The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
HATS SOLD WITH SMILES.
WORK or THE WOMEN PULLERS-IN
IN UIyISION STIlEET
Thnre Arc Hardships About the Trade, But
II Is Fascinating People who buy
Their Hats There-Tricks Of the Deceit
full Trade In Second Hand Hats.


Never before was Division street ~ rushed
with business as IL is now. says one who has
wenthcred the storms and sunshine Of the millinery
business Tor twenty-five years. Customers are
coming and going day and night anil the arms Of
the pullers-in who lurk in the dourways and sum
mnrily pouncc upon that man or woman whose
ioitcring step would indicate u possible interest
In things millinery must ache by the time they
are dismissed ut night II Is many years
since the wealth and fashion ~ NewYOrk nd other
cities thronged TIC narrow sidewalks of dingy
dhnpldatcl Division street in search Of hcadgear,
and most OF the master milliners whose dizziness
and discrimination in weaving Gathers artificial
flowers. ribbons lace and other ornamental mate
rails into expressions Of the latest modes brought
them fame more or Ices transitory have followed
their customers North. But to-day the prciumi-
nant commercial characteristics II the thorough
rare are millinery, although the character uf the
mlllincrs and customers has entirely changed and
the mutations ~ the city's growth has much i'm
paired the fortunes ~ the trade Large prices
no longer prevail, though once they were the rule.
the ShupkccpcrS no longer exhibit the most costly
wares with serene confidence in their ultimate
disposal nor do the refined and best expressions
al millinery art meet the eye; but the millinery
shops remain, and there are still swarns Of pur-
chas"ts who, although poor and far different
from the old time patrons who ratified into Division
street in their carriages. discover much interest
in the displayed wares and much concerned
as Ia choice as was ever II fashionable belle
one side Of the street extending from Chatham
square is almost exclusively given over Ia the
millinery business Opposite are many shops
occupied by the coakmakers and mners wig.
makers and Hebrew BARRIERS. who exhibit before
their establishments in lieu OF the Gen.
tiles striped pole, punches Of thick black
hair mat,cl into rudimentary semblance to
full boards a few old clothes dealers and
cavcrnous little saloons whence issue the
blended odors of stale malt beverages and moist
sawdust 10 permcate the air and dstresss the
nosiris Of the stranger But II is the side dev ote,
to the millincrs arts and articles that, attracts
the observers interest As far as his eye can
reach nothing is to he seen but glare of inhar-
nunious Colnrs, which, taking form under the
concentrated gaze, eventually resolves itself into
tens Of thousands Of over-orna mentcd hats and
the usual accessories All sorts sizes and con
dtiOns Of hats are presented Ia view but all are
tawdry and all cheap Before each tiny
shop in this milliners row invariably Is found a
gittering upright showcase, freighted with crea-
tons in varCoor~l materials supplementary
"a the displays in the show windows Beside
each case, like vgilant, Argus-eyed sentinel
stands the puller-in that functionary whose
genius for canling sauntcring pedestrians and
inyeigling them inside depends the prosperity
81 the shop for which she pulls Abnormhlly
eager, alert and answering in the performance
ot her duties the puern or scout. fiercely CON
tests rival calls on II possible customers favor
One eye is always en- the main chance. The
other glares like searchight on her opponents.
Many Of the pulcrs-in are quite young. children
in age If not in experience Others look like young
matrons, Some arc middle aged women rotund as
I" FORM pondcrous as 10 movement 4 very few
arc thin and angular So on the whole they are
motley crowd but there is not one among them
who has not n pleasant face or at least who does
not look pleasant during business hours nor one
whose professional smile falls short Of a notable
triumph in the art Of insinuation. The costumes
worn by the pullers-in comport with the prevail
ing character OF the bonnets hats and caps whose
beauties they sing in the tones Of the street hawker.
All sorts OF weird combinations of unassmilating
coors obtain and all the glory of Solomon in his
most gorgeous Sunday suit would prove a cheap
show compared with the wealth Of personal adorn-
mcnt which is a part Of the puller ms stock in
trade. AS the hair IL said to be woman's crown
ing glory, so the puers in concentrate much of
their efforts upon hrsutc adol nmcnt The hair
OF each, without respect to color or tendency. is
pulled out in n style now somewhat antiquatcd
crmped and set of with Kaudy combs and orna
mental harpins. Where nature in her distribu-
ton Of bloom and beauty has been a nggard
art is invariably called upon to amend the def
cheney. The pullrr in may be many years beyond
girlhood that period TO which high color is sup
posed to belong, or she may he youthful bud
proudly flirting tn" skirt Of her first long gown
but i'll Division street youth and maturity meet on
a common plane where the artificial introduction
Of beauty IS concerned. Wherever the observer
turns he "r she is To be confronted by cheeks
blushing furousy with n thick, red, and some
times wholly greasy, bloom. like the deep. wear
some blush Of an eternal rose. Ii is seldom ,ha
the bloom is artisiically applied That, however
seems 10 give the wcarcrs small concern just
So long as it appears in those places where the
natural bloom il found they are satisfied
pucrs-in are colloquial to an extreme Nou
billy il essential 10 the success of their calling
They like to talk about themselves when
their employers interests do not suffer by a cesra
ton Of talk about millinery TO the puslcr by and
they are very frank in their comments and crit
icsns Of themselves. business and one another
Is il hard TO smile 81 much repeated one with
whom the reporter Chattcd in a moment Of com
mcrcial stagnaon. Well yes, it is It's the
hardest part Of the business. some girls say
had to learn ii Just like you would learn lessons
from n book: and had 10 p.aclrcc u very great
deal before | caught the trick " smiling on and
on, no matter whether I felt k" IL or not. II is
easy for any one smile perhaps. " hen the world
goes right with h"r; but when you have hrad.
ache, or feel blue, or some ON" has said
fhinE mean 10 you when Nuu nav" asked her to
buy, il we had any discretion IN this matter
and were merely 'reknE To annoy folks instead
OF earning an honest living aS we'll a, they wCr',
WIN then il is work, sure cnuugh
we smile from the time begin work early
IN the morning till late AT night and the more
have to smile the harder find pulling in
Is" she continued with sigh. "Scvcn days in
the week, in storm sunshine winter or summer,
we are compelled by our business to stand AT the
or those folks who seem tn bc interested, or who
by the smallest chance are likely 10 be Interested.
in the hats and things in the showcases and win
dows our employers really have no more in
icrrst in MS and our personal welfare than they
harcin any other part Of their shops. We are moth
ing more to them than the hats, the ribbons or the
combs: and II We do not succeed in attracting