Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-22
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
How Twelve Trunks Went to New York and
Were Emptied 10 Their Owners Sorrow
Tho shows This Week.

Were Emptied 10 Their Owners Sorrow
Tho Shows This Week.
In recent number of Harper's Weekly
Julian Ralph wrote very entertainingly of GER
tain curious avocatious to which men devote
themselves in New York City. Among these
he noted the business of buying the dresses Of
fashionable women-an industry very much
superior to that of buying old clothes merely.
It is quite large and remunerative trade.
A few years ago lady Of this city-the wife
of a well-known Pittsburger-went to New
York. Her errand was partly business, partly
pleasure. To the former purpose she carried
no less than dozen trunks, packed with
dresses which she had no further use for,
though many of them had not been worn more
than once or twice. She had fondness for
costly dresses and was devoted to fashion. Ar
rived in New York she went to the Fifth
Avenue Hotel, the trunks following her there.
The next day, as one Of the urbane clerks was
allowing the public an enhancing view OF his
figure and diamonds, there passed through the
lobby of the hotel a small man with Hebra1c
features and an immense bundle. The clerk
did not like the look of the old man staggering
under load of something wrapped in an oil
skin. He sent one of the strapping Irish por-
ters after the old man to bring him back. When
the old man approached the desk the clerk
asked him what he had in the bundle.
"Old clothes, sir" was the reply.
"Where did you get them from~
From the lady in room no."
That's Mrs. -, of Pittsburg-one of our
wealthest guests-impossibleP' said the clerk,
ster1ly, and he sent up bell boy to room ITO
to ask the lady there if she had been disposing
of any clothing. The bell boy returned in a
few minutes with the answer that the lady in
ITO did not know what the clerk meant, and
had not been dsposing of anything to anybody.
Exactly what 1 thought" said the clerk,
putting his soft hands together. and then, ad-
dressing the old man with the bundle, he said:
II shall have to turn you over to the police"
So
THE old man was highly excited by this time.
He took out a big wallet and drew from it q
letter, which he handed to the clerk. The lat
ter took 1t and found it to be note addressed
by the lady occupying room ITO to Mr.. -,
dealer in ladies' and gentlemen's clothing ETC.,
asking him to call upon her at the hotel. This
complicated matters, and the clerk, with the
note, went up to room ITO himself. Mrs. -
was almost in tears when she confessed that
she had sold a quantity Of dresses to the mer-
chant in question. 1t was decidedly unpleas-
ant situation all around. The clerk had to
apologize to the lady in ITO and to the old
the latter threatened to sue the hotel
The story got out, and Mrs. -, of this
city, has never taken her cast-of dresses to
New York since then.
~
THEtheaters are bidding each for very differ
ent support this week. From the look of the
Opera House last night Little Lord Fauntle-
roy" has most claims on the women and chill.
dren; at the Bijou the Byrons appeal to the
lovers of sensation. and the howls of the gal
lery gods last night showed that thousands had
turned out to greet them. At Harris Theater
the wolves and Indians and red fire of Daniel
Boone" drew another section of the public that
likes its drama most richly seasoned. Fifth
avenue was obstructed by the crowds at Harris
doors.
The patronage of all the theaters and the
Academy of Music is SO wonderfully good that
all the managers are making money, and an.
other theater would not be at all in excess of
the demand.