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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1886)
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : NOVEMBER 21. 1880. TWtiLVE PAGES. THE OPERA IN OT YORK , The Banners of "American" Warblers Hnng on the Lro.idw.xy Walls. THE CHANGES OF RECENT YEARS The ! Display of Wealth nnd Shoddy Aristocracy n Show In Mscll General Adam Iladcnu'r * UP view or Music nnil ttH PntroiiH. Ni.w YOUK , Nov. 18. ICorrcspomlonno Of the HKJ..J Now York is hardly New York without the opera. More even than in London or Paris the opera is hero the outward nnd visible sign of fashion and prosperity. TIII : KI\V : MKTitoi-ot.irAN UI-KHA has linally vanquished Us rival ; the an cient abode of music ami society is do- Kortedj the elder temple is given over to itinoranfartlsU nnd ruined companies. Not only the Italian opera is hoard no more al Irving Phico.but even the plucky Mrs. Thurber , at tlm head of the Ameri can cohorts , hangs out her banner on the Broadway walls. The new house is the roprosontntivn/n a new regime. With its display and its color , Us array of exclusive tioxcs Idled with people of wealth and mimes known at least to the newspapers , its diamonds and full dre-s , 11 makes a pageant quite as showy as any on the stage , and quite as often receiv.ng notice from critics and public. As many in the parquet go to see the audience as the play. The lookers on arc looking upward half the i-vomng. To one who has lived out of New \ ork for n quarter of a century the change in the people and the play houses is very striking. rwKvrv-nvn VIAIIS : A < IO I knew at least two out of every three of the people one wanted to know in jNow York. But Hie world has grown lartrer and ditl'orent since. Hundreds of my no- qiminlauees of oilier days are dead ; and of those who survive some have grown gray or grouty , or stout , or lame ; some have lost fortune or families ; niaiiv ot course have married , and the belles 1 ad mired so long ago are chaperones and dowagers now. I asked the other night who was thai ( 'harming woman I saw across the house. "That is the married daughter of vonr old llame , Lucy I' : don't yon roinomber her wedding before the war ? ) ' The last lime 1 saw that charming woman , she was in lout ; clothes , tinil I held her in my arms. She will bo an English peeress some day. 1'wetit ' a year or two ago teA A HAM. AT Mil ! " . AhTOIt's ; it was my lirst party in Ne\y York in a decade and a half ; and 1 said to myself , "Now , 1 shall see all my old friends ; for this is a house to which every one goes who is asked. ' ' I entered tlie picture gallery where the cotillon was danced , but not one of Ihe walf/crs could I recog nize. Once I should have known nearly all. Finally I discovered two or three whom I remembered , and was going up to renew the acquaintance ; when I sud denly hulliought mo is was twenty years since 1 had met those budding beauties ; how could they possibly look so yoniiH after ull this while. It was the daughter who recalled to mo the mother I had once admired. J left the ballroom and strolled into the other apartments where the older company eongrogalod ; and Ihcre among llio gray-haired dumos and cor pulent gentlemen by degrees I found myself - self nl home. These ore the fresh girls and robnpl .youths whom I had left be hind. These faded charms , these matronly forms , or withered shanks and grizzly beards were the remains of the beauty and grace , the youth and girlhood of twenty-live years ago. As 1 looked I wondered what changes they must have seen in mo ; for some ga/ed curiously before the recol lected mo , and others quizzically after wards : some were sad , and some would not believe it was 1 at all. To these per haps I recalled painful memories of what they had lost in the interval ; to others 1 renewed the fancies that never had been realized. It is different when wo grow older together ; we do not notice then tin jradual ohougcs that timc-or disease 01 fortune or circumstance mark on form nnd feature from day to day ; but when Home ono returns whom you know before 1800 , this ghost of other days in his trans formation tolls yon of your own. If you , who have remained see all lids in tin : .wanderer , what must it be to him who ru- turns and finds the houses ho once fro quwiited filled with other faces , the old ones changed , the young ones all um known. Hula Irnco to sadness. 