Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-02-22
THE Bril-. .A-BRAc RETAINER.
An Invention iatended to Cheek the De-
predations of Robber Guests.

edge OI "A dlmask covered talteull and
waited patiently for the appearance of
the mistress of the house.
Madam" he said, rising respectful
ly as she entered. my only apology
for this intrusion is that | have some,
thing of exceptional value To offer
something that in the course Of a year
will save you both loss and annoy
ance. The article in question | have
just patented. IL isa novelty cheap
at many times It's actual price, and is
called the 'bric-a-brac rataincr.' You,
l dare say. have suffered more or less
from the raids of predatory guests
who carry off from your receptions
and parties ornaments aud so forth as
if they were lawful spoil"
1T is true, | must confess" replied
the lady. During the last four years
/ suppose ! have twice filled my house
with articles Of a decorative nature,
buying them from time tn time, and
yet have left at present scarcely one
thing Of the sort that is worth carry
ing away. Everything readily port
able seems TO have gone. Idon't know
how. Only this | am sure of, that
after every ball or reception certain
pieces of my property have been found
missing. In the chamber used as a
dressing rooa for ladies | have had
four sets of silver backed brushes and
combs-such luxuries cost from $50 to
$50 apiece. yon know-and they have
all vanished. The last set | fastened
to the bureau with heavy silver chains,
but they were bitten off with pincers,
chains and all"
1T is really dreadful, madame; but,
as | was about 10 remark
"Ies, as you were saying, nothing
seems to escape these people who take
things, They must simply grab. One
night last January | missed my e
fire iron. and then | remembered hav-
ing seen an unidentified gentleman
on his way out through the hall
swinging a queer looking cane with a
brass knob and a crook at the wrong
end. | am convinced TO this day that
il was my best poker. | have more
than once lost the entire paraphernalia
OF "A mantelpiece or etagere nj "A single
swoop. \ woman was onc caught
operating at a reception, | have heard,
with an enormous pocket in her dress,
into which she could readily sweep, at
a moments notice, a whole shelf full
of ornaments. Some such wholesale
robber must have gained admittance
here beyond a doubt"
That. madame, is precisely where
the bric-a-brac retainer
Even my table silver has disap-
peared at such Il rate that | have been
really distressed at the loss. You see,
owing TO my husbands position, ! am
Obliged To entertain rather more indis-
criminately than | should otherwise,
perhaps. and you know what that
means. Not only do many people
come TO my house by invitation whom
! would scarce regard as belonging TO
my set. but my receptions-even some
times my Rirties-are not infrequently
attended by guests who are notinvited
at all. No pains are taken 10 turn in
truders out, for reasons strictly ofli-
cial. High public office may have its
advantages. but. for my part, ! would
prefer the Independence of common
place mediocrity. My husband seems
to have u passion for serving the pub
lie. but | don't know a more disagree
able master, and | would rather be in
the employ of somebody who had not
the right to invade my home at will.
You know how well the notion has
gone abroad that in Washington it is
not necessary, if one wishes TO attend
an entertainment, To wait for a bidding,
But, goodness me! how it would graf
ify me TO snub such interlopers, if l
were only not a semi-public parsonage.
The incidental loss of small furniture
is only a trihing part Of the affection.
Ii is bad enough. however"
Il sympathize with you heartily,
madame: but this invention Of mine
Indeed. it is almost too much for
endurance. My plan for putting a
stop TO the nuisance, If il were only
practicable-and | don't think any
other could be so-is to put a chain on
each guest upon entering the house,
allowing them a reasonable range,
and have him or her rigidly searched
by specially employed private detec-
tives before departure. As things are
now one is altogether defenseless. II
! caught any one in the act Of carrying
off my property it would hardly be
worth making a rumpus about. At
the worst the verdict would be 'klep-
tomania,' that being the word in vogue
in polite society for stealing. Why, l
have actually seen ornaments of mine
on the m~antlepiece of somebody
else's house, but | said nothing"
But, madam, said the shabby man,
'this bric-a.brac retainer of which
! have been speaking will solve the
difficulty. Permit me TO attach it to
SO peculiarly shaped an article as that
vaseon the chimney shelf. II is made,
you see, of steel and vulcanized rub
Der. | have now with a single motion
applied il, and | will defy you 10 move
the vase an inch. The device is readily
adjustable TO bric-a-brac Of any and
every shape, and nothing to which it
is fastened can possibly be removed,
unless with a Ratchet and cold chisel.
II may be that guests would bring
those instruments with them, but for
the fact that the noise they make
would be too great. However, this
means absolute safety for your orna-
ments; the retainer does not show o