The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-02-02

An engagement ring contracted TO
on the installment plan is now as com
mon a business transaction as the fit
ting up of a boarding house on the sam
easy payment plan. There are severa
New York jewelry firms which do
prosperous business among prospective
brldegrooms on the credit system.
One of these is located on a promi.
nent down town street. Engagement
rings and wedding rings are here solo
on credit, the weekly payment being sc
cents. At this store the other day
bashful young man asked the chief
clerk to show him some rings suitable
to present to a young lady.
Engagement ring, eh?" said the
clerk in a confidential undertone.
Here you are, sir, the very latest.
Forty-fve dollars-exquisite stone
payment in 10 months. This shell ring
is W design. Any girl would have
fits yer it. See that dainty spiral
thread of gold about the setting? That
emphasizes the gem and makes it ap-
pear worth more than it is. You can {
better yourself, sir. Pay cash and
you'll get a discount of S."
The young man seemed much i'm
pressed. He gave the measurement Of
the little finger of his fair charmer and
left his name and references.
In his pocket as he went out he car
ried a ~stupendous contract printed in
red ink, which stipulated that lin case
Of nonpayment according to the terms
Of contract, ETC., the ring must be for
feited."
That's a fair sample" said the
clerk in answer to a question. THAT
fellow represents a certain element Of
middle class society. Most of the hard
working young men buy rings for their
sweethearts that way. The girls would
never get any engagement ring at all if
the money had to be paid outright"
Another shy young man was ushered
and the clerk motioned him to a pri-
vate room adjoining the main Office.
There they were closeted for several
minutes, and then the clerk emerged TO
seal a contract with the new customer.
The necessity of the private audience
it seems, is because financial m
barrassment, coupled with native modes
ty, prevents lovers in the first stage from
dlvulglng the terms upon which they
wish to pay for a ring. They prefer to
state their case unheard by any one ex- ,
the head clerk, who, in the course |
IF his business, has cultivated a pro-
tound sympathy for the entire race of
'weethearts.
"Oh, they tell some pathetic stories,"
said the clerk. They let me into all
heir secrets gratuitously. One very
young lover told me the other
lay that he earned 81 a week, but
couldn't get married until he had been
alsed to So. When advanced to this
of opulence, he thought he could
ford to buy a diamond ring on INSTALL
nents of so cents a week.
But it is in the case of lapses that l
ear the most pathetic tales. AS a rule
customers are straightforward and
.onest. AS long as a young man has
york we have no difficulty in getting
is money. When he loses his position,
Q usually let's us know, and then if
fellow is honest we ease up on him
ust a little"
But what if the girl and the ring dis
ppear simultaneously?' he was asked.
'Oh, the young man always pays up,
if the girl has thrown him over
on can bet he never tells any one
bout it. |.
There are lots Of we'll to do young 5
len who spend $50 or $40 in a night
II pleasure and who do business with
5 because they prefer to regard jewel
? as a luxury ard pay for it on time.
Here, for instance, is a ring made
order for a broker down town." and
le clerk held up a diamond ring val L
at $3.50, which had been made to 1
the finger Of some metropolitan belle s
may never know the terms of the {
'ntract."
Il don't know Of a single instance
here a girl has had to forfeit her ring.
case she had a dishonest man or a
eak for a lover the case would be
Their embarrassing. But as a rule the
ushing bride elect knows nothing
'out the installments, for our custom
5 come promptly to the Office and pay
every Saturday.
There are some cases where we have
unbend a trifie, as, for instance,
1ere there has been a death in the
nily. When a sad faced young fell
" steps into my private Office and re
Is me confidentially hat he has lost
J father and must help pay the fu-
raj expenses, or that he has spent all
available capital in celebrating
anksgiring or Fourth of July the day m
fore, then he can usually count upon tn
? sympathy of the firm. 70
OF course we run great risks, but n
never sell to anybody without look c,
: up their references" te
The investigation blank, which, when an
ed, establishes the purchasers in be
rlty Of character, should contain the Fl
e Of contract, name of applicant, re
Use address, business occupation, ca
'lness address, references, time en- -
yed in present position, description dr
angagem, : or wedding ring and a
t of other details.
The form of contract is suitably YER vi
e, and the red tape involved is sufi- w
at to make a young lover feel the
possibility and Importance of having