1 began to wrik about the opera ; THK NIJW Ol'KIlA AN1 > THE NEW 1'KOJ'I.K and to tell how it all slrikosan American who has lived in other societies and been a frequenter of other opera houses. This honso is as line in interior oiled as any in the world : the women are as handsome and us well dressed ; the show in the an- dicneo as good as any abroad. No one could teh that all these democrats who Btill smell of 'the ' people from whom th ! .y Bprang last year , or of the shop thai was the source of their jewels and brocades- nobody would know from looking thai they were not-real aristocrats. Princes ol the blood don't dress any liner or belmyt nny better than those sons and wives anil daughters of brokers and businessmen , editors and , railroad presidents ; patent medicines , steamboats , standard oil , Cal Ifornia and isinglass , groceries and tin China trade , all are represented ; and 1 have seen at more than ODD palace a > well ns playhouse in Europe people ol llio bluest blood and oldest name whc carried themselves no more proudly am1 bore their bodies no moro seemly. For TIIK MVTII AllUl.'T ' AlllsTOI'lt.U'V ohonld bo exploded. U is simply whal tho.se who were in once said to those whc Tvuro out ; what those who have still saj to those who have not. It is like the km ; in the story who was told ho wore a su Verb garment which no one could sot who was nut nobly born. Ho rode in llu Btroots stark naked , and ever so cold , bin everybody cried out at the uoauty of hi : robes , Thoy-did not dare to own thoii blindness , lest their origin should bo dis closed , Thu poor king himself wtu afraid to say diow ho shivered. He migli low ) his crown. Finally a little boy in tin Btroots. who had nothing to lose , crici qnt ! "Why. tlio king is miked ! " and thoi everybody agreed , I am the little boy ii the btrocts. 1 tell you the kings are al naked , and tluv aristocrats too. I havt soon thorn. They are no better than yoi and I. When wo have line clothes wi look quite as line. Moralizing again nnd at the opera ! Well , I was btriiek with the beauty am distinction of all these LOW 110IIN AIIISTOCIIATS ; nnd I was proud of it. Why should wi not have our libro d'oro ' as well as llu Vouitiau inert-hauls who married moil urchs ; ( .the Medics were apothecaries ) or thu Dutch republicans who kept am bussadors , th.nigh these represent tin persons of sovereigns. The only thiiifi is that our aristocracy will upo the for eign ones ; it must Imvo coats of-urms ti which it is not entitled , and which if i were , it bhmild discard ; it will talk of oh families , when everybody knows whicl of the very oldest families are descondo ( .from bakers nnd which from market gardeners donors ; and that the recent ones , who art jusi as well bred , just as highly educator often as any , arc fresh from tholiip-boan or the ntabie , the shop , or tlm servants hull ( ( icnoral Wool , who wus second litho the old army , once waited at the tabli behind the gentlemen with whom after ward lie dined. ) Yo.u may lind those' . t-ilknfm ry ntjjht nt the opcrn , none t.io wor :1 : for tli-'lr origin , only for the pretence of n diTerent one ; and as no European aristocrat recognizes any American aristocracy , oven two genera- lions old , why should wo trouble our selves to claim what we can never attain , whal is no way better than we already possess ; especially when we have eveiy other good , am ! can make those whom wo envy and imitate admit our equality. For there is not an aristocrat in Kuropo but will confess the power and wealth and luxury , and when they have soon It , the breeding of the Amerinau democracy ; but they will not admit thai we are aris tocrats. If we w'ere wise , even in a social way , no American would over , under any circumstances , admit aristocracy. If American fashionables would say to Mug- lish and other aristocrats : "We are what our institutions proclaim , " they would allow what thev deny when we sue under false pretenses and borrowed clothes , and stolen coats of arms. For these ap preciate reality , and power , and success , lint despise shams , as everybody else