The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-13
WHOLE OUTFITS 10 RENT.
ANYTHING FROM A WEDDING DRESS
TO A BROWN STONE HOUSE.

sae>"SH hUanra
"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, 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, a block or two below
Central Park, and contains no outward
evidence OF being anything but a private
residence.
"My patrons are nearly all people in
very moderate circumstances said the
proprietor to n Journal representative,
who called upon him he other day, "and
are naturally anxious that their transact
tions with me shall not become known"
Some sudden emergency was usually
the cause OF the first visit to him, he said,
but when young woman had once APP
peared at a ball or other entertainment
in rented costume she was rarely able
to Withstand the temptation OF again APP
pearing in an attire that it would be far
beyond her means to purchase.
BY carefully boarding her pin money
she is able to outshine all the other girls
in her set who are not in the secret, you
see," the dealer said.
"Where do l get my stock?" he went
on. "Why most OF my dresses are bought
by my agents from the over-stocked
wardrobes OF wealthy society womens
After wearing 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 a mere
song"
The rent price for night varied from
two to twenty dollars for an entire cos
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 to pro-
duce sufficient bonds for their safe re-
turn, he was forced to depend entirely ON
their honesty.
Sometimes the reasons given by his
customers for renting clothes were ex-
ceedingly amusing, the dealer said, and
occasionally romantic.
Only few weeks ago young woman,
with whom he had had previous dealings,
came to him in great excitement and APP
pealed to him to help her out of 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
a great deal into society.
The story she told him was that she
had been receiving the attentions OF a
young man who would SOME day be very
wealthy, but who was az 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
in panCItdfnos hor az
81 have no time in which to procure
wedding outfit and, as / 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
! at once sent out my most expert buyer
in search of the needed articles said the
dealer. By O'Clock the same afternoon
he had found handsome white satin
dress that was easily altered to fit the
prospective bride, and before the night
ives over everything, from orange BIOS
SONS to satin slippers, had been procured"
"The next morning the wedding, which
WIS qultb Onc, Wdo uuiy Ccicbidttu uud
the young couple, happy but impecuni-
Gus, are now boarding quietly in Harlem,
waiting for the row to blow over"
Another odd case was that of young
Park avenue mother, who, in order to
make show OF wealth with an old school
chum who was coming to visit her, laid
out fifty dollars for one weeks use OF a
complete outfit of expensive baby clothes.
The original wearer of the infantile
garments, the dealer said, was the first
born of gentleman who, it is generally
conceded, will some day be the richest
man in America, If not in the world.
The youngster had quickly outgrown
them and his nurse, falling heir to them,
sold them to one OF the Dealers agents.
Another dealer in rented articles, whose
Office is in the rear of Columbus avenue
delicatessen store, makes specially OF
furniture, brio a brac and other articles
of interior adornment.
While seldom applied to to furnish
house or fat, his wares are in great de-
mand among people who desire to add to
the attractiveness OF their places Of abode
for special occasionally. Y. Journal.