The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-20
TILE RUllA!!lMlAAGGEB SALE idea
Growing Popularity Of This Re-
Gently Acquired Fad.
Peculiar bargains offered mt the
Counters of the Shops where This
Combination of business anl Char
ity In Carried On-The stock of
Goods Not Disposed of at Auction.

The combination of business with char
| ity has long been an object dear to the
| hearts OF the philanthropie. Efforts to
effect this combination In such a way az
to produce on the minds OF the benehciar-
| les the iitiiea that they are Nc. objects
of charity have been frequent and spas
| medically vigorous in the present genera
ton, at times producing most portentous
| fads and fashions. OF these about the new
| est. and not the least sensational, Is the
| runlmage sale.
The rummage sale is device Of Eu-
ropean origin. In England 1t has been in
vogue so long that the jokes accruing from
it are becoming easily Ineligible to the
average reader OF the comic Eeeklies. On
this side, the DoTcas committees Of New
York are awakening to its advantages as
wind raiser for charity, and within the
last week three rtisimage sales have been
held in Brooklyn. says the New
York Tribune" The laboring classes in
England are said to be gradually, but
surely. assimilating the false idea that
''rummage" in this connection Is a cor
ruption OF ''rurumy." which Is one of
their colloquialisms for odd or queer. In
point of fact. .rummage'' is not a corrup-
ton OF anything, but an expressive word
TO describe the process by which persons
OF the fair sex who have not had the ad-
vantage Of Office training ind the things
| they have carefully put away in the top
drawer OF dressing table. The appli-
cation of the word to a sale indicates the
method by which the materials are COL
| lected. not the methods of the sale itself
The committee which purposes TO hold
rummage sale for the benefit OF any
| charitable or religious object notifies mis-
tresses of hous holds and mothers OF fami-
| lies, who thereupon proceed to rummage
| for articles which they regard as useless,
| o., By reason OF their Anticipated fashion,
| no longer available for decoration. Gar
| rets and half forgotten trunks are looted,
and sometimes a difference OF opinion
arises as to whether this or that coat or
| pair of pantalOonS is really ripe for
charity. But on the whole, most of the
things handed over to the committee are
such as never would be missed and the
kind women and men who contribute Them
learn the luxury Of doing good without
much Inconvenience to themselves They
may even derive a distinct satisfaction
from the voidance OF old Christmas pres
ents and other articles OF the kind which
have Outlived their Welcome without TAX
ing up any less room than they did when
that welcome was in its prime Thus the
rumrlase sale blesseth him that gives.
At one of last weeks rummage sales IN
Brooklyn it was interesting to watch the
crowd anticipating the blessing of them
that take without feeling either the worst
sting OF charity or the regret OF parting
with appreti45le SIMS of money The sale
was held in an unoecupied store in par
ticularly depressing quarter Of the
borough. where the garish day is pretty
effeetually excluded by the ele7atsd rail-
/ road structure. The secluded character OF
I the scene was a point in its favor Tor
Fuinmsge sale purposes. Long before tie
( hour appointed fer the opening OF the
! doors there was gathered on the sidekalk
| a cTcwd-mostly 0f women-but with
; few babes in arms thrown in-larSe
+ enough to call for the services OF a police
I man to prevent unnecessary congestion of
/ the ordinary traffic.
| 1t is a safe guess that most OF these
women might have been better dressed II
they had been SO inclined. for. though
they were evidently meme OF them OF
prosperous class, there was prevalent
nervous bashfulness In their smiles which
seemed to indicate that they would rather
not meet their aequaintarce5 just then
! a rummage sale is not a dress parade
Between rcars of the elevated trains over
head little conversation was heard Inc
/ policeman standing guard at the door
seemed to be disposed to be jocose, but a
| large shrinking of eolored persons. on the
I eurbstone looked as If they were waiting
for a funeral 20 begin or for an eviction
Through the dusty plate glass windows it
was possible to get some idea or the bar
gains that would be offered. These fnclud-
ed a sewing machine, sheaf OF super
ANIMATED suspendsrs, framed photograph
of a medallion OF Faith Hope and Charity.
or the Three Graces-sundry silk waists
of bygcle crops, reading lamp with the
superfuot;s ornament at the top missing.
one dozen standup collars. all ready to go
to the laundry. two stuffed and mounted
heads OF rare birds, several examples or
embroidery In colored worsted, gas cook
ing stove suitable for featherweight house
keeping and, lastly one OF the largest and
most various collections OF nineteenth CEN
fury hats ever placed on exhibition.
When the appointed hour struck, and
the amused policeman opened the door,
one OF the peculiar characteristics or this
order of sales began to be revealed. Only
few CT those nearest to the door were
allowed to enter. A rummage sale is not
an auction. The articles are all sorted
| beforehand into lots supposed likely to
suit purchasers, and each lot has a price
upon IL II the sale is strictly conducted
there is no jewing. You select the lot
you most covet. secure the attention OF
one of the selling committee, and make
UP your mind whether you will pay the
price or not For obvious reasons con-
nected with the peculiar conditions Of the
sale, visitors who come merely to look
/ around without any intention of buying,
/ are not encouraged. Another popularity
of the affair is that there must be re-
served back door through which pur-
raasers may carry off their acquisitions.
for one despsndent man on the eurbstone
said that he had been long watching 10
see some one come out, and watching IN
B vain
R,luxnage sales afford many lessons In
| the philosophy Of human life and desires.
| There is probably. the soundest reason In
the arrar cement by which tie door OF en-
! try and the door of egress are distinct and
! not within sight OF each other. otherwise
there might be much uproarious guying CT
purchasers. A widow with a baby for whom
| she could barely provide food and warmth
! has been known to attend ore Of these OPP
/ portunities. and after waiting long and
! natientIy with her baby on her arm, to
/ have returned triumphant in the posses
| sion of two faded silk lampshades, both
/ Of them too large for her one kerosene
! lamp and neither big enough for the baby.
! In Colorado. where women voted for the
! FIRST time at a national election last No
venher. they must also have ruuulage
| seIes. for a woman OF fashion In that State
! who had abandorgd q green ball dress to
| charity met It comir- o~- Fl Inc polling
| place as she was entc- 20 Tu-nmage
! purchaser must have ball and
| ballot
| As means of raisil@ no. ~ for church
| or charity. the rummage sale is powerful
| Whether 1t also benefits the poor by CIV
! ing them good things at small prices is not