CHAPTER IV--BARGAINS, BARGAINS EVERYWHERE!
With the worry of house-hunting gone, the young friends felt at libertyto be deliberate while apportioning their time. Anne took Polly andEleanor to the West End School, the morning following their meeting withMr. Fabian, and introduced them to the proprietress as the two youngladies she had written about.
Polly thought the elegant mansion that looked more like a prince'sresidence than a school, would keep her from concentrating upon herlessons. While Anne and the principal of the select school talkedbusiness, Polly glanced about the reception room.
The rugs were beautiful, most of them having the faded soft colors ofthe antique Persian and Turkish. But the furniture was too gorgeous inupholstering for the type of room. Then there were heavy boxed oilpaintings in rich gilt frames, hanging on the walls; and teakwoodpedestals holding statuettes and busts; and onyx stands with palms. Themantel was loaded with bric-a-brac of all sorts. Many other minor itemsshowed bad taste in whoever furnished the room.
Polly felt all this, but could not explain just why she resented such aconglomeration of color and furnishings. But Eleanor, having had theresults of a decorator's judgment displayed in her home, in Chicago,felt inclined to smile at what she saw about her. It was sure evidenceof Polly's improvement in artistic interiors since the day she thoughtthe green window-shades quite the thing, to this time when theindiscriminate mixing of colors offended her eyes.
"I really am relieved to hear that you will not be resident here, MissStewart, as I need your room for two boarders. I had planned to enlargethe dormitory this year, but everything costs so much that I postponedit. Now this extra room will come in very nicely for me," Mrs.Wellington was saying when Polly and Eleanor had finished a survey ofthe room, and rejoined Anne.
"Girls, Mrs. Wellington says we may have a look at the class-rooms.Would you like to go with me?" said Anne.
Without demur they followed the lady of the house. They passed throughthe formal parlor where guests of distinction were entertained. Here thetwo girls also saw the lack of taste in furnishing. Gilded furniturewith delicate satin upholstery, fought with wallpaper of heavySpanish-leather design. Curtains and portieres were of velour, heavilyedged with fringe. Valances of velour were over the windows, and on themantel. Instead of having a delicate French carpet on the floor, therewere thick napped dark-toned Beloochistan rugs.
The long library opened out from the parlor, and here there was anatmosphere of rest, because the entire wall spaces were lined with darkcabinets whose shelves were well filled with volumes in bindings made toharmonize with the rich paper that showed above the book-cases. Thewindow-seats were built in and upholstered in tapestry to match thepaper. The tables and leather armchairs were not so glaringly out ofkeeping with the room as the furniture in the first two rooms had been.
Mrs. Wellington waved her hand carelessly at this room: "When I boughtthis house, all the books went with it, just as you see them now. Thewindow-seats are still covered as they were, but I hope soon to spendsome money in making this library more cheerful for the girls. I likebright colors, but that dun wall paper and that dull tapestry on thewindow cushions gives me the blues. If the books had not been such abargain--the executor of the estate was most anxious to dispose ofthem--I never would have taken them. Their dull green morocco bindingsmake the room seem heavy, don't you think?"
"Oh, no! I was just thinking how lovely the glint of the gold letteringon each dark book makes the room seem. If only there was a dark polishedfloor to reflect the chair and table legs, the room would be wonderful!But this large carpet spoils that effect!" Nolla exclaimed impetuously.
Mrs. Wellington straightened her spine and looked in hurt amazement atthis inexperienced miss who babbled like an expert decorator. No one hadever criticised that carpet rug before!
Anne saw the look and comprehended at once, so she dropped oil on thetroubled waters. "Oh, Nolla! you are so carried away with your hobby ofstudying decorating that you needs must practise it and criticiseeverywhere. Now, I'm sure, Mrs. Wellington never would have dreamed ofyour ambition had you not showed it so plainly in your words just now."
Eleanor understood Anne's motive in speaking thus, and smiled benignly.Polly was still trying to grasp the handle to Anne's remark when thelady of the house led them forth again.