does thai is worth anything. Bui TiiKot'KttA , TIUOI'IUA : : ! Let me try once moro. The old opera was Italian , Ibis is German. The old was inn&io , this is drama ; the old was song , this l.s declamation ; ' .ho old was melody , this is harmony ; the old was art , this is science ; the old was exquisite , this Is learned. The old was delicious , sweet , pus.sionato. lyric. It was ( Jfisi , Marie , Snlvi , Bettlni , La Crange , Bosio , Sontag , Badiall , Maritd , Patti ; human beings , flesh and blood , personalities , not swans , nor Venusos nor Volkyrs. And they tell us we had no music in those days ! The people who lived and admired and lis tened and foil then in F.urouo and Amer ica were ignorant , uncultivated , stolid , common-place , by comparison with those who prefer the l noon of Sheha and the Moistorsinger. There was no one befoio Wagner. Opera was not opera then ; IIIIIMC was not music. Nobody was cul tivated or rollncd or educated until the Metropolitan opera house was opened. All the great and gracious of every clime , who listened to Donizetti and Bellini and Mo/.art and Verdi and Meyerbeer ( leorge Sand , Thaokoruy , Jules Janin , for instance and their contemporaries : knew nothing of music or passion of life or art. Buolhovon was only a pioneer , ( loulho and Gluek were not geniuses because - cause they never heard Parsifal. Pshaw ! THIS CIlA/.i : WILL I'ASS AWAY. There is a line show , there is a great deal of niuguiliccnt sound and fury , there is a great ( leal of harmony and science ; but there is no music greater than we have heard before. There is no more subtle embodiment ot human feeling , no grander utterance of human emotion , no Miblimcr inspiration of human hope , no diviner solace ot human sulloring than tlie other masters gave us In other years. . Surely Wagner is great in his way ; ami the world is better for his existence but he has not made them altogether things of the past. There are things be cannot do thai they have doiio. Does anybody suppose that if Wagner could bavo written melody he would not have given it to nsV As well tell me thai Tennyson would not have written Hamlet had it boon in his power. Then Wagner is not of the greatest because it requires education , culture , learning , to appre ciate him. Hut the greatest things in art or literature apneal to the unlearned as well as the learned ; the greatest actors move the galleries as well as thu boxes. Thu htirily gurdies are a witness of genius , and yet it is th < . common reproach preach of tiie older masters to-day , that the Imrdy gurdies nlay them and t lie com mon people like tlicm. The line people \vill yol conic back to melody ami pas- hion put into voice and sound. This fashion will have its day. For fashions are common in literature and art as well as in dress , and Wagner will go down like bangs and high bon nets , to conic up again and take his legit imate place among , but not at , the head of. the great musicians of the world. As fur as New York goes , hit is the merest of fashions. The richest stock holders cannot pronounce without appeal on aslhelics or art. The lincst diamonds ami largest boxes have no elTeet upon permanent fame. NK1TIIKK VANIM5HBH.T NOU f.OULI ) with all his millions can add one cubit to his own stature , much IUKS to Wagner's. They may provide scenery and orchestra such as America has never known before ; superb mounting , admirable perform ances , fashionable audiences , but all this does not make Wagner greater than Mo zart. Give poor Lucia and Norma the same mounting , the same orchestra , and the same stamp of fashion and the world would run after them again as it did be fore. I venture lo say iballhc Iruelover ? of music , not born hf Germany , thu truu critics of the stage who have lived louy enough to remember , had a profoundci emotion , moro exquisite pleasure , an equally rclincd appreciation when they saw and heard Grisi and Marie in tin ; "Lucrutia Borgia" for instance , or Bosic and Salvi in even "Lucia di Lanunur- mooi , " or La Grange and Formes in tin third act of the "Huguenots , " than tho.v over received from from anything thai Wagner wrote or the robust people at tin Metropolitan performed. I went as a boy to the last perform ance of JENNY I.INl > IN AMIIUIt'A. I