Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-11
London Nocsesy In Trade.

NOBLE LADIES WHO TOUT AT BALLS AND PEERS Look-
ING foR COMMISSIONS.
Clement SCOTS London Letter 10 America
Ladies OF the highest birth and breeding, women
admitted everywhere IN society, are not above
trading In millinery and female knick- knacl1s not
because they are In any necessity but for the
mere sake OF doing something fast and original
Some set up bonnet shops others start millinery
establishments. old curiosity stores have attrac-
tons for Others, and, under fancy names such as
Nine Isabel or Nine Madeleine or Mme ROsalie,
they buy aud sell and tout and barter without the
slightest conjunction or loss OF social caste. In
some cases IL Is even worse than that The lady OF
fashion opens bonnet or millinery establishment
on the FIRST noor her husband occupies the ground
fiat as a betting place, with telephones ana tele-
graph wires Land ON 10 the nrst racing clubs: so
the women come 10 feast on the millinery ana 20
geb into debt, and the men spend the afternoon
smoking cigars drinking brandles and sodas and
gambling TO their hearts content
Ladies Of title and fashion. who have good In.
comes Of their own, whose daughters ars well
married TO men OF wealth and position, who have
no pressing necessity 10 take up trade, except TO
provide themselves with luAur1es take To buy1ng
anu selling merely TO pass away the time. They
avoid the shop drculty by setting up their stores
and exhibiting their goods In the tIie back draw
ing-rOOn, 70 which they invite as customers ali
their friends and Relatives, who look In for alter
noon tea They employ their n.ale friends
agents In the bonnet business, giving them un-
dersUood commission, and they do not hesitate 10
tout for customers al all the dinner parties. and
dances and Eat homes 10 which they may be In
vited- only the other day ] was lunching with a
very old friend of mine, and the servant inter-
rupted Us while chatting afterW ard, ana an
nouBced the arrival or pile oI milllners boxes
containing samples OF goods OF every description.
MY fr1end had met the fashionable milllner out
the evening before al "A party, had weakly PROM
ised her custom, ana, behold. ON the next day she
was asked 10 redeem her pledge and 20 give a
helping hand 10 the tradesRoman. There f. no
end 10 the touting and begging and cadging that
goes on
Women who do not mind boring their friends for
orders for bonnets and nantes, and who, havinga
certain knack OF their own, a half-slaryed
mliner up In one OF the back attics. charge Two
three guineas Tor a bonnet-shape stuck over with
artificial nowers and ribbon that cost them q few
shilings, Or make 30 or 40 per cent prOft out OF
cnllds nat, are quickly followed by the men who.
oyvG the social dinner talk try TO push cigars or
if0>either on their own account or on cornmls-
sion Tor friends In the city, IN fact "shOp" Is the
order OF the day and it Is difficult 10 pass quiet,
social hour without being ylctlInized-
During the present season this mania OF S)clety
for barIering and bargaining has extended 70
amusements. For years past The Italian opera
has not been paying speculationi no ihApressaro
has been found eager 10 risA a season OF Italian
racy so the ingenious Mr.. Augustus Harris this
wear Invited certain noneyed men. well-knOwn In
society," 10 help him An his risk Ihey guaranteed
10 take and nj 50 many boxes and stalls at COvent
Garden every night provided M. Harms would
provide the artlstS The consequence Is that the
opera this year has been more successful than In
the palmy DAYS, and with such WORKOUT, hack
neyed old operas as the ''TTayiata,- "IrOyatore"
.Iucla." and on, and without the attraction of
such stars Patti and Nilsson; and for this very
good reason: the fashionable world Il full Of ladies
and gentlemen who tout for the opera specula-
ZION Those who were Inclined 10 go 70 the thea
tiers are imp,ored 10 20 20 opera instead Jdst 10
narflcularly ANXIOUS that her box saall not he
empty or because Lord Il Interested 10 the
Coyent Garden speculation
In the old days the swells used 20 subscribe 70
their friends: nowadays they.subscrlOe as specu.
lation and hold out their hands Tor the money.