The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-11-01
DISCARDED FINERY.
WHAT BECOMES or THE CAST OFF
CLOTHING OF RICH LADIES.

Discoveries Made by an Inquisitive Re-
porter--Gsrments Found In Second Hand
Clothing stores Of the Better Cisss-The
Poor Relations Not Forgotten.
"What do the fashionable and wealthy
women Of New York do with their dis.
carded garmentsf" This question is sug.
gested by one of our thoughtful readers.
He says: ITO be In the swim these ladies
must have cords and cords Of clothes to
cast on, entirely too many for supply Of
their poor relations. Do they self themf
Do they invite the old clio mon to their
housesf They cannot give EN- to their
servants. What do they do with 'em9"
Looking this subject up, q reporter
learned that the ladies of New York have
various ways Of disposing Of their dis.
carded garments. and instead Of being at
all embarrassed to do so, they could dis.
pose OF many more. 1t is certain that
none OF them Is thrown into the street
That many Of them are sold Is obvious
from the fact that In second hand cloth
ing stores Of the better class there are al.
ways to be found rich garments that have
been but little worn. There Is quite as
much difference between second hand
stores as there Is between stores where
only new goods are sold. There are plenty
OF second hand stores where only goods
OF first quality are sold; where very nice
silks, satins, lace, upholstery and bric-a.
brac can always be found, and where the
prices are kept quite above the reach of
ordinary people, although far below first
hand prices for such goods. 1t need not
be inferred that all these goods are bought
directly from first owners. In many cases
they are bought of second owners, who
have received them as gifts from the first
owners, who discard everything the mo.
ment that 1t goes out of fashion.
DISLIKE THE BOTHER.
Yet there are rich ladies who sell every.
thing OF this kind, not so much for the
money as for the convenience Of 1t. They
DO not like the bother Of doing out gifts
" course, they do not call in the ordinary
old clio man. They would not for the
world exchange word with the conten.
tious junkmen who are so anxious to ex.
change crockery for old garments. They
deal with quiet, nice people, who make a
business of going to dwelling houses by
to appraise and purchase
such goods. The advertisements of these
upper class" dealers may always be found
In the newspapers. The fact that the
business Is profitable is apparent from the
fact that such advertisements do con.
stantly appear, and such garments NAV
always be found in second hand stores.
One very capacious outlet for such goods
y found In the aid societies Of the various
churches and the rapacious demands of
adde's fairs. Much rich clothing gets cut
up to make crazy quilts, pin cushions and
The million knickknacks that 90 to fill
l ladies' fair. The underclothing is easily
seized by the benevolent ladies for distri.
button among the poor, to whom rich
'uter garments would be an inappropriate
dft.
Some rich ladies do not scruple to use
Up all their old silk or satin dresses as
lining for new garments. These silk and
'atin Innings are not only elegant and styl- |
sh, but they are very comfortable and
They are lighter than ordi.
larry Innings.
But the poor relations are not forgotten.
[nere are many Of them in New York.
dost of the rich families have come up
rom poverty by long course Of hard
work and active business. Very few have
'een able to bring up all their relations
With them. The poor relations have
aughters who must be made presentable
Vhen they visit the rich houses, and they
re not only not ashamed to accept gifts
4 clothing, but are very glad to get It.
here are also many poor women in New
.ork who have once been rich, whose hus.
ands or fathers have failed in business
r died with embarrassed estates, and who
ely upon old associates among the rich
Of suitable clothing to keep up respect
bic appearance.
ACTRESS COSTUMES
As to tho leading actresses who have Il
lrge and expensive wardrobes, they do
OF need to give away or sell much cloth
lg. The exigencies of their profession
squire large quantities Of material to pro.
lde costumes for various parts, and their
God dresses are made over and over
gain and reappear in various forms, are
lterchanged, mixed and mingled so that
1e original shape is unrecognizable.
here Is no end to the uses that expert [
ostumers can make Of good material, Il
hich, whether the property of she rich
: the professional, need never 20 a-beg.
ing Much Of the discarded clothing Of
ch ladies does find its way to the stage
,stumer, and reappears in the court
aims, the ball room robes, and other
onders of the toilet that grace the fair |
rms OF walking ladies, and astound the '.
nth1nking female in the audience at the |
wish expenditure which the manager has
ade q
Much of the best material of the dis L
rded dresses of rich ladies finds its way :
the dye house, and there assumes some =
ore marketable or fashionable color, or
ITS done In black, which is equally the
ste OF the grave and gay, the lively and
we're. And thus in many ways the old
esses of rich ladies are conserved and
ntribute their mite to illustrate that
iumph of civilization that is approaching
hen nothing goes to waste. The refuse
the gas house is made into the most
rgeous aniline dyes, and applied to
ded rich materials, to again reappear in I
ose delightful forms that ever fascinate
Q gaze of man and absorb so much of
Q time and thoughts Of women. Thus
er the old is transformed into the new
no a o,,, l,;c -