Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
THE SPECIAL SALES
WHERE THRIFTY SOULS BECOME
IMPRovIDENT.
The Big Shop and the Temptations Of
fered This and Next
Month.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Pre- inventory Sales! Post = inventory
Sales! Annual Linen Sales!
Called by any name, they are just as
sweet to the bargain hunter. And how
many domestic differences are precipitated
by these same sales, for If ever woman's
true character comes to the surface it Is
during this season of slaughtered prices.
The woman who boards and the woman
who squanders meet on the common battle
field intent upon getting much for little.
There is one family to whom this season
Is a veritable period of mourning. 1t Is the
signal for the mother Of five daughters to
overhaul her trunks and unearth bargains
Of last year. She begins something like this:
"Now girls, we Will see what we have on
hand before we go down town. You know
bought so much last year when the mid
winter sales were on. We must use that
up first"
silk waist patterns of last years vintage,
lace stocks and collars just twelve months
out of date and a variety Of feminine ap-
parel, even to ready-made skirts, when
she fully intended to pass round the FAMILY
as the months rolled round.
So now She doles them out to the daugh-
tiers, who long to make remarks, but VINO
, respect her eccentricity. Ii soft Silks are
the newest fabric, then be sure the girls
heavy brocades and crisp satins. II stripes
are in vogue, they are offered figured silks
and vice versa.
husband how cheap she got those remnants
and straightway sallies forth to lay in a
fresh supply to be kept in moth balls for
another twelve months.
In vain have the daughters expostulated
with her and urged her to use things up as
fast as she buys them. Mamma believes IN
the reserve fund in the attic trunks, and
as one of the girls remarked pathetcaliy,
they are doomed to last years styles until
their father puts them on dress allow
ance.
A woman whose house abounds in coy
corners and who revels In cushions OF
every size and shape attends the inventory
signs in cushion covers She buys SILK and
tapestries, plush embroidered and plush
plain velour, rash linen and leather. Does
she use them? Not at ALL She has a
stored until the ones in use wear out:
Some of the latter are of such ancient
vintage that they mar the up-to-date effect
of her pretty home but she has the misery
instinct in the matter of cushion covers
and guards her cedar chest with Jealous
eye. . -
A housewife whose passion for linens was
we'll known was taken Ill and the nurse
complained that she had not sheets enough
for the frequent changing of the invalid s
bed. Pettishly the latter ordered a relative
to buy half dozen cheap, ready made
sheets The relative knew of the sick Wo-
mans proclivity for buying linen and sug-
gested drawing the reserve stock.
This plan was instantly vetoed, the cheap
sheets were purchased, and when the wo-
man finally died dozens Of fine muslin and
linen sheets were found in her store room.
Many were yellow with age. Some had
been folded so long that the creases were
rotten. Each one o. the finer sheets was
wrapped in old muslin and carefully pinned.
Another woman who died this fall be-
queathed to "a niece who had just gone to
housekeeping ner collection of towels. The
bequest was f1outed with some amusement
by the young housewives husband, but
when it came to their little home he took
1t more seriously and pondered as to
whether they had best rent larger fiat.
There were towels of every size and style,
damask, buck and linen crash, towels with
hemstitched borders and towels with fringe.
Many were monogramed in old-fashioned
embroidery, and the stock bids fair to last
the young wife many, many years.
The head Of the shoe department of q
large New York store says that sweeping
reductions in footwear call forth a perfect
mob Of thrifty mothers, who stock the en-
tire family, irrespective of color or style.
This sort of buyer does not pause to con-
slider whether russell shoes are out or in.
Little 1t matters whether bulldog toes are
toothpick points are worn. The shoes are
selling at third of their usual price.
That is sufficient excuse for emptying her
purse on the altar commonly known as the
bargain counter.