The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-16
MADE A PLACE FOR HERSELF.
SUCCESS or A YOUNG WOMAN
WITH FAITH Nv UER fDEA.
Being Out OF Employment She Created a
Need for Her Seryices-Now She Is
an Expert IN Certain Kinds OF Bric-a-
Iirac and Has u Profitable Client Gle.

Iirac and Has Profitable Client ele.
AZ the beginning OF the hot weather Of
siA summers ago, "A young woman found
herself without employment. For several
years she had been employed in large
retail dry goods store, latterly in deoorat-
ing the showcases and fixing up, not only
the goods inside the store, but the show
windows also.
The idea often occurred to her that what
she did in the store she could do In a more
profitable way outside, in private houses
One purt OF her scheme was to take care
Of vnluailcs superN isc the regular busting
and cleaning OF them, and the packing,
whenever necessary. for n regular fee.
Another part OF her idea concer ned the
arrangement and decoration Of houses
The ma O,ity Of people who bought fine
things for their parlors, she argued, left
tho arrangement Of them largely to chance,
50 that in houses furnished with the utmost
loxory and splendor there was generally
II confusion Of objects scattered indis-
criminately about, each spelling the effect
Of the others instead OF producing har
monious and agreeable whole.
She was convinced that her idea was a
good one. SO, when she found this summer
that she WAS certain to be laid of for several
months on account of dull business, she
determined to prove the practicability Of
her plan.
She found the very first woman TO whom
she applied preparing to 60 TO Newport
for the summer and in great uneasiness
about the thousands of dollars worth of
fancy things she was going to take with
nar sfn in aafa
was only too glad to secure some one to
take the worry of her mind, and the young
woman was engaged at once.
The girl performed her work so neatly
and successfully that the lady not only
paid her a liberal fee, but secured her an
enga cement of the same kind with one of
her friends. This lady in turn passed her
on to another friend. She was thus kept
busy for month. and in that time earned
as much as her wages at the store would
have amounted to in three months
One Of these customers was woman
well known in society as the owner of one
of the greatest collections Of brc- a-brac
and curios in the city. She has been pick
ing il up III shops and at auctions, all over
the world, for years.
She wished to have all her treasures put
in order before she went to Europe for the
summer, and was seriously troubled about
leaving them even for a few months. She
had intended to put her house i'll charge
of a couple OF servant and feared that
they might do serious damage while she
was away,
Her old louseheeper. who had ho en with
her for years, had recently died, and she
proposed to the young expert to take charge
of the house for her, and manage the : err
wants. Very liberal terms were agreed
upon, the young woman was settled in
one Of the fiji est rooms in tie mansion
and it, mistress sailed away to the Continent
with a Contented mind.
The brevet housekeeper found a few
other customers before the hot weather
drove everybody out of town who could
get away. and then. TO kill time. began to
make a catalogue of the fine collection
of which she had been made keeper.
She had much knowledge of porcelain,
china and the like, which SIN, had accqu ired
at the store. Other things she stu died up
IN books of reference and sales catalogues,
Of which her employer possessed an ex
tensive library.
The intimate knowe ledge she thus obtai lined
Of old lace jewell an work antique pottery
bronZes etc, astoniShed her. When Il q
mistress of the house retl rned, the catalogue
was finished and she was delighted that
she took the cataloguer under her protecting
wing.
The influence such woman can exercise
~ society is, of course, very great. She
secured customers for her protdg6' an ong
her friends by the score.
The girl was learning all the tire. Gus
ton ers cyan to consult Ter about ur-
chases. One lady took her advice about
refurnishing a boudoir Another refur-
nisi ed a drawing room under her guidance.
She received commissions to purchase at
the stores and at auctions, and became
known and trusted for her knowledge of
antique furniture. tapestries, and silver
She opened havk account and bought
things Oh her own account at bargains,
which she sold to her customers at a profit.
Many of the people she served acquired
such confidence in her that they now make
no purchases without her advice. She has,
in short, created a profession for herself
which is unique, and the world is paying
her first class price for her ideas
Her dealir Us are chiefly with her own sex
but not entirely so. She carries few
male patrons on her list Of customers. Per.
haps the most interesting of these is an old