New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-06
Thigh COST OF LIVING
|SHUNS W0MEN'S BAZAAR
Melons Bring $25 Each and
Doll with TrouSSeau
Sells for $500.
A. BELMONT "R0PE0 IN"
Visitors Can't Resist Fascinat-
ing "Salesgirls," and Angli-
can Sisters May Re-
ceive $4,000.
A. BELMONT "R0PED IN"

Talk about the high cost OF living!
Melons were selling for SIS and cherries
for s. a dozen in one New York market
yesterday. Cigarettes were g a box, and
other necessities OF lite, such as pearl
necklaces and pedigreed pups. anywhere
from $50 to 5000.
These were the quotations during the
rush hours at Fifth avenue and Clst
street, in the home OF Mrs Elbridge T.
Gerry, where Miss Mabel Gerry and her
friends were conducting a bazaar to aid
the Anglican Sisters of st Mary, an
order OF the Episcopal Church.
Late in the day. II is true, there were
marvellous bargains. Dolls as large as
life were marked down from $50 to SoO.
Rings and jewelled pins-oh, the wonder
OF those sales, There was one ring, with
two diamonds and pearl, valued at 5000,
which actually was sold for haQ price
The necklace OF pearls valued at 5000
was knocked down At $500, and diamond
pins. brooches and rings went for such
ridiculous prices" as $40 and $50.
Few people cared about the bargains.
though. Why buy for half price from
mere auctioneer what one could buy from
Mrs John Jacob Aston for double It's
value? Why consider paltry dollars when
Mrs Frederick Vanderbilt, jr.. was emu
Grating the charms OF a blue-eyed. sol-
den-h haired dolly? SO long as gold bags
were full and credit good. why forego
the unique pleasure OF buying from SUCH
salesladies as these? Nobody did.
August Belmont Buys Melons.
The spacious art galleries OF MISS
Gerry's home were crowded all the after
noon. When August Belmont bought two
OF the s25 melons and promenaded with
them under his arms he seriously incon-
yenienced everybody In that part OF the
room by the undue amount or space ne
consumed. Women robed In ermine ana
nearls had 10 wait their turn In the INES
and be swept along by the crowd a la
subway fashion.
Those melons. by the way. were very
nopular with the gallants who came firn
IN tbeir determination to spend much
money for the good OF the cause ana
couldn't find candy booth any"here'
The melons looked exceedingly gooo' anu
probably were. for they were raised IN
Commodore Gerry's Newport hothouses.
The other attra ction for gentlemen VINO
received Miss Gerry's nod OF conmenda-
ton for coming was the toy bank ex-
biblt The financial centres OF the civil
,zed world were there In miniature. Inc
/ "salesgirls" in charge kept ur keen
rivalry az to the projections OF the Vari"
Gus exhibits. Visitors paid ~ for tho
privilege OF forming an opinion
"Oh. here's Harry Walters. cried one
lovely "salosgirl," darling into The crowd.
Now Mr.. Walters, isn't my hank bestT
See, II has real little pieces of money
and a safe"
"But mine has a telephone" urged tho
rival "salesgirl."
"Oh. telephones murmureo the nrst
"My dear. my bank has a lady who mas
overdrawn her account-here she mas
tainted away in the corner and the AZ
tendant is calling up her husband 70 get
more money. That's service for you!
]. Pierpont Morgan had promised to set
the seal OF expert approval upon the pest
hank. but ne didn't appear In time anu
Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock
who had promised to come up from WASH
ington for the purpose OF Judging the
miniature postofiices, sent telegram say
ing he couldn't come. either
THE children Jared as well as anybody
One dollar admitted any one to a moving
nict,Ire show. such as little children OF
tho rich seldom get CHARGE to see.