreciation" to her [ house.
 [ This, however, wes perhaps an extreme
 case, and she did not hold the same exalted : social posiiion of the other ladies referred to. }, Mrs. T., who lives in Forty-ffth street, near Fifth avSnue, gretaly admired two l hundred and fifty dollar imported wrap she could not afford to buy it, but had it sent to 3 her home. the boy receiving instructions to wait until she made up her mind about it.