"Here are a number of smaller rooms where girls may sit and read orstudy in the evening. And now we will go up to the class rooms."
If Eleanor and Polly had been able to find flaws with the lack of tasteshown in the furnishings of the first-floor, they could not detect theslightest item missing in the equipment and furnishing of the differentschool rooms. Every known modern device and object for the comfort,health and help of scholars, were in evidence. Anne smiled with pleasureas she looked around.
"It will be a delight to teach in such a room as this, Mrs. Wellington;and I'm sure the scholars appreciate all you do for them."
"No, that is the strange part of it, Miss Stewart. The girls who comehere seldom think of all I do for them in providing these rooms. Theytake it as a matter of course that I should spend so much money inkeeping everything as I do, while my competitors ask higher rates andspend less;" the lady looked troubled over it.
"Now I have a friend down on Seventy-second street, who has conducted amost exclusive school for years; but she will not spend a cent in theseideal accommodations yet she gets higher prices than I do. And herwaiting list of well-known names is endless. I only have a list of abouta dozen applicants and they are not daughters of millionaires, either."
"Perhaps," Anne remarked kindly, "the girls _you_ graduate makesomething of themselves in life, whereas those other society girlsmerely skim over lessons and never know how to spell their own names."
"Yes, that is true; I secure the very best teachers and try to instillknowledge wisely. And I am sure, my girls, upon leaving here, cancompete with anyone."
"I should say that was a great comfort. To look back some day and beable to say: 'I taught that girl how to combat ignorance.' And the girlswho sincerely admit what you have done, will rise up and call youblessed--for giving them these expensive modern helps to acquirewisdom."
Madam seemed pleased with this point of view, and said: "You will stopand have luncheon with me, won't you, dears?"
"We really cannot, Mrs. Wellington. You see we have to furnish the homethat we just leased, yesterday. We are most anxious to have everythingin order before starting with our school work on the first," Anneexplained, politely.
"Oh, of course, that is wise. Then I will look for you Mondaymorning--the first of October. If there is anything you wish to know,you can call me up any time during the mornings. And if you are in thisneighborhood before the first, do come in and have tea."
After the girls had gone, Madam smiled and thought to herself: "Icertainly made no mistake in engaging _that_ young teacher. She seems tobe the best one I have ever interviewed. And the girls will take to her,I'm sure."
Anne led the way to a Broadway trolley, and soon they were at the hotel.Mrs. Stewart was impatiently awaiting them, so they had an earlyluncheon and then hurried downtown to the "Art Galleries" on Fourthavenue.
The sale had just opened, and they were able to secure front chairs. Alist had been made of pieces of furniture they really needed to starthouse-keeping with, and now they hoped to be able to find just thethings they had pictured for the Studio.
A solid mahogany gate-leg table was knocked down to Anne for fourteendollars and a half. Then a wing-chair with quaint lines, upholstered inorchid blue velour, was sold to Eleanor for nineteen dollars.
"Dear me, that was a lovely chair, Nolla. I wish I had one like it,"sighed Polly.
"Isn't my table a dear!" whispered Anne, eagerly.
"But it has as many legs as a centipede," replied Polly.
The others laughed gaily at her criticism but at that moment, acomfortable Turkish arm-chair was placed upon the dais. It wasupholstered in a rich tapestry, and
looked oh! so luxurious.
Polly watched the bidders anxiously. She had a sudden desire for thatchair, but she couldn't manage to get in at the bidding, at all. Butwhen she saw a woman opposite, hold up a hand above her head, and solearned that that was one way to catch the auctioneer's attention, she,too, followed suit.
She instantly held up her hand, and just saved the chair from being soldto a man at the back. So it was knocked down to her at seventeen-fifty.
"There! That is Mrs. Stewart's chair. I saw the look in her eye when itwas placed upon the dais; and I know just how she will enjoy it when shehas done preparing our dinners. That chair, out before the openfire-place giving rest to a tired house-keeper, will make one feel likenew!" Polly said.
"But, Polly, child! you must not spend your money buying _me_ suchthings!" exclaimed Mrs. Stewart.
