The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-07

! tne bargain counter Is the most Illus
| trious."
There is another instance-perhaps
! more bothersome-of imposition on the
| good Will or powerlessness of the dry
/ goods man. And the worst of it is that
ii cannot easily be avoided. Hundreds
of customers in these stores get goods
I on credit, and after wearing them a
few times return them. The managers
are well aware, that this custom is wide
spread, but they can do nothing TO pre-
vent it, Persons who have an ac-
count with a large firm have goods
sent 10 their homes and If these do not
prove satisfactory they are free to re-
turn them provided they have not been
solled. Every day the large stores have
hundreds of packages sent back to
them. Among these are many articles
that have been used by the purchasers
but. as 1t is impossible to detect any
signs OF wear the managers have no
grounds for complaint Very often,
Enough, sharp-eyed salesWoman finds
unmistakable marks that go to prove
that the returned article has seen SER
vice since it left the store. Then there
Is trouble for somebody. but the Offend
er, as a rule, manages to wriggle out of
the difficulty At the close of a busy
week of parties and social functions of
all kinds one dry goods house was del
uged with lot of returned packages
mostly Jewelry and wraps. OF course,
this was suspicious. but the manager
had to submit
gentleman who is in charge of one
of the State street stores says that
when he attended a charity ball recently
he noticed more than one person wear
ing wraps and jewelry which had been
purchased of the firm. He was sur
priSed to see many of these articles re-
turned to his store a few days later
Who knows said he. how much of
hn hrssI ffa
is due to this borrowed splendor?" This
man also gives out the startling state
ment that several society women who
are supposed. to have a princely collec-
ton of jewels sustain this reputation
by appearing on state occasions" with
an array of 'rhinestones" which be-
long to the jewelry counter in the store,
and which will invariably find their way
back there on the day following the
function"
Another scheme that is common
among the shoppers" is the purchas-
ing of opera glasses for temporary
use" Every Saturday afternoon the
matinee girl" passing along State
street, suddenly recollects that a pair
of opera-glasses CT lorgnettes would
give her a closer view of her stage
hero This did not occur to her on
leaving home, but she Is not at all at a
loss for means now. She steps into one
counter, picks out costly pair of
glasses and has them put on the bill"
How easily 1t is donei But the follow
ing Monday sees that same article back
in its original place. The clerks have
now become acquainted with this con-
venient plan of the matinee girls" and
they never consider the purchase of
opera-giasses as real sale" until
those articles have been kept several
days by the purchaser
Z Said one manager: Rich women CON
tinually resort to this ingenious method
when they could save themselves much
trouble by buying the article or paying
a slight sum for their use at the thea
tiers. Fans are gotten in the same way
ana returned to us after few days use.
There appears to be some peculiar fas-
cination about this habit that makes a
" oman resort to such vulgar scheming
to save a few dollars. 1t is mild form
OF robbery, that attracts II woman in
the same way that the use of cigar
cites does. | would say, too. that il is
only persons of means who can indulge
in this habit. and it may be that this
very exclusiveness makes this practice
so popular among the elite. Anybody
who has not bank account of some
extent must pay cash for goods, so
this makes ii more difficult for them to
have articles taken back. On the other
hand, when a customer has a garment
charged she meets with little or no diff
Guilty If she sends it back to us, and IL
we accuse her of having worn it and
indicate soiled spots as evidence she
may refuse 10 pay for it. Some
times, though, when we point out un-
signs of wear on a returned
article the purchaser finds II easier to
settle all difficulty by making amends
for the damage done. But this is par
tial victory over "A woman's pet scheme
and there "a ,tfl
TO make even this compromise.
Another prominent State street mer- |
chant took more hopeful view Of the
situation. "of course said he. 1--WE
have system for the prevention of this
wholesale triekery, but even that is in
anctual in many cases on all ready |
made garments we place checks on |
which 1t is stated that the purchaser |
'annot return goods If the tag is re- |
moved. II stands TO reason that a wo- |
nan VIII not go to a ball wearing a |
ape on which "A large tag is visible |
so this method ought To be an excel
ent preventive. But many persons dis
'egard this caution with impunity and |
end back the articles with the tags |
orn off. Others are careful To avoid |
rouble by sowing the badge on again
IN the whole, though. most of the arti-
les are returned in good condition and
We do not suffer much by this schem-
ng; otherwise more stringent measures
would have to be taken in this regard.
[ Is perhaps a necessary evil. at least
here are no visible means of stopping
t. IL IN understood that when an arti-
le-especially in the dry goods line-is
purchased II is taken on trial. III on
loser inspection il proves unsuitable it
$ but proper that we should receive il
Jack again. If some persons abuse this
privilege others must not suffer for it, |
Ne are powerless to put complete
top To the practice. so in the present
rider of things we submit as gra-
iously us possible"