Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-12-20
DISCARDED FINERY.
WHAT BECOMES OF THE CAST OFF
CLOTHING OF RICH LADIES.

| SAOtHuHS StOTcS VI tne beUUeT SldSS-1He
Poor Relations Not Forgotten.
"What do the fashionable and wealthy
women of New York do with their dis
carded garments?" This question is sug-
gested by one of our thoughtful readers.
He says: "To be in the swim these ladies
must have cords and cords of clothes to
cast off, entirely too many for supply of
Do they invite the old clio men to their
houses? They cannot give 'em to their
servants. What do they do with 'em2"
Looking this subject up, 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 it 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 it. They
do not like the bother of doling out gifts.
Of course, they do not call in the ordinary
old clo' 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
appointment 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 may
always be found in second hand stores.
One very capacious outlet for such goods
is found in the aid societies of the various
churches and the rapacious demands of
ladies' fairs. Much rich clothing gets cut
up to make crazy quilts, pin cushions and
the million knickknacks that go to fill
ladies fair. The underclothing is easily
seized by the benevolent ladies for distri-
button among the poor, to whom rich
oor1tc rrn111H ha 10
gift.
Some rich ladies do not scruple to use
up all their old silk or satin dresses as
lining for new garments. These silk and
satin Elings are not only elegant and styl-
ish, but they are very comfortable and
convenient. They are lighter than ordi-
nary Innings.
But the poor relations are not forgotten.
There are many Of them in New York.
Most Of the rich families have come up
from poverty by long course of hard
work and active business. Very few have
been able to bring up all their relations
with them. The poor relations have
daughters who must be made presentable
when they visit the rich houses, and they
are not only not ashamed to accept gifts
of clothing, but are very glad to get it.
There are also many poor women In New
York who have once been rich, whose hus-
bands or fathers have failed in business
or died with embarrassed estates, and who
rely upon old associates among the rich
for suitable clothing to keep up a respect
able appearance.
ACTRESS COSTUMES.
As to the leading actresses who have
large and expensive wardrobes, they do
not need to give away or sell much cloth
ing. The exigencies Of their profession
require large quantities of material to pro-
vide costumes for various parts, and their
good dresses are made over and over
again and reappear In various forms, are
interchanged, mixed and mingled so that
the original shape is unrecognizable
There is no end to the uses that expert |
costumers can make of good material,
which, whether the property Of the rich |
or the professional, need never 20 a-beg- |
ging. Much Of the discarded clothing Of |
rich ladies does find its way to the stage
costumer, and reappears in the court |
trains, the ball room robes, and other |
wonders Of the toilet that grace the fair
forms of walking ladies, and astound the
female in the audience at the |
lavish expenditure which the manager has
made.
Much Of the best material of the dis
carded dresses of rich ladies finds its way |
to the dye house, and there assumes some
more marketable or fashionable color, or
gets done in black, which is equally the
taste of the grave and gay, the lively and
severe. And thus in many ways the old
dresses of rich ladies are conserved and
contribute their mite to illustrate that
triumph of civilization that is approaching
when nothing goes to waste. The refuse
of the gas house is made into the most
gorgeous aniline dyes, and applied to
faded rich materials, to again reappear in
those delightful forms that ever fascinate
the gaze Of man and absorb so much Of
the time and thoughts of women. Thus
ever the old is transformed into the new
IN the alembic of time and through the
genius and invention of man and woman.
New York Sun.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree.
Magistrate Ito base ball umpire charged
With being drunk and disorderly)EIt is
simply outrageous, young man, the condi
ion in which you are brought before me.
You are disgrace to the great national
,ame.
Umpire Wh-a-tl Thatu Ghost you
twenty-five (hic) dollars. judge. No back
{o11y T,;ol 4 70 mo on I'1l GDa Won tho \