"I will if I want to! This is the first stick you've got for your room.And without you, I'd like to know what kind of a home we'd have. Sodon't you say another word if I want to buy other things for you."
Anne objected. "Maybe this one chair is all right, Polly, but no more,please."
"Anne, just see all the money we're saving on buying our furniture, thisway. Why can't I use the surplus as I want to? I say I _will_--if I seeanything I want very much to give you or your mother."
Anne knew when Polly was determined to have her way, and believed thebest plan now would be to buy what was needed for herself and hermother, so as to forestall Polly or Eleanor.
So that afternoon Anne got two single brass beds with brand new springsand mattresses. The auctioneer explained that the bedding was sent in bythe Manhattan Factory, because of an order that had been cancelledbefore delivery of goods. So Anne secured the bedding at half price.
Neither of the girls suspected Anne of any secret plot when she boughtother articles at that sale for the two bedrooms she needed to furnish;but when Eleanor eagerly bid on a Priscilla work-table of mahogany andgot it for Mrs. Stewart, Anne felt annoyed.
"My goodness, Anne, it was only five-fifty. Who ever saw a work-table ascheap as that, before? I know your mother will love to darn stockingsfor us all, now--with a nice place in which to keep her wools," arguedEleanor, laughingly.
"Maybe mother would rather not darn stockings but let you keep thetable, yourself," suggested Anne.
Before they left the Art Gallery that day, they found they had reallybought enough articles to start in with if they liked. They could addrugs, bric-a-brac, and different luxurious chairs, at any time.
"But we need dishes and utensils, girls," said Mrs. Stewart.
"We'll get them in a department store, and have them delivered at once,"replied Anne.
"Let's run over and see if the painters have done anything," suggestedPolly.
"Might as well, Anne--we are right here, you see," added Eleanor.
So they turned the corner and walked down the street to reach the Studioin time to see the painters finish the work on the ground floor.
"How nice and fresh it looks. But the wallpaper looks dusty," said Mrs.Stewart.
"It is dusty, madam. I was just sayin' to my friend here you ought tohave someone clean it all off with bread crumbs. It is a swell paper ifit is clean," remarked the painter.
"Bread-crumbs?" ejaculated Anne.
"Yes'm. Best thing known to clean fine paper. I'll get a man to do it ifyou say so. He knows his job."
"I wish you would. And ask him to supply the bread, too, as we arestopping at a hotel where it is hard to get such things."
"An' I was goin' to mention--the porcelain tubs and basins oughta becleaned fer you'se. When we finish painting I will scour and polish 'em,if you say so."
"Yes, please do! And the floors ought to be polished, too."
"We'll take care of all that, if you just tell us to go ahead and cleanup as we see fit," said the painter.
"All right; but don't make us wait too long before we can move in. Weare going to have a house-warming, here, next week," explained Eleanor,anxiously.
"I've got an extra man comin' on to-morrow, and we'll be out of here bySaturday. Especially if we work Sat'aday afternoon--but that meansdouble pay, you know."
"Never mind that; finish the job as soon as possible, for we will savethat much extra money in hotel bills," said Anne.
"All right! We'll turn it over for you Sat'aday night!"
Everything seemed to be going so well, not only with their Studio-home,but with furnishings and decorators, that the girls felt elated.
The next day they again met Mr. Fabian at the Art Galleries, and heproved a very welcome member to their party, as he knew all about rugs,porcelains, and antiques. Having shown them and explained all about thefew rare pieces still for sale in the auction rooms, he said:
"Some day you must go with me to some of the other places. There aredozens of these shops in New York, and each one seems to incline to someparticular line of furnishing. Then, too, one can see more wonderfulantiques in these shabby little shops along the avenue, than one wouldbelieve possible.
"I often pick up rare things in these places. They are run, mostly, byHebrews who merely know when an object is antique, or in demand. Butthey seldom can tell you the period or name of many of their mostvaluable items. It was in this way that a friend of mine once discovereda treasure.
