The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-10
Br0adbrim'S New York Letter
Special to the CARBON ADVOCATE.

Special to the CARBON ADVOCATE.
The colossal fortunes which the last
few years have built up are fostering an
extravaganza which is fast destroying
whatever little Republicanism,o or Demo-
cracy-call it which you please-still
remains to distinguish us from the effete
monarchies of the Old World. There
is an aping after aristocratic ways and
manners, with much of the imported
tomfoclery which is disgusting to SEN
sible men, and bodies but lily for the fu-
ture of our Republic. No one expects a
millionaire to live like q hod-carrier; it
is fitting that man of means should
live literally, and give his money
chance. have little respect for rich
man who pinches, and screws, and
grinds down his fellow man to the last
cent, for the sake of boarding away
money which somebody who doesn't
care rap for him will scatter to the
winds. was taking walk through
Pine street the other day, and saw
sign out "Auction of Turkish Rugs to-
morrow" Being Of an inquiring turn
of mind, and thinking that the proprie-
tor might mistake me for bloated
bondholder, l stepped up to the clerk
with the air of bank cashier about to
skip for Canada, and said, "Young fel-
low, how much do you ask for this2"
and l took hold of rug by the corner
as if it was my usual habit to buy FIVE or
six day. THAT'S a cheap one," said
the daisy salesman, looking at me super
ciliously, 'cheap but good; you can
have that before the sale for one hun
dred and eighty dollars. When the sale
opens the lowest bid we will take is two
hundred, and don't you forget it," l
had been jingling six standard dollars
in my pocket, thinking that 1 might
carry home one of these prizes, hoping
they might inspire me when wrote
about Turkey, but this information took
away my breath. ''What is the price
of this?" said meeklY, show much a
yard?" ''We don't sell them by the
yard" he answered. "Oh, you sell
them so much rug, then?" i asked.
mo, we DON'T" he answered. "Well,
how do you sell them, then?" eve
sell them by the square foot" "How
much foot is this?" inquired. "Three
dollars and half" he answered with
as much sang .froid as if he was selling
ingrains at fifty cents a bale. Think of
it, thirty-one dollars and half a yard
for a rugi The rug was nine by twelve !;
that is to say there were twelve yards in
it, and the cost was 1878. 1t takes be-
tween thirty and forty Yards of carpet
for very ordinary bedroom, and sup
pose that some paper-headed dude should
take a fancy to cover his floor with
Turkish rugs, it would take 81 500 to
foot the bill-about enough to furnish
an entire house splendidly forty or fifty
years ago.
stepped into Solomon's, in Union
Square, the other day. This is the
house that furnishes fine tapestries,
hangings and furniture covers for the
creme de la creme. Gorgeous, indeed,
arc VIC Dtduillul sums IlldG SURROUND
you on every side-deft limitations of
those Gobelins that adorn the palaces
of kings. | was afraid to price things
there, because they were wares that did
not concern poor man, and they were
away beyond the reach of persons ordi-
narily rich. Twenty, twenty-five and
thirty dollars yard were not deemed by
any means extravagant, and plenty of
hangings were there worth many times
their weight in gold. The difference be-
tween the Turkish rugs and the goods
at SolomOn's, was: Solomon's goods
were costly--they were beautiful; genius
of the highest and noblest type wrought
those wondrous designs with matchless
skill, and if man could not OWE them
he was elevated and bettered for having
seen them. But the Turkish rugs were
dull and stupid-the very best of them
reflected a semi-barbarous taste; II is
the same Taste that finds its greatest
qualification in the diseased liver of a
goose, and which can never enjoy its
yenison till 1t has reached the stage of
primary decay.
A leading paper contains list Of in
dividuals who were monomaniacs on the
subject Of Japanese curios, and the
sums invested varied for the adornment
of single rooms from 5000 TO $3.50, 900.
This reminds me that one day was
in an old curiosity store, where all sorts
OF ancient and curious things are sold.
An old lady came in with a saucer; 1t
was an ancient affair, and looked to my
unsophisticated eyes Just like such a
saucer as you might expect TO find in
any secondhand ash barrel. The old
| lady wanted a cup TO match IL. The
seller of curlosities declared 1t could not
be done, as the original set was manu-
featured for the Emperor Of Russia, and
when Napoleon sacked Moscow he Sc
cured this set; on the downfall of Ma
! poleon, the set was divided, the King OF
Prussia getting one cup and saucer, the
Emperor of Austria another, the King
of England one, the British Museum
| one, one to Florence, one TO Rome, and
so on, till all but one cup and saucer
was accounted for. The old lady lis
tened with open ears, eyes and mouth,
and Whep she told him she must have
cup, ne promised 20 try. Three weeks
later the old lady called again and the
result was that no sold her an old cracked
Gun, not worth cent. for one hundred