had heard little great nuiiit then , but 1 accompanied an old aunt whose memories went back lo Mo/arl himself. I was ol course enranturcd with the Swedish nightingale , and as she dropped out the liquid notes ot "Casta Diva" or the "Echc Song , " I could hardlv speak in my young cestaey ; bill my old aunt tin nod to ino tu 1 sal entranced , and said"You : should have heard Muhbran , " I suppose my youthful readers will think I am like m\ aunt , ami can only remember Grisi whcil they talk of Wagner and Lehman. But they may go to-night and lioai Pattl , and loll mo atterward whether the music that I talk about is not a good thing. Tlm other things , 1 repeat , arc also goodthu combination ol clothe. and sclonic oll'oct , the dramatic result , above all the orchestral harmonies ; bin "because than ait virtuous , dost then think there- shall bo no moro cakes am ! nluv" A descendant of Canning once told nu tliat when the fashion of dry wiuu wa first introduced into Kngland , her famoiu grandfather declared ; "Tho man whc .says ho likes dry champagne , lies. " The mot may bo known to omo of my read ers , and it tolls perhaps against mo , foi dry champagne is accepted ; but it h.-.i not supplanted Bordeaux or Burgundy , even in Knghnd , General Sherman , whom I met at tin \\alkuroon Wednesday , made mu think of ( banning. When 'wo talked tibou Wagner , 1 asked the great warrior if a least ho did not admire the scene in which Siegmuiid draws the magio sword but tbu general replied , thinking , 1 sup pose , of Atlanta and Shiloh : "I nevoi know a soldier to sing when lie drew hit sword. " ADAM BADKAU. Matrimony Cieoirrnpfiicnlly Declined "Bob , where is the state of matri monyy" "It is ono of the United Slates , It if bounded by hugging and kissing on om side , and cradles and babies on the other Its chief products are population , broom sticks and staying out o' nights. It was discovered by Adam and Kvo while trying to tiuU the northwest passage out of Var- adise. Thu climate is rather sultry till you nass the tropics of housekeeping when squally weather commonly sets in with snlllciont power lo keep all hands cool us cucumbers. For the principal roads loading to this interesting State consult thu first pair of blue eyes you rim against. " FKOMfJKO. W. NOWLIN , OUEKN- F1KLD , TKNN , Dr. J. II. MeLean'sTai Wine Lung Balm , gives the highest satis faction bore. Plea o ship us six 'dozen at , oncO | wo are out and liayo calls daily. THE WIDOW HAfflERSLEY , The Most Beautiful Woman in New York Fashionable Society. A BIG CATCH FOR SOME FELLOW. A Woman In Orent Ijiick Opera AH Helicon II tali-Ton oil Churl I y For Ijadlcs Only. Clarn Hollc' . i Contribution to tlio Hoe. Is'uw YOUK , Nov. 18. [ Correspondence of the HKK. ] It may seem : i rashly sweeping and conclusive assertion , but I am conscientiously going to make it. The most beautiful woman in New York fashionable society is Till : WIDOW HAMMUHSUIV. All the other belles commonly men tioned as beauties arc merely pretty , and Ihelr physical equals could bo casually encountered in a half-mile stroll on Broadway. But Mrs. Louis 0. Hammers- ley has conic forth nt tlie opening of tiic present season as a specimen of perfect loveliness. It is true that she is the pos sessor of moro than two millions ot dollars lars In her own clear right , but 1 try to prevent that from prejudicing me against her. Nor do 1 perceive that on grand opera nights the beaux admire her less or the other women hate her more , on account of bur immense wealth. She is practically a debutante. 1'or live years she was tins vile of a highly eccentric young Croesus , who marrfed her for her loveliness , adored tier desperately , wrote verses incessantly in her praise , and willed her all his property. She was born at Troy , N. Y. , twenty-six years ago. Her father was Commodore Prieo.of the United States navy , and although her family had only his pay to live on , they did so in marked rolinement. and were figures in the pretentious circles of local society. Lillie Price irrew early into a beauty of the queenly type. She was tall , erect. with regular features , sweet facial expression , and positively regu lar manners of urbane lint digul- lied courtesy. She disregarded the wooing of Trojans , and