"His wife wanted a necklace for Christmas--something odd and differentthan any that her friends had. So he came to me and said: 'Fabian, Ican't afford Tiffany prices, but I wish I could find something unusual.I want to please my wife, because she has been such a good sport duringthe time I was hanging over the edge of bankruptcy. Now what would yousuggest?'
"I offered to go with him. So we sauntered out of the Studio and walkedover here, to Fourth avenue. We stopped in every little collector's shopalong the street, but could not find just what appealed to him. Then weentered that shop across the street--the one near the corner.
"I knew the old Hebrew well, having often looked over his trays filledwith every old thing conceivable. So I said upon entering: 'Got any oddkind of necklace or chain, Moses? Something to go around a lady's neck,you know?' I had to demonstrate my words as I spoke.
"'Ya, ya! Shure, I got a chain. I show him you?'
"It was a long antique-silver chain, the great flat links beingbeautifully filigreed. But it was not what my friend wanted, so I boughtit for Nancy. Then the shop-keeper looked wistful.
"'Ain't I got it what you like? Tell me what for you want him?'
"My friend replied: 'For my wife. She goes to balls and like pearls, orother stones, in a necklace.'
"'Ah, ha! I got yust what you like. A pearl necklace vot come in las'veek wid a lot of odder fine tings.' Then the old man rooted aroundunder the counter until he found the tray he wanted. It was coated withdust from the floor, but he blew this off and carelessly placed theheaped-up tray before us.
"Such a tangle of all kinds of jewelry I never _did_ see! Finally I gotthe string of pearls free from the snarls of ordinary glass beads andother trash, and handed it over to my friend. He curled a lip in scornat the soiled trinket.
"'Avery, drive a bargain with him for this. I honestly think thosepearls are quite good. Let me rub one up on my sleeve, while you drawthe fellow's attention from what I am doing,' I whispered.
"While Avery tried to bargain, I cleaned up one of the gems and feltsure they were unusually good even for artificial pearls.
"We actually bought the string for twelve dollars, but my friend fearedlest he had been taken in. So I smiled and said: 'Leave them with me andI'll see that they are polished up like new by to-morrow night. I'lltake them to an old jeweler down the street and have them washed and thegold links cleaned. Your wife won't know but that they came fromTiffany's.
"Avery laughed and left them with me. So I hurried down to Union Squareand showed them to the old jeweler I knew, there.
"He puckered his brow at first, then ran for his magnifying glasses.After an unusually keen inspection he called to his asso
ciate. Both ofthem then examined the string most carefully, and the old man finallylooked up.
"'If I didn't know you to be an honest man I should say: "Where did yousteal them?"--but I will ask: "How came you by these?"
"I was astonished, as you may know, but I tried to appear wise, so Ilaughingly replied: 'They are not mine, my dear, sir. I only wish theywere! I just got them from a friend to have someone, who is responsible,clean them nicely. I must hand them back as soon as you have finished.'
"'Mr. Fabian, I can't undertake such a job. I have no bonded man to dosuch work and I dare not send them out. They may be substituted, youknow.'
"Then I couldn't help saying: 'My good man! You don't value them sohighly as that, do you? Why, I carried them downtown in my pocket!'
"'Ha, ha!' he laughed, 'I never saw a better matched string of perfectpearls in my life and I am nigh onto sixty. If I had to handle thatnecklace, I should instantly insure it with a broker for a hundredthousand dollars.'
"Fancy, my friends, how I felt! My knees gave way and I had to sit down.I loosened my collar which seemed suddenly to grow too tight, but Icouldn't say a word."
Polly and Eleanor stood listening with eyes bulging and mouthshalf-open. Anne and her mother were also deeply interested.
Mr. Fabian smiled to himself before he continued his tale, "Well, I tookthe pearls and hailed a taxi. I was taken to Tiffany's, and asked forthe manager, at once. Of course they wanted to know why I wished to seehim, and I said, courageously: 'To turn over a valuable pearl necklaceand insure it for a hundred thousand.'
"That brought the manager running. We went to a small private room and Iplaced the string of pearls before him. He took it carefully, examinedit casually, then more minutely. He seemed perturbed and got up. 'Don'tleave this room and do not allow anyone to come in and see it. I'll beback in a moment with our expert.'
