The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-10-30
FORGETFUL SHOPPERS.
HUNDREDS OF ARTICLES LOST EVERY
DAY III THE GREAT STORES.

Charge of Lost Handkerchiefs, UNI
brelIas, Gloves, Fans, Pocketbooks,
Money and Jowelry.
A stylishly dressed girl was walking
through Fourteenth street the other day with
her mother, when she suddenly stopped ana
exclaimed with somc alarm:
ooh, dearl I've lost my umbrella, mamma.
aHow carelessl Where could you have lett
it, childn said mamma, more annoyed by
the DELAY which search might ne''essltate
than bv the loss OF the missing article.
81 am sure it would be impossible for me TO
tell. replied the young lady; we have ueeh 10
so many places this morning. Wen, guess
il don't make much difference any way IL
won't pay to 90 and look for it, as it was an
old thing, and papa has promised to buy me
q new one"
.Iet us go on them" said her mother,
"but do try, Fannie, not to be so careless next
time
Thus the matter was disposed OF by the
loser. The finder was n little whlte-aproned
cash girl in one Of the largest of the dozen or
more biz stores not far from the spot, where
the two ladies had been shopping. The little
cash girl picked up the umbrella from Its
resting place against the glove counter ana
looked about FOR the owner, but no one
seemed DISPOSED to claim it. She then exam
med tho silver handle and the quality OF the
silk with her Keen little eyes, and finally
marched OF with it on her shoulder to hand IL
in triumph to salmon-faced lady behind a
high desk in a remote part OF the store
NEVER RECLAIMED.
Hundreds of articles are lost every day in
the great stores Of New York that are never
reclaimed What becomes Of them may be
OF interest to the reader. In some OF the
most fraquented shops OF Sixth avenue ana
Broadway it has been found necessary TO Keep
clerk for the especial purpose OF taxing
char.a OF lost articles and to institute Tegu-
lar system by which they may be disposed oI.
II would be, of course, impossible to enumer-
ate all the thousand and one different Things
of more or less value that are constantly
heinz found. There are, however, certain
variety of articles that form the staple OF THIS
harvest The first place belongs TO handker-
chief; of all sorts and varieties, from the ordl-
nary ten-ccnt article to the moro costly lace
and embroidered ones. Umbrellas rank next,
! and arc found in large quantities. linen
come gloves. and as they are generally "ith-
! out a mate they are comparatively yallelesS
/ Pocketboois. fans, hand sachels, muils ana
pieces of iewelry follow in more or less pro-
fusion
An the various articles, when discovered
without an owner, are taken Immediately to
the clerk in charge of the found desk she
the clerk is generally female-sortS them
and keeps them for Identification. Such as
are afterward claimed are returned TO the
owner. and the rest, having been kept for
| certain length of time, are disposed OF some
what rs follows:
The handkerchefs, after having been laun-
dried. are divided into two classes and are
/ sold to the employees for two and i've cents
each. according TO their quality. a sale OF
handkerchiefs occurs about once week IN
/ the large stores, and each department has Its
turn TO buy No partially Is allowed TO IL
shown. and each saleswoman has an equal OPP
portunity 10 make her own selection.
Umbrellas. not accommodating so rapidly as
bandkerchefs. sale of them takes place only
about once month. They are confined 10
the purchase Of the cash girls in preference to
all other employees. They command the III
/
MONEY AND JEwELRY.
All money and jewelry found goes to the
nroprietor of the establishment unless claimed.
Pocketbooks containing money are almost IN
variably called for, and the house, therefore,
but seldom profits by the misfortune or care
lessness of It's patrons. 1t 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 to return. These packages are
opaned 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
the puDose of making a record Of such ri
ticles, and an accurate note Is taken OK the
kind of goods, their quantity and quality and
pric4. ii there should happen TO be any
change thac is also carefully noted This Is
done in order that the loser may recover the
loss 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 TO the store,
but. i'm the first place, to defray the expenses
of the loss department, and, in tie second
place. to prevent Partially being shown the
BUYERS.
In the sale of all fire articles, silk umbrellas,
lace handkerchiefs, etc, the superintendent
and such other employees as draw high salaries
arc allowed first choice, and it IS seldom that
they neglect TO avail themselves Of this privi-
lege to buy at such bon marche. Last winter
a very elegant seal-iiin muR worth probably
in the neighborhood Of $40, became the prop
. 81 lolx inf N a