ilcame to be un derstood among her acquaintances that nothing short ol millionaireism would recommend any man to her favorable consideration as a husband. In the odd Louis C. Ilammerslcy she found this qualification. He was A sixm'i.Ait CHAKA TIK : , an object at once of respect and ridicule. His .appearance was naturally singular. and he heightened it by quaint costum ing. He was all the while doing queer things. Hut in his behavior was ever- polite , his morals excellent and his dis position kind. Did Ids bride love him ? Nobody knows. She was a robust , faith ful wife at all events. The Widow Hammersley's period of conventional mourning bus now expired , and she his appeared at the opera as the acknowledged QI'IIKN OF HKAtrrV. Even the most envious do not think of questioning her supremacy. Hut she docs not let the general admiration de pend alone on her perfection of face and form. Her costumes are wonders of ar tistic construction , and she has not yet worn ono of them twice. Her jewels , have thus tar been changed every night. 1 do not recall an instance of costlier or more elaborate toilet preparation for a social season in New York by any belle , and if she carries through the win ter's succession of balls , receptions and dinners the policy which she has thus far pursued at the opera , she will by spring become the most celebrated woman in America. She lias evidently gone in for a great triumph. She is the owner of u box , and its tiny parlor at tlie rear is superbly furnished. The walls arc freshly hung with rare llowers.and an elaborately carved combination of sideboard and ice box yields wines to her guests between acts. That she is courted and adulated needs not to be said. She" is the most in teresting personage in the nousc , not ex cepting the foremost singer on the stage. The opera audiences are ct.'uiors smuEcrs FOR STUDV. What struck me , while sketching the Widow Hannnorsloy on the sly , was that somn of the daughters of wealth , denied beauty , were seckiiifj ; to earn by exertion the distinction winch she got without ollbrt. That is to say , they endeavored by irregularity of costume , or idiosyn crasy of demeanor , to fix masculine at tention. Often they succeeded. In one ins iiiinn it was done by an odd arrange ment of the hair , after the manner of this scare-wigs of the minstrels ; in an other the theatrical poses of a Juliet lop pmg _ over her balcony rail wore prac ticed over the box's front ; in numerous cases audaciously vivacious conversation served tlie purpose. Mr. August Belmont - mont is a shrewd observer and humorous commentator of these scenes. "That young lady , " he remarked , meaning a girl who was holding a group of fellows in her box parlor the door of which gave an open view to all passersby - by mixing drinks for them in a pretty travesty of barkeoping , "reminds me of a female gymnast whom I once know of. Both won by strangely doing common acts. This ono piques curiosity by pre senting a barkeeper in the form of a dainty belle. The other was a young cir cus performer. SIIK Tlllir.W KUl'-ri.Al'S in' the sawdiijt ring , and didn't command much notice. Then she transferred her self to u theatrical stage , as a ligure in a pantomimic struggle. . There , in the long-skirted costume of a fashionable belle , she turned the same old flip-flaps , but to tremendous applause and admira tion. For a fact , there was less impro priety in it for she was fully enveloped. while before she had worn professional sklrtlessness but the oddity won. In society , too , the Ilip-llappers sometimes succeed , " son.vi , Kidntr.s. A remarkably pretty young woman was considerably admired at the charity ball of 1831. She was a graceful brunette , with a good air , and she hail a quiet de portment. This ball , as yon doubtless know , has long been a distinctively mod ish a Hair , with much ado as to its exclu sive character. Therefore , when the ad miration of the ft ranger led to enquiries , and the dandies from tlm avenue learned that she kept a boarding house , they no longer sought her hand In the wait/ . Betore the night was over , a detective idontilicd her as the wife of Charles Billiard , alias Piano Char ley , n professional thiot , and she was requested to go out. She has now come into