The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-09-16

oecasfons-Impecunio Swell People
May Appear In Borrowed PIumes-
Dresses Loaned for a Consideration.
You can rent anything nowadays,
from completely furnished brown stone
mansion on Fifth avenue to a wedding
trousseau," said an observant old time
New Yorker.
The overweening desire for show which
seemed to have taken possession of
all classes of the community OF late
created, he said, a demand for rented
articles OF every conceivable character.
Shrewd merchants had at once seen that
there was more money in the business of
renting than in selling goods outright,
and as they protected themselves from
loss by invariably collecting the rent
money in advance, their profits were
something enormous.
One man who has abundant capital to
invest guarantees to furnish at short no.
tice everything in the way OF wearing
apparel that the most critical belle might
desire, from diamond necklaces to satin
slippers. His place OF business is located
on Third avenue, block or two below
Central Park. and contains no outward
evidence of being anything but a private
residence.
Ny patrons are nearly all people in
very moderate circumstances" said the
proprietor to q Journal representative,
who called upon him The other day, and
are naturally anxious that their transae-
lions with me shall not become known"
Sone sudden emergency was usually
the cause OF the Arst visit TO him, he said,
but when young woman bad ones ap-
psared at . ball or other entertainment
in q rented costume she was rarely able
to Withstand the temptation Of again ap-
pearing in an attire that 1t would be TAR
beyond her means to purchase.
"By carefully boarding her pin money
she Is able to outshins all the other girls
In her set who are not in the secret, you
see," the dealer said.
"Whers do get my stockf" he went
on. "Why most Of my dresses are bought
by my agents from the stocked
wardrobes OF wealthy society women.
After wearing a costume once or twice
they hand 1t over to their maids to dis
pose of, and have often bought elabo-
rate imported gowns, even those de-
signed by Worth or Felix, for . mere
song"
The rent price for q night varied from
tune, he said. Where jewels were in
cluded the cost was greater, according to
the value of the ornaments furnished.
The greatest care has to be exercised in
letting jewelry, he said, for, as but few of
his patrons were wealthy enough 10 pro-
duce sufficient bonds for their safe re-
their honesty. r.U
Con, Tho xoSaan~ cxjxov, ~ III.
customers for renting clothes were ex-
ceedingly amusing, the dealer said, and
occasionally romantic. ff
Only a few weeks ago young woman,
with whom he had had previous dealings,
came to him In great excitement and ap-
pealed to him to help her out of a great
difficulty. The girl lived on upper Lex
ington avenue and from the number Of
ball dresses that she had rented from him
during the past winter must have gone q
. great deal into society.
The story she told him was that she
had been receiving the attentions Of .
young man who would some day be very
wealthy, but who was as yet entirely de-
pendent on his parents, who were very
much opposed to his marrying anybody
for some years to come.
The young woman's parents were not
possessed of any considerable amount Of
worldly goods, she said, and were natur-
ally anxious that their daughter should
marry as soon as possible. To this end
every encouragement had been held out
to her admirer, who had only that morn
ing screwed his courage to the sticking
point and announced that he had decided
to brave the parental anger and take to
his heart the girl of his choice.
"The situation is just this" said the
young woman, in concluding her story:
al have no time in which to procure a
wedding outfit and. as l don't propose to
take any chances on his changing his
mind, come to you to furnish me with
one so that the wedding can take place
tomorrow.
Expense was to be no object, as her
father had consented to foot the bill in
the hope that it would be the last he
would be called upon to pay for her. So
l at once sent out my most expert buyer