Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-05-20

The center aisle bargain counter
was strewn with tumbled mass of
beaded ornaments. buckles. tassels and
remnants of braid and fringe. over
this alluring assortment was the
placard:
Sample Lot of Dress Garnitures
la Former Price
Mrs. Stevens paused, glanced ap-
praisingly over the counter. and
picked up q card of dangling jet pen
dants marked from Use" to '15."
Those are awfully cheap mus
ingly; IF one could only use them"
but you never wear black dis
approved Helen, knowing Mrs. Stew
ems weakness for useless bargains.
That's So" reluctantly. "Oh, look!
holding up a remnant of crystal bead
fringe. isn't this the very same that's
on your blue gown"
1t was the same-Helen saw that at
glance. 1t was short end. pinned
on the board that had held the origi-
nal bolt, marked "$2.S5 yd.." but the
remnant was ticketed ~ yd. 45c.'
Helen considered. She had been
wanting to make over that gown-to
get more chiffon for draped over
skirt-and with this extra piece she
would have enough of the fringe to
edge 1t.
well. I want two of these, any
way" Mrs. Stevens had ferreted out
a card of rhinestone buckles. And
here's some crystal ornaments to
match your fringe-you're foolish If
YOU don't take them"
There were three on the card re-
duced from S1.50 to 29c. each. Helen
had never cared for dangling passe-
menterie. but as these ornaments
matched the fringe the possibility of
using them was tempting.
do you know, I think they're
manufacturers samples" said a
woman, lowering over the counter on
the opposite side.
well, they're cheap enough, what
ever they are" agreed the woman with
her. 'If you see another tassel like
this. want it,
Mrs Stevens nudged Helen with a
whispered That's just what they are
manufacturers samples. That's why
they're so cheap"
There is nothing that so appeals to
the feminine bargain instinct as man.
ufacturers' samples" The very phrase
implies cheapness. because there are
only few of a kind.
An Orgy
Before they left that counter Mrs.
Stevens spent $4.75, and Helen, under
her insistent urging. $3.50, for a va
riety of buckles, bead ornaments and
remnants of fringe. 1t was real orgy
of bargains.
Helen had always prided herself on
never buying a thing merely because it
was cheap. She had never spent her
money or cluttered up her home with
lot of useless bargains" Yet. ex-
cepting the fringe. she had no definite
use for any of these things, and she
had hardly received her change and
her package before she regretted her
purchase.
Now. let's see Mrs. Stevens
glanced at her shopping list. "Oh, yes,
let's go to the corsets. l want to get
one of those lacedfront hip confiners.
Here. we can take this elevator"
But even the allurements of the cor
set department failed to take Helen's
mind from her reckless purchases. She
could hardly wait to examine them, to
try the effect of the beaded ornaments
on her blue gown.
When she finally reached home.
without waiting to take off her things,
she tore open the package.
oh, why HAD she bought them?
Excepting the fringe and those three
headed ornaments, there was not a
thing there that she could ever use.
When she got out the gown she saw
with sick dismay that the beads in the
fringe were a cream white, while
those in the remnant she had bought
were a blue white.
So the fringe was useless. Useless,
too. were the three ornaments, which
now looked tawdry and would cheaper
the whole gown.
The two other ornaments. that Mrs.
Stevens had insisted she could use on
something" were even more garish,
as the beads were iridescent, and the
rhinestone buckles were cheaply made.
Even as she handled them one of the
stones came out.
Helen sat on the bed looking wretch
edly at the glittering fripperies. They
suggested all the glaring tawdriness in
dress that she so hated.
And she could not return or ex-
change them, for the pacard over the
counter had said These sales goods
are not returnable."
Never again would she go shopping
with Mrs. Stevens. She could afford
to indulge her bargain hunting in
stincts, but Helen could not.
Now that she had to send half of
her monthly allowance to her mother,
1t seemed almost criminal for her to
buy such things. She bit her lip as
she looked at the baubles, whose very
glitter was offensive. What could she
do with them? Every time she saw
them they would be n hateful re-
minder of money thrown away.
'Is this worth ironing ma a'am?"
Past Mending
Mrs. O'Grady appeared at the door,