Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-01-12

BosTON, JAN, 9th, 'S4.
The first few weeks succeeding the holi
DAYS are usually dull enough in business cir
cles but this year shows a marked difference.
There has been rush of custom at all the
large stores which was scarcely outdone by
the Christmas trade This is owing in a
great measure to the wholesale marking
down in all departments making it possible
to obtain a really good article at low figure.
The merchants find it more satisfactory in a
financial point of view to sell at small
profit than to carry goods over. At X. II.
Whites. Jordan & Marshs and Hollander's.
the clerks have been taxed to their utmost to
wait upon the crowd of purchasers, who all
the week have thronged the shops. The plan
of marking articles with the price in lsrge
figures is much liked by shoppers. 1t pre-
vents waste of time in questioning, and
makes decision easy where the one price sys-
tenn is in vogue. There is a facination in
the very words "marked down" Suppose
one did not come out with the intention of
purchasing such or such article. There
it is marked down twenty per cent, 1t will
be needed some time and there is an actual
gain to the buyer of just that amount.
Doubtless many lightened purses have been
apologized for since New Years with this
specious kind of reasoning. At Houghton's
and Duttou's much fine china was injured in
the holiday rush and is now being sold very
low. Everything left over from the Christ
mas trade is put on the counters at almost
ones own price, and the result is decidedly
satisfactory TO purchasers. There are many
who predict large failures for February. and
depression of business in general, but look
ing at facts as they stand to-day, these good
people seem standing uHder cloud of their
own making.
Abraham French & Co., the great china
and glassware dealers on Franklin street
have recently added many very handsome
and costly specimens to their art rooms and
have held receptions which were crowded with
fashonables. In consequence their sales
have been very large. The art receptions
held on the same days were thinly attended.
The Foreign Exposition closes its doors
finally on Saturday, Jan. 18th. Financially
it has not been a success, and many of the
exhibitors will go away with dis
couraging views of American generosity
In all other WAYS the exhibition
has been brilliant and splendid success, and
all honor is due Boston for its energy in plan
ming and successfully carrying through 50
great an undertaking. The smaller articles
for sale by the different nations represented
have found ready purchasers because the
prices were Nltblu tue III ans oI All Out tUe
rare and antique, although duly admired and
appreciated, will be carried back unsold. A
pair of vases from Paris valued at $4,000
certainly does not represent that amount of
money to the eyes of the ordinary man or
woman, who would be quite as well pleased
with pair not so old by six hundred years.
1t may be instructive TO gaze upon small,
fiat, brown jars, and be told that they repre-
sent hundreds Of years and are worth many
thousands of dollars but the American pub
lie rather doubt it, and is willing to recon
sign it to the museum. Some sales have, of
course, been made, but nothing like the ex-
pectations which were raised IN the hearts of
our foreign cousins. The tapestries. paint.
ings and sculpture are indeed marvels OF
genius, skill, patience and beauty. The
Italian sarcophagi, 1900 years old
has attracted much interest and attention. A
few pieces of statuary have been sold ant