notoriety as the heiress of seven millions from Juen Petro Terry , a Cuban planter ; and 1 am not going to rehearse the facts , for yon have already had them in print ; but what 1 wonder is what she will do with her immense for tune , On being ejected from the charily ball , as I am told by a committcomaii , she cried angrily : "If 1 had a million I'd bo welcome at this ball , or any other hall in Now York. 1 could walk into John Jacob Astor's parlor if I had five mil lions,11 Well , she will soon have seven ; and of course shu can't buy entry into good society with It ; but if 'oho doesn't show us some extraordinary things in showy luxury then I shall be disap pointed. * * lllCHTONKD CHA1I1TV. An exquisitely fashionable thing hero in Now York is a charity to the good graces which "ordinary people" nre not admitted ; an institution for the relief of "ladles only" to the exclusion of women who are not "ladies. " It has opened clu- g'tmt hotu.lquarters on Fifth avenue , near thy Astor residency. ' Thu words .quoted nro used b\ the prdi ( Jt.rs of the cn'or- ' itnso to imlieato boundaries of their benevolence As one of ttlic managers said to mo , "Ordinary people have ave nues for cmploymcnt-iti which thoj mil- ui'iilly lind work , but reduced ladies are nl a great disadvantage in attempting to earn n living atid it is to assist these latter that this society is established. The writer had called to learn how the line was drawn between "ladies" or "gentle- women in reduced circumstances , " unit "not ladies , " to make uso-of ttio formula of logic. Apparently it had never oc curred to her that there might , be a possi bility of confounding the classes ; tlie question was so altogether novel that it had to lie put in several forms before she comprehended its fundamental meaning. Then it wasdemonstratcd'Thal : servants were not ladles , of course ( invincible argument ) ; that "ordinary womon"could | not be ladles ; that is , women who had been accustomed to work lor a living in shops and factories ; that women who had always been poor ( born in reduced cir cumstances presumably ) , could not hope for aid in tlieexehaiige ; from all of which it seemed to follow that the real distinc tion between "ladies" and "not ladles" consisted in the respective habits of not earning and earning a living. "Hut , " to come at last to tlie language of the mana ger , "the responsibility for determining who arc proper subjects ( i. o. ; ladies ) for assistance , rests with the members and managers of the exchange jndivid- ually. In such an association of such ladies it may bo granted , t suppose , that no mistakes in the way of perfect discrimination are made. ( That is a lad v may bo depended on to recogni/.o a lady instinctively. ) The system is this : each manager buys one or more tickets at ! ? . " a piece , each ticket entitling three person to the privilege of consigning ur- tides to the exchange. The manager then disposes of the ticket as ho sees lit ; she may have among her acquaintances One or inore reduced ladies to whom she presents the ticket , or such gentle women may bo recommended to her by persons competonl to judge whether they are worthy or not. The linal holder of the ticket then has the privilege of eon- signing goods to us for sale. We have several department ? , you know , needlework - work of all kinds , patented work of all kinds , embroidery , brie a brae , old furni ture , eotlec and cake , etc. A UKOIH'KI ) LA1 > V who lias any of th(5so ( articles , or makes any of them in the various departments , and holds ono ot our liekets , can bring die goods to us. Wo mark : i price anil display them , and when they are sold we turn I no money over to the consignor , less ten per cent , which we retain to pay for the running cxpensesof the exchange. In addition to the reduced ladles who hold tickets as gifts from the managers are many who purchase their own privi lege. It is to them a business in vestment like the buying of space at a fair or desk room in an ollico. Of course we do not sell such tickets broadcast ; the purchaser may be recommended and vouched for by some manager or responsible lady known to ns. And there is one feature of the ex change that perhaps ordinary people would not appreciate ; the identity ot