Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-07-23

WOMEN WHO PAY HIGH PRICES FOR
CHEAP GOODS.
Trading ON the CreduIity of Wealth.
Some of the Prices of Bonnets
and Gowns Giving Much
and Getting Little.

dry goods establishments Of this cityi They
are bought and worn, but by wnom no one
can say for a certainty; st least, there is no
tracing them to their final owners by the
dazzling appearance said owners make in
them.
New York Is full of rich women who pay
awful prices for their apparel in the com
forting belief that they are getting the best,
consequently the most beautiful and becom
ing. This is frequently a delusion. Indeed,
the effect of their extravaganza is often
startling enough to make one content with
out riches. IL is astonishing how much
money rich women often spend To make
themselves hideouS.
Much of this is due to the fact that they
repose enti-e.y too much confidence in the
tas,e Of their IN Liner and modste. They
form the habit of buying their bonnets of
Mime. st. c. because her establishment is
the fashion. ''she keeps nothing cheap
you will hear them say. with great gusto, as
though that ended all doubt. The fact is,
the milliner they patronize keeps nothing
cheap because she has the assurance to pin
"a twenty-five dollar tag ON "a tive-iollar
straw bonnet. Her patrons pay the extra
twenty dollars with delight, in the blissful
belize that in some mysterious way that
much money Is wrapped up IN the little dat
of straw and velvet. They could 60 into
any less pretentious house where untrimmed
bonnets an hats are sold and duplicate the
bonnet for 81. aud buy "a much velvet as
ttf.. ..f ffS sfz. faf.
and have still 81 left TO pay milliner for
trimming il.
Milliners who deal with upper-class human
nature learn something, and apply their
knowledge 10 the replenishment Of their
purses. They learn that large class oi
purchasers are captivstei by high prices.
They, the purchasers, cannot divest theiI
minds OF the belief that a thing is particu
larly desirable because il is particularly ex-
pensive. II never occurs to them that then
gullibility is To the miliiners profit; tina;
she i buying houses and lots with the money
their credulity causes them to hand over to
her.
Ladies from Other parts of the country are
apt to be ensnared in the nets Of these fash
the city. they pick out some fine millinery
establishment. thinking that there they will
be protected from making mistakes as &c
style, be IN no danger of buying q
behind-the-tmes article in fact. The
other danger of paying enormously foI
nothing they never realizs. A friend from
the South showed me recently, with great
satisfaction, IA very ordinary little hat she
had just purchased.
Don't you think it's prettyf' she asked.
"Yes; pretty enough for an unpretentious
little thing for ordinary wear answered,
but not specially attractive nor stylish
She looked surprised why, bought it
Of one of the most fashionable milliners,'
she said, ''and il cost 81"
Then you paid SIS too much for it,"
l calmly replied. She didn't believe
me. Her faith in the mfallibility of the
milliner was too strong. She looked on me
with pity, fancying | was unable TO appie
ciste the value of really fine article. Then
We investigated that hat and figured up its
belongings. IL was plain straw, purchas-
able anywhere for 81 80 estimating it at the
highest figure; it wa, bound with
band of blue velvet about two
inches Deep and ITS only trimmin. was
. scarf of soft blue silk wouni round the
crown and twisted up into a dashing knot
ON one side, into which gilt cord was taste
fully looped Five dollars would have built
the hat complete, allowing 81 to the milliner
for trimming ii. Its owner was undeceived.
She realized that her confidence in high
priced milnners had flown away with her
money and her sense
She wanted to buy some gowns, all ready
TO put ON without the fuss of consulting
modiste and having them fitted-that dread
full WEAKNESS to the soul and body. She took
me along "a a protection from herself. We
went TO fashionable importers, 30 styled.
Nv friend called for a black lace dress.
One was brought out. Ii was machine lace
generally known a. French lace-made on a
surah foundation Ii was quite pretty. but
by no means an elegant garment. Price
$3.50. The very highest cost price could not
have been over 500. We did not purchase
Il. A gown Of black mummy eliot b of sum
mer weight was next examined. Price $50.
Ii would have beea dear at $40. Ii was al
most perfectly plain, very simple and no
better finished than any conscientious
twelve-dolar dressmaker's work Another
garment Mt $50 was brought out for cur in
spection IL was OF black organdie, fussed
up with lace and splashed here and there
with nobby knots of black ribbon. Less
than half the price asked would have been
high for it.
We left without buying anything. and
sought millinery establishment. OF the kind
my friend dotted ON, in search OF bonnet,
something more dressy THAN the lat she had
purchased. A modest little thing Of stylish,
rough straw, trimmed with velvet and a
splash OF yellow roses took her fancy. How
muchf twenty-five dollars said the
smiling saleswoman, in the tone of one to
whom that sum is mere hagatelle, scarcely
worth thinking about, certainly not worth
any hesitation. i was amazed at LIE colossal
impudence which could demand such prices
for such an article, and still more amazed 1T
the besotted credulity OF the people who paid
them.
These establishments give New York the
reputation OF holIing its merchandise higher