The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-22
THINGS PICKED UP
IN THE BIG SHOPS
Great Variety Of Articles That Show
Up In Their Lost and Found
Bureau.

The Old curiosity Shop OF Dickens
fame could not have held a much
greater variety of things than can be
found In the lost and found bureau OF
the modern department store. The
number of things picked up daily in
stores of this kind leads to the be-
lief that the old saw about the man
who would lose his head IL II wasn't
fastened on applies very much to
women. A
Another thing that is brought to
mind by survey of the things found
Is doubt of the statement recently
made, and presumably on good medi-
cal authority, that about one woman
In three who needs glasses actually
wears them. In place OF this comes
a belief that many women who should
wear glasses all the time evidently
do not do in public for fear OF
spelling their looks" The conse-
auence Ia that they use them only
when their need is imperative, such
as when examining merchandise. Tho
Immediate need being over. they lay
the glasses on the counters and walk
away.
To this action Is attributed the fact
that glasses make up a large part
of the things that are found in de-
! partment stores, and the further fact
that most of them are of the "pince
nez' variety is taken to prove that
the~ are worn only when really neces-
sary. The woman who needs glasses
! for steady wear, and Is sensible
enough to make use Of them. generally
goes in for spectacles. The result Is
that the number of pairs of spectacles
found In a big store is small In COM
| parison with the number Of pairs or
4 eyeglasses.
While 1t can definitely be said that
glasses do not head the list OF lost
and found articles. II is not easy 10
saw lust what does. There Is we'll
founded belief. however. that reffsf-
GUS medals OF one kind or another
come pretty close to being the lead
ers. particularly in the o-called pop.
lular price stores. A great many hand
bags are also found. az are pocket
books and purses, many OF tho latter
Of the kind that can be carried in
handbags In these articles are found
all kinds OF things. including money,
some of which give definite clues AZ
Ito the owners, but most of which do
not Money which is often found In
the form OF loose change and bills
which rarely run higher than ten
spot"-has been discovered in bags
and purses In amounts ranging up 70
} several hundred dollars. For the most
, $50. and frequently they are as small
as six or seven cents. Sometimes gold
pieces are picked up.
} In addition to the coin OF the realm.
J the recovered handbags, which are or
i all sizes. shapes. and materials. have,
been found to contain wide ranec
OF things Handkerchief ana gloves
are found in quantities, POSTCARDS
, and letters are numerous, too. many
envelopes and containing nothing 70
} give a clue 20 the bag owner. Keys,
powder puffs. mirrors. snapshots.
lnewspa per clippings. shopping lists
i. and fabric samples are among TINS
} other contents OF recovered bags Tn0
bags are found on the floors. on the
counters. either lying in the open or
. partly covered by merchandise thas
. has been shifted around in the course
, OF making a sale, and in lounge or
waiting rooms. Strangely enough.
however, fewer OF them are found IN
, the lounges than might be supposed.
and this Is attributed to the fact THAI
r wofhen have less to distract their at
, tentfon from their belongings In thosa
places than at the counters.
A great many bar and broach pins
! are found in the stores in tho course
} OF a year. and the same Ia true OF
rings. in which a surprisingly large
number of wedding rings Is included.
! wedding rings are very often FOUND
unmarked. which make their re-
t demptio difficult Often they are not
i even inquired about. In general with
pins, most of the rings found have
. no great cash value. though now ano
. then rings set with diamonds. emer-
! aids and other precious stones arr
turned over to the lost and found bu-
reau. More often, however. the rinG
= findings are on the order OF wool.
D worth specials Jewelry of apparent
$ value Is usually appraised At onoe
t Bracelets both women's ana cniI-
: dren's, are frequently picked up, q
are earrings. Card cases are also IN.
Guided in the findings. Checks and
$ checkbooks are picked up every once
y in a while. the last named usually be-
3 ing returned to the issuing bank