the consignors is not disclosed to 'the cus tomers. Kvcn the clunkbiirtiid executive pHicers deal with them ( through the in itials only. So a rodncdll lady is com pelled to sull'er none't'ofUhe annoying publicity to which peopliutire subjected elsewhere in .seeking employment or dis posing of work. " TUB K occupies two floors of. 1hc building on Filth avenue. The lirsbflloor above the street is devoted to the ulistilay and sale of noodle and art worki , It is very at tractive in nppcaraiiM-- like a depart ment in a church fan- , where artistic ladies have charge. Boiow-is the room for pastry , old f urnitnra and bric-a-brac. This is as attractive as antique mahogany. ancient blue chairs , and : the freshest , of nice cakes , pies , picUlesrnnil preserves can make it.A couple- lunch tables are spread from noon until ! ! , this being the latest improvement in the exchange. It is designed to make it a comfortable meeting place for la dies. where they may feel free to sit down a few minutes conversation , Among the artichjs in tlie room was an pld-fasliioiied mahogany sidebooard bear ing a complete service of rare bine china upon its shelves. The writer suggested that this might have a story back of it , some unfortunate huiv in reduced cir cumstnnccs compelled to part with an lioirloom , perhaps , or presenting for sale one of the luxuries of her better times. "I don't know. ' ' mused the lad.y manager : "It may bo ; I often wonder how some of the consignors comt into possession of the articles they bring here. Tt would seem strange that poor people should spend their little money for snub things : Imt , there is a constant demand for an tique goods , so perhaps the reduced la dies buy them at a bargain as a biisinos' investment and place them hero to bu sold at a prolit. . " "Do women who are not ladies cvci try in consign their goods 10 you y" "We don't take consignments from such. " "But do they try to deceive yon ? " "Verv seldom ; they seem to knmv thai wo are strict , and they make little oflbrl to get the privilges " of the society undoi false pretences. CI.AKA BKI.I.K. PKPL'KUMJNT DUOI'S. Sweet iinino-n beehive. Biirlosquo opera will ho roimdo this winter A chestnut hell The telephone anmmcl ator , A tiiir Is the only thin ; ; tlmt has Its tnws ho hind. The obltiiitry column Is full of the lust su ; writes. PnkiT Is tlie popular rauio In Ciilcnco a' ' piosent. The city bristles with it ( ienmimo is rapidly Icarnlnir to play polcer At last thcitrmy luialdm jiiat wlieio it want ; him. him.When When an old maid gets married the cronin should ring the chcstu at hullo. There's lie joke In nuroiiij , ' mi old maid , The Phrenological Journal says : "In ' dioosliii ; a wife bo novornod by no'r chin , ' A man Is apt to bo uovcnu'd by the sunn tliliiL' after ho ( 'c-ts a wife. It was nrotty nearly half-nast eleven o'clocli when ho tioiran to slii } ; "How Can 1 lxav ; ( Thou" to his best tiil. Pretty soon her pnpn eaino down stairs and ho lound out how easj It was. I'runk .lames , the Missouri bandit , K.IVO II out some tune a o that hevns icolm , ' to re form nnd lead tlolifoof | a ircpectidilcdtl/.cii but 11 rejioi t has just coiuo in t'jat liu jieddln tickets all day at the pulls in Independence , Mo. Mo.A A carpet tradn pupor tolls n story of a per spiring hak'smau who ( ouuied to bo unabli t .suit a lady after unrolling mllns of lib slock.Vlion tlm lady rumnrlcvd to her coin p.inlon : "Jiaby likas to seoJihiiiroll them cm and It s not Hum 10 take the train yet , " hi Ktivo it up. A Kont'eiuan stopping onotuvoiilni : at s country hotel said to the maid servant win waited upon him , and who scouted nearly ox Imustcd with the rationing Uutlesof her situ alien , "I Inivoiio doubt , " sul the. "biityoi enjoy your bid when you pet Into It. " ' 'In deed , no. sir , " she replied , ' 'lor.ns hoon as 1 llodowa al nlKht I am fs t. asleep , nnd a : soon as 1 waku in the mumlm ; 1 am obllei to u'ct up. so that 1 have no enjoyment hi m\ bed at all. " Another Clianco for That Follow. Kentucky State Journal : "iMiwat the divil is nil this talk about that Now York irirrnl they calls the ( Joddess. ot Liberty * " asked Airs. O'Kauorty of her next ifooi neighbor. "I suppose it's wau av those porlos- sional beauties that's come over hero , Mrs. O'Hallerty. " "Vis , an1 they makes her a goddess , ' The first Ihing'shc knows that dubhardt felly will bo after her the same'as he WHS after thai Langerty woman. J declare to gracious , scandal takes betthur in this eounthry Hum any.thin' Use. " GREAT EVENTS IS BOSTON , President Cleveland's ' Visit to tbo Hub and His Hearty Rccoptiau. DRAMATIC KINGS AND QUEENS. \\HHOII Um-rctt , Adonis Dl.vcy , ntul the < ronl I'ntti , Hooked for a Season litlicrntlty of llostoiilnns A l'i-e niletitlul ) oko. BtiMON' , Nov. 17. [ ( . 