Smyrna times., 1897-04-21

Light Fingers In the Dressing Rooms OF
Fashionable Entertainers Unfair Ex.
changes Which May BE Called Robbery
Old Things For New.
"Oh, give it any name you like-bor-
rowing other peoples Belongings and
failing ever TO return them, mistaken
identity as to special possessions or klep-
tomania, but I call it thieving, and
something ought to be done about it"
This is what the blond woman in the
very smart bonnet said to her nearest
nelghbor in blue, whereupon every other
woman near the tea table cut short her
conversation and held her cup in midair
to hear what the discussion would bring
forth.
THAT I do, " went on the blond en-
phatlcally, land I've been stolen from
repeatedly. No. my dear, 1 won't take
word OF it back, and 1 am not speak.
ing hastily. In every instance it was
plain case of theft, and I've not ND TO
date recovered a single belonging. Whv.
OF course if it had been a grimv fingered
sneak thief, or too enterprising house.
maid, most naturally would have gone
10 the pohce and detectives for protec-
ton and assistance, but it is not ouite
SO easy to have an individual who wears
the best French gloves, whose bonnets
come from an expensive importer and
who sometimes asks you to share her
opera box, receive at her teas or take a
lift home in her brougham, arrested and
searched on suspicion.
We'll, l neverr' remarked the 1vo,n-
an i'll blue.
"Oh, that's just because you are n
dear, unsophisticated little creature.
ana out IN your western town they don't
do such things. The temptations are not
SO great, but can assure you that here
III our big cities, at regular intervals.
polite kleptOmania is simply rampant
and hardly a big function breaks mn
that half the women don't come awav
quite savage over the loss of some nrettv
ana especially priced belonging" F." Evi-
IDENTIFY the blond was right, for all the
other women nodded assent, and the
hostess was apparently breathless to tell
OF some personal grievance on this score.
when the first speaker broke in again:
You see, " she elaborated, 1--WE used |
10 think 1t might have been the servants'
fauIt, or an honest error, when we found
our possessions exchanged for others
less valuable or simply disappearing, un-
III TWO OF three times the offenders were
caught right in the act, and then came
the aWtuIly dismal consciousness that
really no one could be trusted
My first experience was with a very
costly lace fan / carried to a dinner
held on to 1t most affectionately through
OUT the evening, until some half dozen
OF us went up to the hostess bedroom
Tor our wraps. There laid it. with INV
Vinalgrette and fan, on the dressing ia
bIe' and when l turned to. get them
again the fan was gone protested. the
mald searched, but nothing came of it.
and broken heartedly l went down ba.
walIlng my loss to a sympathizing fem
lnlne companion. We went ont to onr
respective carriages together, but as the
butler opened the hall door a puff of
wind blew her long cloak aside. and
1neFe saw, snug in its pocket, my pre-
clous fan Well, the next day wrote
her very frankly, asking for its return.
suggesting CT course, she had taken it
Oy mistake, and home it came. But we
have never spoken since.
That taught me to look for HIGHER
Offenders than maids in dressing rooms
VINO are usually accused of making wav
with all wraps, umbrellas, oversboes
md what not that may be missing"
An that is not my trouble, " chimed
d debutante across the tea table. "Tbe
avorlte plan is now to exchange bad :
or good things | am growing almost
philosophical over the deplOrable shah
'lhess OF my wardrobe from this CON
tant swapping. Last week; on coming
lp late to the dressing room from n
lance, found in place of NV brand
lew green suede carriage overshoes two
VerIarge, badly worn ones of rustv
,Iack velvet and my lace head scarf ex.
hanged for frayed one of sOiled white :
hluon. Naturally cross and sleepy. 7
ell on the tired maid, who wept and = :
enled, but looked as if she could tell n !
ale. '014 u b
only to make a test case of itIrolled >
~ new French galOches in my mackin- =
)sh, laid my card Oh top and nut them =
a safe corner of the dressing room of L
mouse where went to luncheon the n
Iner day. But it was of no avail. The l
aioches had been metamOrphosed into "A
pair OF muddy rubbers with holes in a
ieih when l went back, and didn't x
rumble since my pretty umbrella was u
IT. The work of the spoiler goes on in ~ ~
10 cIoakrooms when big wedding re- u
'ptlons' teas, musicales and private v
Ills are in progress. ii
- AT one of the big dances of the sea- y
n the hostess simply ordered her maid Ie
Issue checks for every woman's wrap p
id' charming to relate, not so much as 1e
halrpln was lost for at her daughters 81 81
soulhg reception, only week before. "
rec nuns got away somehow without :.
elr Tlght1uI owners, and the possessor Al
a $500 sable hand warmer found n
,uDby old astrakhan one in its place.
''Fhat is where the fashionable klen.
nanlacs salve their consciences bv an no
you see, for rarely is anything W.
zen that some inferior article is not nj
IN Its place, and very rarely are ba
" caught with them. Their position VIZ
society is one of protection, and their ur
'tlms are too timid or proud to trace OF
'Iew' which too often leads right to fal
door of their best friends or some raj
man who is aiding materially in COZ
ping them along in society. "-Milli- Las
1T Arrowpoint in Chicago Record. on
" wi
Sandals were more fashionable among gai
Egyptians than among the Hebrews arr
ey We're worn by women of the.high- his
rank, for we read of the sandals poo