Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-05
A MENDING BUREAU.
WHERE THE TATTERED AND TORN
MAY LIE UP FOR REPAIRS.

Mans Eenetit-Peace and JOY for a
Nickel-Buttons Sewed ON While You
Wait.
You will readily guess what mending
bureau is. 1t is place where the tat
tered and torn may lay up for repairs,
where the elusive button may be fastened
in its socket so tight that it stays there
for the rest Of his natural life, where he
that hath a torn lining to his over
coat may have new lining put in its
place or the old one brought to a proper
frame Of mind, where rip in the coat
sleeve may be doctOred in genuinely scien-
tific style, where the right sort of treat
meht is administered to all sorts and con-
ditions of dilapidated garments.
A reporter stood in front of a big Jew
elry store wondering If there really were
great reductions in watches and dia-
monds," when he encountered an &C
4uaintance Of erstwhile seedy but present
dapper appearance.
Give just been to the mending bureau"
said this worthy, land I feel like new
man. The lining Of my coat had slipped
its moorings, and every time put on the
coat l sWOre new and attractive oaths.
There was fringe on my trouser legs. Ny
cuffs were pinned on. My pants were
supported only by shoe string and a
piece Of clothes line. Suspender buttons
l had none. There were only two buttons
on my vest, and l kept it on with bent
hairpin. If l had sneezed hard should
have stood painless and forlorn before
gaping, jibing world.
OFFICIATING GOOD ANGELS
'FWhile in this sorry plight found this
morning circular of the mending bureau
1t was sent to me by some special dispen-
sation of plying providence. l went to
the mending bureau and stayed twenty
minutes. They did not repair me COM
pletely, for l am modest man, and the
officiating angels are all of the gentler sex,
but my coat lining is in state of perfec-
ton that fills me with admiration. My
cuffs are now properly attached to their
buttons. My vest displays goodly array
of buttons upon its facade. / am going
home, where l shall go to bed and send
boy down to the mending bureau with
those articles of apparel, the mending of
which cannot well be done in my pres
ence," and so saying the mended and
happy man vanished.
The reporter felt his external raiment
all over, but failed to find anything for
the mending bureau to experiment upon.
Finally he bethought him that there was
but one button on the back Of his Prince
Albert coat What do they have those
two buttons on the back of coat for,
anyhow? The absence of one of the duo
OF buttons had caused the reporter much
annoyance for several weeks. 1t detracted
from the symmetry of his figure, and
caused him to walk lop sided. Relief
was at hand. The reporter sought the
mending bureau. AS yet it consists of
eingle good sized room, light and airy,
and containing sewing machines, work
tables and chairs. Two or three middle
aged ladies and three or four young ladies
were seated about the room, busily plying
the needle. One was threading a needle
md she performed that intricate opera
ton so quickly and neatly that it made
the reporter enviouS as he recalled past
struggles of his own. A tall young lady
with an amused expression in her eloquent
dark eyes asked the blushing reporter
what he wished to have rnended. He re-
strained an inclination to say that his
heart had suffered compound fracture,
and coyly explained that another button
on his coat tails was the essential to his
happiness. The young lady smiled and
asked the reporter to remove his coat.
Being an unmarried man, unused to
feminine society, he biushed like red,
red rose; then, remembering with glad
ness that he had put on his pink striped
shirt in the morning, he took courage,
took off his coat and accepted proffered
chair. The other ladies kept ON sewing
and paid no attention to the customer.
THE CONVENIENT BUREAU.
There were two other customers in the
room, both minus coats. One was having
a button sewed on his shirt cuff. and the
other had his coat up for repairs. The
ladies sewed rapidly, and the three con-
tracts were soon completed. The re-
porter was assisted into his coat by tbs
tall, dark eyed young lady. This alone
was worth the price Of admission, and
five cents was all that was charged for
the Replacing of the button, Tor which the
assurance was given that it would stay as
long as the coat were worn.
1--WE have no regular scale OF
prices as yet said the manageress Of the
las the mending bureau
has only been running few days. 1t is
the first institution of the kind In the
west, though there is one in New York
that has made good deal of money. We
thought that there WAS demand for q
bureau where the mending of underwear
could be done with neatness and dispatch. /
Single gentlemen VIII appreciate the con- |
venience of bureau where their clothes |
are looked after in good. homehke way. |
Ladies who are overourdened with the |
cares Of housekeeping win also find the |
bureau convenient, and we expect 70 have
trade from people who visit /
the city and stop at the hotels We In /
tend 10 make arrangements whereby Tor /
4 small sum paid weekly or monthly we |
viii keep wardrobes in good repair We
III do quick work and when we sew
button on it stays there every time.
The reporter realized fully the truth Of /
.hese statements. There are careless |
nortais who would quite as leave have /
heir garments II bad repair. but they are
q the minority. The great majority VII
prefer t. have their clothes kent In order J.