The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05
ART IN AQUARIUM MAKING.
sU~CCESSFUL BUSINESS CONDUCTED
By THREE CLEpER SISTERS

Possible Customers Convinced by Attractive
sketohes-Aqunriums Cared For Mt Home
or boarded" During tho Owners ABB
sence-How tho Business Was Doomed.
The window displays OF q certain little shop
In 125th street are extremely modest In char
ncter and purport, yet there is something so
artistic in their. arrangement that the atten-
ton OF even the most Indifferent Of strollers is
attracted. To begin with. the-displays con-
slst1matnly OF aIuariums in which swim scores
Of tiny gold and silver fish. Beds OF RlistenlnG
brook sand cover the bottoms and support
whole cities OF ruined castles and undulatinR
forests OF aquatic plants. Such things are
common enough to the show windows OF
dozens OF animal dealers. but only in this in
stance Is each aquarium n distinctive thing OF
beauty. Every email tank Is converted into a
picture which hints at study and careful
preparation. There 10 no incongruous
Jumbling of rocks, shells. ruined: towers and
weeds to hamper the movements of the FISH.
and all ABRUPT contrasts OF color calculated to
offend the critical eye are avoided.
The window displays attract. but the in
terror OF the little shop rouses the inspector to
enthusiasm. On every hand are these charm
Ing pictures In glass tanks..while in the rear Is
a long crystal care in which hundreds OF fish
disport themselves after the manner Of their
festive kind. Som bright-hued birds 1utter
about in overhanging cages and engage in a
merry war Of music. Evidently they are not
80 much n part OF the stock in trade OF the
small establishment as they are elements OF
ornamentation and cheerfulness. The chief
factors in this general assembly OF beauty are
the proprletors. Of the shop. They are three
sisters. so they confde on better acquaintance.
and they have a mission in life and commerce.
That mission is high art in the aquarium.
We drifted into this business quite natu-
rally" said one OF them to a customer who had
wandered In out Of curiosity and had bought
an aquarium before she knew it. You see.
ever since we girls were little children we have
been devoted to raising goldfish. Each OF US Ill
ways had her aquarium. and father had a f1no
pond on our country place In which hundreds
OF these little fellows SWAN. So we long ago
understood all about the care of the fish and
the essentials OF the aquarium. When father
died some time ago and we girls had to.mako
our own way In the world we we're awfully dis
tressed-there seemed to be so little that We
could do. MARGARET paints nicely and so does
Harriet. Poor me! I'm the stupid one Of tho
familv-don't interrupt me. please. sister. I'm
doing the t~alking-and have no talent for any
thing. Both Margaret and Harriet feared that
they could not make enough to support us by
painting-the art stores pay go little and prI-
vste commissions are so few and far between
that the visits OF angels are numerous by COM
parison. And we did not want to stand In the
stores or pound typewriter keys. yet some
thing had to be done.
Many were our consultations in those days
Of perplexity and indecision. but they invaria-
bly, ended in gloomy nothingness. However.
1t occurred to me one day as we sat brooding
over the vexed question. Why not go in for
the cultivation OF goldfish and the elevation OF
the arts Of the aquarium as a businessf' I
onp1I aftapI IN fha goldfish and oil rinhE onI
Margaret and Harriet. with their artistic ideas.
could turn out and stock aQuariums which
would be poetic dreams. AZ once proposed
say, and so do drowning women. l presume.
The aquarium was our straw and we chung to
fish for breeding. purposes, and the little stock
OF money we had eft was enough to fit up this
place. 1t was uphill work at first, and many
we added different features to the business
and customers began to be attracted by the
pretty arrangements and were good enough
TO tell their friends about US. why. we did bet;
ter. and now. we are, getting along very we'll"
Of tho sisters. Catherine here. whose tongue 10
always so.nimble. is our. business woman. and
~cialties Of our establishment: But at first we
didn't know what to call ourselves. Harriet sug-
Catherine looked up .aquarians' in the die
Jionary and found that the name stood for o
consecrated water in the eucharist Instead OF
wine. so we had to give that up. / suggested call
Ing ourselves AQUARIUM artists; but my sisters
n, title for tradeswomen to assume and would
place US in the same class with manicures and
chiropodists. Catherine. not to be outcome.
was set on having us advertised as the Three
Fishwomen.' but as that more properly sug-
gests mermaids or market people We sat on
her at once. So the matter has never been
settled. and all we announce to a world which
S5oS Ss1 Ourselves Sise 20 an Si P %SiG s%I'H IS that stD we ars
mere commonplace dealers in goldfish and
things that thereunto pertain"
speak of" asked the customer.
We'll, one OF them is drumming the trade.
kindly DISPOSED and inclined to take an inter:
OF persons who might take an interest in the
aquarium II once Its beauties were presented
our leisure time in Observation-Disclosures and de-
signs for the slnteriorso OF alarlums. nnds these
We carry to the persons wh9fe names we nave
sketches it is comparatively smooth sailing.
especially when we assure our possible custom
much trouble to look after as the majority OF
people imagine.
with all decorative schemes asa carefully COM
posed aquarium. 1t Is always an ornament
most objects OF purely ornamental purpose, 1t
can be varied as often as caprice desires. be-
s5defi 1t q Sc sor an Of qf b.antiful rs sistase WITH Wfth G mov.
ing, figures: Hal! In shadow and half In sun,
w'ththe lsh now gIancipg in the light and pext
SAo1 ~ AA0 ~ Ase-
which one can look at for hours and never tire.
80 very many beautiful homes In New York
are supplied with anuarinms that we have
been able to turn to profitable account another
OF GATHERINGS specialties. This is the reRu-
lar visiting OF the more pretentious ones.
changing their decorative scheme from, TING to
time, and superintendinE their stock. The
trade In goldfish Is always very large in the
metropolis. because private aguariums suffer
constant depletion through the ignorance Of
owners and because tho scientifically con-
structed aquarium, leing Of comparatively re-
cent origin; Ia SO, little understood. Thus. be-
sides altering the pictorial part to suit the
Ideas OF our patrons, we also seek 10 preserve
the fish by establishing those mutual relations
between plant and animal life which nature
herself inaugurated for their growth and sus-
tenance. Above oil things the fish must have
oxygen gas for the publication OF their blood
and the heat OF their bodies. This the aquatic
acid gas which the fish gives of and keeping
the water pure.
We never con slider fish globes seriously at
all. The tank is the only thing for private
lar which Is not only particularly elegant but
the safest and strongest. 1t also AFFORDS the
I-uA -.L- .... To- - H.. all. H. n,l. n"l