The age-herald., 1898-08-10
ONE SALE ...,
 THAT FAILED The Experience of a Girl Who Had Old. Clothes
 to Sell.
From the New York Sun.

Millicent had heard of the woman who
 went from house to house buying old
 dresses and of the good prices she paid for
 them. She had also heard the stories of
 the society women who sold their clothes
 and were able to save money by it. This
 information turned her thoughts toward
 her black satin skirt with the chiffon
 waist. It was as good as new, but black
 satin skirts were out. Chiffon and jet
 trimmings were also in more or less tenn
 porary obscurity. So the relation between
 these objects and the woman who bought
 old dresses impressed itself more and more
 forcibly on her mind. There was the green
 foulard which had been worn only four
 times, although that did not seem to have
 any particular bearing on the vivid color,
 which had always been the objection to 1t.
 As she thought of the money that might
 be realized from them, other articles of her
 wardrobe gradually took their place in the
 list that she was preparing mentally.
 There were a couple of evening dresses
 which she decided after a little struggle
 with herself could also be sold. To this
 increasing number she added other odds
 and ends which she carefully laid out
 one day on the bed in her room.
 The effect was very impressive. The
 pile looked as If it were worth a great deal
 Of money. Millicent made a calculation l and reckoned that the lot had cost little
 more than $500 when all the objects in it
 were new. If the woman paid only half,
 say $150 that would be splendid.
 After few days, at the appointed time,
 the woman arrived. Mllicent received her | with some condescension and not a little | nervousness. She was sure that the bar | gaining would be fierce, and she was not certain that the old woman might not get | the better of it. Her condescension came | from the conviction haf 10 in har bedroom would dazzle the purchaser. She l led her into the room, and then turned l to observe the impression that the sight | made.
 Milicent was proud of the display. Il There was no similar enthu . asm on the | part of the present spectator. She took in | the display with glance. Then she opened 1 bag that hung at her side and produced | her glasses. Milicent thought this close l inspection would certainly bring out some l expression of admiration. But the woman | remained quite mute, holding her glasses | to her eyes.
 | 'T suppose you want to sell the lot," she remarked.
 "Yes, all of them," answered Mlicent, l emphasizing the word "alP' in the deter l imitation to make the woman express some | opinion. 'I am willing to sell them al." 1 By this time the woman had seized the black skirt and turned it inside out and was carefully examining the seams with l the satin not more than an inch from her nose. She was near-sighted, but nothing escaped her.
 l Its good, but we're not getting much I flor black satin now," she said, putting it down. Its gone out you know. Too bad
 that foulard's such a bad color. Always
 hard to sell green. How in the world did
 you ever come to get that shade?" | She was examining the green dress as closely as she had examined the black, and not thread or seam in it escaped her. All | the time she continued her familiar, con- | fidential chatter.
 She picked up the dress, held 1t out at arms length and set it slowly twirilng. | Her manner was so impressively judicial 1 that Millicent began to feel limp. But she asserted herself
 "It was beautiful gown," she answered
 ''I paid $13O for it at Autriche's. haven't worn it half dozen times.' "Oh, can see it's well made" answered the woman with a good hunor, which seemed to defy interruption, "but I'm sur prised that Autriche should put on that | imitation lace. She's done the same thing with that black chiffon waist. But that Valencennes be initiated so well you couldn't tell it. That yellow is a sweet dress. But that shade does soil so rapidly. 1 I'll warrant you haven't had that on ten times. But just look at it. l Mfllicent gasped. She was on the point | of telling her what she thought of her | when, still chatting. the woman picked up | the covert coat She held it up by the
 sleeves in such way that the full breadth | of the sleeves showed plainly. Think of our having ever worn sleeves l like that" she remarked. Would you be- lieve it now? And on a covert coat of all l the things in the world" She turned 1t l deftly around, and with searching glance l took in the lining. Lined with one of the
 light checks. They are real English, there | is no denying that. But they're hard to 1 get off and on. They stick so. Slippers, | eh? Lucky thing those high heels have l gone out. They are dangerous things, I l tell you."
 | She had not failed to examine the slip. l pers inside and outside, however, and this l completed the inspection. Now she was l leaning against the bed, putting her glass; l es back into the case, apparently with the | idea of departing.
 | licent asked. 'They are the things wrote | you about"
 "Yes, I know" was the answer, and the | glasses came out of their case. "They're | well made, and all that sort of thing; but I don't believe they're just what can | sell. You know it's clothes tailor-made | and such that are in most demand" | The woman was busily fumbling among l the dresses again, eying them critically, | holding them in different lights and then l gathering the skirts up to her ample waist i line and looking down to see the appear | ance they presented. She kept at this | work without speaking for ten minutes I 1T might be able to get rid of them. I don't know just how" she said. 'T could | not give much for them, but they're no | good to you. Have you got any others to sell?"
 Millicent had by this time grown weary l of the ordeal through which the old l clethes woman had put her. "Yes, have some others I might want tonsel them, too. But what would you pay me for these?'
 pI think I might pay-well-say, $17 for ] the lot They're not very fresh, you see." 1 She did not look at Millicent when she spoke, but continued to examine the gar- | ments.
 "That's ridiculous" Millicent said with | a boldness that was surprising, coming as 1 1t did from a woman who had never sold I clothes before "I won't take cent less l than S75."
 l The woman smiled sympathetically. She | really seemed sorry for person so ignor- yf nf ha ffoir nf fo