"I felt sure, then, that Avery had actually found a _real_ bargain. ButI never dreamed of getting anything out of it for myself. The managerreturned with, not only the gem expert, but also with the president ofthe company. He closed the door and locked it.
"The gem expert used all sorts of tests on the pearls and then said in atrembling tone: 'M'sieur, I see like I nevair saw in my life! A stringof perfect match pearls, each one well worth a fortune. But I see more,M'sieu! I will bring my acid to clean the engraved clasp set withdiamonds. Maybe we find interesting fack.'
"Everyone felt nervous during the intermission granted us, but we saidnot a word to each other. Then the Frenchman returned. He was socareful, almost reverent, I should say, in touching and cleaning theclasp, that I laughed to myself at the memory of Old Izaacs shelving thepearls with a heap of junk, on a tray that was shoved on the floor undera counter.
"After many minutes of impatient waiting on our side, and as long in amost delicate cleansing process of the pearls on the part of the expert,he said: 'Ah! Now vee zee.'
"He adjusted his eyeglass and studied the lettering on the clasp. Thenhe jerked forward and peered breathlessly at it again. Suddenly hedropped the necklace upon the pad and leaned back in the chair. 'MonDieu!' was all he could gasp.
"The president then caught up the pearls and adjusted the glass andstudied the clasp. He also gasped and turned pale. The manager took thestring from his superior and eagerly read the lettering aloud, 'To myqueen from Bonaparte.' And then followed the date and year in tinyfigures."
Mr. Fabian smiled as he saw the impression his story had made, andwaited to be asked questions concerning the pearls.
"Oh, do finish the story!" cried Eleanor.
"Were they really that famous pearl necklace?" asked Anne.
But Polly was too amazed to ask anything.
"It was the famous necklace of purest pearls that had been lost for thepast sixty years. It was worth about two hundred and fifty thousanddollars, at the time it disappeared. To-day it would be worth much more.But it belonged to the French Museum, and a reward of two hundredthousand francs had been offered for trace of it, or its return. So longago had that reward been recorded in every civilized land, that thepresent generation had never heard of it--except in history.
"Well, I took a receipt from Tiffany for its safe-keeping, and theyassured me that they would communicate with the French Ambassador,without delay. Meanwhile I was to communicate with my friend Avery.Naturally I withheld all information as to the manner in which thenecklace had been discovered.
"I went to Avery's office, immediately, and acted very sorry as I said:'Avery, if I were to tell you that I lost that necklace, what would youdo to me?'
"He only laughed and said: 'I'd make you buy my wife one as good, or oneshe _might_ prefer to that greasy one!'
"Then I said: 'Avery, I never had, nor do I expect to have as much moneyas that necklace is worth! Man alive, it is now in Tiffany's safe,insured for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, against fire ortheft!'
"I thought Avery would faint, but when he had managed to collect hiswits, he whispered hoarsely, 'I don't understand--were they _genuine_pearls?'
"So I told him the story and we both rushed away to hire a taxi and thenwe drove madly to Tiffany's, again. I introduced Avery as the owner ofthe pearls, and he was treated to a sight of his little twelve-dollarbargain.
"Well, the upshot of it was, Avery received a 'present' of a hundredthousand dollars from the French Government, and in return he signed arelease for himself, his wife, his heirs, friends, acquaintances, and,in fact, every American citizen in the census. He was told that he wouldbe held responsible, thereafter, for all claims or lawsuits institutedagainst France to recover the necklace. And he accepted the burden,considering he had such a price paid for the job.
"One day Izaacs got a present through the mail, of a draft for athousand dollars and to this day he doesn't know who the signer 'WilliamAvery,' can be.
"My old jeweler on Union Square got another thousand, and I--well, Irefused everything, and Avery called me a numb-skull and an easy mark!So he invested half of all he received in my wife and Nancy's name, andthat is how they went to Europe." Mr. Fabian smiled reminiscently at theend of the story.
Polly in New York Page 4