Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-16
BORROWED PLUMEs.
AThriving Branch Of the Jewelers.
Traffic.
How Ladies Invest In Diamands to Hire
Borrowed finery - Plate
and Jewslry for the
Ia Occasion. -

plate, the REGISTER man knew OF nothing
| of the kind in Wheeling. But ON Saturday
ajeweler opened his eyes. Our news man
was strolling through our principal thor
oughfare, and was attracted by q handsome
and tastefully arranged show in jewelers.
window. After satisfying his curiosity at
| the elegant display, he peered through the
window and noticing the proprietor at
leisure, he stepped inside and engaged him
in conversation as to matters, business. per.
sonaI, &c. In the midst Of the discourse,
the proprietor made the following state
ment:
There is one strange custom in vogue
strange that ION OF you fellows have ever
gotten on TO, and that is this: There is a
custom among a great many OF d lady
| customers to
HIRE A SET OF EXPENSIVE JEwELRY
for a given time, OF course, however giving
une xceptionable references. Now, this
trade is to a great extent confined almost
entirely to the wealthy classes and custom
ers whom we are willing to trust. When a
stranger comes here we of course allow
them to have the goods, if they place in
our hands a deposit sufficient to cover the
value of the articles. This trade, however,
Il 10 IlLl VI NeA eAA1SAS ~
diamonds or other precious stones, for
which there is little demand, but which
always prove a profitable commodity if
used in this manner. The popular sets
at present among the bon ton are
either solitaire diamond earrings with
a lace pin, ornamented either with
a cluster or solitaire to match.
although some in preference to the dla-
mond setting Of the pin, prefer a setting
of fine turquoise and pearls. Turquoise
earrings with a plain gold pin are also pop
ular. Rubies, emeralds, pearls n other
precious stones, which were so popular
several years ago, have almost entirely dis
appeared, the decree of fashion allowing
only the diamonds and turquoises. Now
last week Mrs. -, who left you remem-
Der for a noted summer resort,
came here and made a choice OF an
ELEGANT SET OF DIAMONDS
for her summer rustication. Not liking
the setting, however, as il was a little old
fashioned, she expressed the wish that it
would be changed to one of a newer and
later design. Demands of this kind are
rarely acceded to, as they conflict with our
established rules and custom. Yet in the
case of a customer like the lady mentioned,
whom ! guess you know, and who is cred
tied with having a touch of the blu stock.
ing about her, we were forced to yield to
her demand in order not to lose her Gus
tom. Now on understand she will for II
sum rather pitiful to her substantial ex.
chtCquer have a splendid time this sum.
mer, will be congratulated by her friends
IN the costly borrowed plume she pos.
>es>es for the given time, and when the
summer is a thing of the past she will
RETURN HER COSTLY PAINTINGS
and ION will be the wiser.
| s\nU hara - said the nrODript0r "a he
opened a safe and took therefrom q small
morocco case, sis is our most valuable set
| of diamonds. They have been in our pos
session for a long time, say three or four
years, yet | guess in that time they have
been set and reset over a dozen times.
Many a stylish belle and fair matron Of
the Nail City have received numerous con-
gratulations at balls and summer resorts
for the purity of the stones they wore.
| The difference between the settings for the
winter and summer festivities are not
marked by any decided change. The same
style that was used during the winter
months does not differ much from that in
use at present.
QUITE A INCIDENT
occurred here last winter. Mrs. No. l and
Mrs. No. 9, two ladies whom you know are
grert rivals in Wheeling society, were
noted for the fine stones they occasionally
wore at the ditferen: assemblies last win.
ter, although one might lave NOTED that
the two never wore diamonds one the same
evening. Well, a week or two before the
German on New Years afternoon, Mrs. No.
l came in and engaged the set for the eve
ming stated. The clerk who waited on her
neglected to set the order down. So
shortly after Mrs. No. 2 appeared and en-
quired for the set. | promised to let her
have them. IL seems that each suspected
the other of possessing a fine set OF dia.
mOpdS and wished to conceal from each
other their individual a%rtiiice, to outshine
one another. By a strange coincidence
they both entered the store at the same
hour, and each singing out a clerk on
opposite sides of the store, insinuatiDgly
inquired il their diamonds were cleaned.
A short conversation with the clerk let me
INTO the true state OF affairs, and as in my
opinion, honesty is the best policy" |
endeayored to explain the trus condition
of affairs. Well, sir, it was the most laugh
able tableaux that one could wish to See,
ard
A MORE sHEEPIsH PAIR
of ladies | never beheld. They, however,
came to an amicable understanding in favor
of No. l. They also pledged me and each
other TO secresy and would not have it get
| out for the world. So of course you must
i NiS AAhhAN IN - AZ wa
| hdential.
I'VE have also a number of other sets
that are very handsome, although unequal
to the Jumbo set, either in beauty or tin-
ish, Now, in several large affairs last
winter, every set In the house was engaged
and at one large Hebrew ball last winter
they did not contine themselves to the
stones above mentioned. but engaged any
thing and everything adapted to their pc
culiar style of beauty.
There is another custom among some
OF our brethren in the trade n some Of
their shoddy custom, and that is to engage
elegant brio a-brac, valuable watches and
costly iewelry, in order to
SWELL THE ARRAY OF PRESENTS
in the event of a wedding or a wedding an
niversary. This is sometimes furnished
for a ~pecuniary consideration, although
most jewellers, in the case Of a wealthy
customer, furnish the articles free gratis
on account OF the general advertisement
it gives them with the public generally, in
the event of the publishing OF the list OF
presents in the local papers. The name of
the jewellers is generally afix to the
| goods. We also rave several second hand
| silver dinner services that are always in de-
mand in case of q swell dinner or supper.
These line of goods are very profitable,
some circles Of socie ty being willing to pay
a large price in order 10 make good show.
ing. Now, here is a silver tea service, as
you can see, which is rather a~ntiquated in
style. This is very old and has passed
through several hands ere it reached us,
while have had il in our possession up
wards of five years. The way We obtained
it was through a bad debt, where We were
\ obliged to invest in this, what We then
thought was an unavailable commodity, or
lose the entire amount. Yet We have
turned this to account and furnished it to
quite
A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT.
There are, as you know, q large number
Of families in the city who, although OF
somewhat humble origin, have within the
last few years accumulated cory little for.
tunes. Well, they, in case of a small
gathering of friends at a dinner, generally
order this set in order to palm it off on
their visitors as 'old plate" that has been
in the family for a great many years. The
set itself is said to have originally belonged