The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-05
SAW SCENES OF LONELINESS
Reauty and Fashion of Wichita Seen at
Eenderson's Yesterday

| hen0efsOns 1cstcEody.
Cash Henderson had his annual field
| day yesterday. There is magic about
his name that makes everything he I'M
| dertakes a success. He is the John
| Wannamaker of the Peerless Princess
and if Wichita was as large as the city
| of Brotherly Love John Wannamaker
would be proud if called the Cash Hen
derson of Philadelphia.
Yesterday was the annual opening Of
! the New York Store and there is no pos
sibility of overestimating the number
of ladies who attended, or the delight
which they experienced. When re-
| porter for the Eagle shook OF the spell
! of morpheus and started out in his
/ rounds inspired by the soft mellow April
| sunshine and the blue depths Of an Ital-
| ian sky he was surprised 10 see so many
| ladies walking abroad and all so full Of
| happy enthusiasm All of them were
going in one direction: all Of them were
attracted by the magnet of fashion at
the New York store. When the Eagle
man looked into the store his eyes be-
held a scene long TO be remembered.
Everything was drapery, women and
music The soft strains of three orcheS
tras were charming as they blended
with the hubub of two thousand ladies
who exhibited a great deal of the weak
nesses of Womans nature when sur
rounded by an ElDorado of silks, satins
laces, embroidery, ribbons, dress goods
gloves, handkerchiefs, hosiery, and a
thousand other things that were strict
" up-to-date and arranged before their
charmed and charming eyes in artistic
array, style and profusion. The great
central figure in the crowd was the gen.
ial and larger hearted proprietor.
Like the sun his beaming, happy con-
tenance was the center of thousand
twinkling eyes and the ladies fiocked
around him. after his return from the
markets of New York, like the chivalry
of medieval days flocking around a
conqueror TO place upon his brow the
laurel wreath of victory. Cash had
knightly bow and smile for all and spar
ed no pains to make it pleasing for his
legions of lady friends. When the re-
porter, after some delay, was able TO
get inside the doors he was not surpris-
ed at the many explanations Of delight
he had previously heard. Before he
saw nothing but drapery', women and
the genial face of Cash Henderson. Now
he saw lilies, flowers, ferns, statuary,
fish globes, wax figures, pretty shop
girls and a hundred other beautiful
things impossible to enumerate in
short item. The automatic hen was
laying Easter eggs in the window at the
rate of one a second and thousands of
women and children were challenged
by her efforts. She is a great hen. A
hundred hens of equal industry and
patriotism would lift all the mortgages
in Kansas in one year. May her tribe
increase. When Mr.. Henderson got
breathing spell the Eagle reporter talk
ed with him and learned great deal
about his success in life. When he
started in business he adopted the plan
of low prices and the cash system and
the result is that from poor boy he
has grown to be the proprietor of
store occupying floor space of 10000
square feet. This is said to be the
largest dry goods store in the west. Like
the Eagle it is one that a city of 100000
people could we'll be proud of. It's pro-
prietor is known far and wide for his
liberality of heart and his enterprising
spirit and in the New York markets he
is known as the closest buyer and best
judge of goods that comes there. Now
then. what is the real secret of your re-
markable success? asked the reporter.
"Well, to be plain with you" said
Mr. Henderson, 81 believe 1t is my de-
termination 70 sell everything about 20
per cent below my competitors and coup
led with that is my custom of getting rid
of all old goods by below cost sales.
My scheme is TO have the latest styles
in everything and to sell them like hot
cakes before they get old and stale.
My profits are very close but by the
cash system l can't lose. ] am much
obliged to you for the call; come again"
And so saying, Mr.. Henderson proceed
ed to show a lady little pile of green
boxes that he said contained nearly
81 900 worth of lace curtains. The mu-
sic in the north room was furnished by
Prof. Sanford's orchestra; Prof Blume's
orchestra played in the center room,
and Prof. Copeland's orchestra in the
mammoth carpet room. Mr.. Hender-
son gave a bouquet to every lady and
wax egg of beautiful tint and hand
painted flower on the large end of 1t to
every purchaser. His opening was
great triumph and, as said before,
great treat for the ladies.