Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-12-04
To..1-1-UI SHOT LIS.
HUNDREDS or ARTICLES LOST EVERY
DAY m THE GREAT STORES.

A stylishly dressed girl was walking
through Fourteenth street the other day with
her mother. when she suddenly stopped and
exclaimed with some alarm;
~Oh. dear I've lost my umbrella, mamma"
aIiow carelessl Where could You have left
n. ciliidf xaid mamma, more annoyed by
the delay which search might nccessitate
than by the loss Of the missing article
Il nm sure Il would be impossible for me 70
cell. replied the young lady; we have been TO
80 many PLACES this morning Well, ! guess
il don't make much difference any way. IL
won't pay 10 60 and look for 1t, as ii was an
old thing. ani papa has promised to buy me
new one
let a. 20 ON then" said her mother,
shut do try, Fannie, not 20 be so careless next
time"
Thus the matter was disposed Of by the
loser. The finder was little white-aproned
cash girl in one 81 the largest OF the dozen or
more biz stores not far from the spot, where
the two ladies' had been shopping. The little
cash gil picked up the umbrella from its
resting place against the glove counter and
booked about Tor the owner, but no one
seemed disposed 20 claim it, She then exam
fned the silver handle and the quality Of the
siIk with her keen little eyes aud finally
marched Of with il on her shoulder 20 hand 1t
Tn triumph % salmonfaced lady behind
high desk in a remote part Of the store.
NEVER RECLAIMED.
Hnnirels 81 articles are lost every day in
the great stores Of New York that are never
reclaimed What becomes Of them may be
of interest 20 the reader In some Of the
most frequented shops Of Sixth avenue and
Broadway Il has been found necessary 10 keep
. clerk fos the especial purpose OF taking
charge If lost articles and 20 institute a regu-
lar system by which they may be disposed Of.
Il would h.. Of course impossible 20 enumer-
ate all tha thousand and one different things
of more or less value that arc constantly
bdns found. There are, however, certain
variety IL articles that form the staple of this
harvest The first place belongs 10 handker-
chiefs q an sorts and varieties, from the ordi-
nary ten-cent aIticle 70 the more costly lace
AMI embroidered ones Umbrellas rank next,
ami arc found IN large quantities. Then
eone gloves aud a. they are generally with
Out a mate taeg are comparatively valueless
Poekctb1oks FANS hand saehels, NUTS and
pieces Of lewelry follow in more or less pro
fnsion
All the various articles. when discovered
without an owner, are taken Immediately 10
rho fl9 ID charge ~ tho "fourd dcskp She
the clerk is generally female-sorts them
and keeps them FOR Identification Such rs
are afterward claimed are returned 10 the
owner, and the rest, having been kept for
certain length OF time, are disposed OF some
what as follows:
Tho hanakorchiefs, after having been laun-
dried. are divided into two classes and are
sold 10 the employees for two and five cents
each. according 60 their quality. A sale of
hanikerchiefs occurs about once a week in
the large stores, and each department has its
turn to buy No Partially is allowed 20 be
shown, and each saleswoman has an clual OPP
portunity 10 make her own selection.
Umbrellas not accommodating so rapidly as
handkorchiefs, a sale OF them takes place only
about once month. They are confined 90
the purchase Of the cash girls in preference TO
all other employees. They command the in
significant tribe OF five and ten cents each.
MONEY AND JEwELRY.
An money and jewelry found goes TO the
proprietor OF the establishment unless claimed.
Pocketboolss containing money are almost I'M
variably called for and the house, therefore,
but seldom profits by the misfortune or care
lessness of its pasons Ii often happens that
packages containing goods which have been
bought in the store are dropped or left at the
counter by the purchaser, who in going about
from one department TO another while shop
ping forgets 10 return. These packages are
opened and If not reclaimed the goods are re-
turned to the counter from which they came
and put back in stock. A book IS kept for
che purpose of making a record of such ar
ticles, and an accurate note is taken Of the
Kind of goods their quantity and quality and
price II there should happen 90 be any
change that is also carefully noted. This is
done in order that the loser may recover the
los at any future time.
The object in selling certain articles that
are found is not, as might at first be sup
posed, to make them of profit 10 the store,
hut, in the first place, to defray the expenses
of the loss department, and, in the second
place, to prevent Partially being shown the
buyers
In the sale of all fine articles, silk umbrellas,
Race handkerchief etc, the superintendents
and such other employees as draw high salaries
are allowed first choice, and il is seldom that
ehey neglect to avail themselves Of this privi-
Age to buy at such bon marche Last winter
avery elegant sealslIin muff, worth probably
IN the neighborhood of $50, became the prop
Srty of one of the lady superintendent in
KaTge Sixth avenue store for the ridiculous
ygice of twenty-five cents.-New York Star.