'orrespondoncc of the Bii- : ; ] Laying aside : ill party prejudice - dice anil uncharitable narrowness , it must bo admitted that President Cleve land's first visit to lloslon xv.is a most plea ant one. That it was thoroughly enjoyed by the people of Boston and vi cinity tliero ran bo no doubt ; and If the. .same Is not true of the president and his pretty wife , they must indeed be vcri clever iiuturs. Their reception hero was such a one as only Boston people can give when tliey once get aroused , which is not vury often. It it very .seldom ( hat a real bine-blooded conservative evinces any enthusiasm , but when ho is onee stirred up you may know that it means .something. We take it that by this time Tin : I'KKsniKsr is { pretty well used to the booming of e.anmm and the shouts ot the multitude , and all this sort of thing ' 'as ' ' "Si its uharm to him. Hut the ellVet on ( lie youthful collegians in ( 'ambridgo was somewhat dillerent. It was with dillirnl- ty that the picturesque Lancets force' ) their way through tlie mass of excited Immunity whieli thronged Harvard street on the morning of Mr. Cleveland's visit ; but when tlm four prancing grays whieli drew Ids carriage stepped Into the gate way of the college imadranirlc. enthusi asm seemed to outdo itself. The bells of ( he city pealed forth their merriest , the cunnon thundered on Ca.ubridgo common ns they have not done since the ( toys of Washington , and a thousand SONS OK MAUVAItl ) yelled a hearty "three times three. " \Vhat : in inspiration it must have been to the ambitions undergraduate , to see the chief magistrate of the nation and of the commonwealth , the presidents of till the principal American colleges , ambassabors from I'.urop'j , and such men as Oliver Wendell Homes , James Russell Lowell , George Bancroft , and Senator Hoar , marching arm in arm toSanders' theater to atteuuone of the most literary and dignified meetings of a century. Hut tliero is another view of the situation which shows that the male dignitaries were not the only LIONS OK TI1K ( KVAMON. It is safe to say thru the crowd was as cu rious to get a view of the president's charminjr wife as of his excellency him self , and the crowd of shivering souls which stood for two hours and a half about the doors of the theater to eutoh a glimpse of her , was soinctniug prodigi ous. * * * NEW KNCI.AM ) TIIKUT is proverbial. Notldmr is more unchar itable , however , than"to insinuate , as New York papers are accustomed to do , that with this'thrift there is scattered r. generous amount of natural stinginess. Nothing could be more grossly false. It is true that Boston reserve and its at tendant qualities are often mistaken by rushing New Yorkers for parsimony. Jt is also true that if the so-called hospital ity whieli is so often practised upon country merchants and the like in i > ew York , were tried upon a Hoston man , he would immediately "drop" to the fact that he was being 'worked for a lish. ' ' In charity to the metropolis 1 shall not mention the comparatively small amount which that city has given to the Charles ton sufferers , but beg leave to mention that the chairman of the Boston relief committee has received a receipt for the handsome sum of $100,000 from Mayor. Courteuay of Charleston. "And now. " says Mayor Courtenay , "will you let say to the people of Hoston how deeply touched is tins community , not only a't the liberality of their gifts , but also the considerate and thoughtful manner of their giving. "Writing as I do in the shadow of our great calamity , feeling the heavy burden we all have to bear , realizing the many difficulties we as a city must overcome , wo feel stronger for oiir work by the con sciousness that we have Boston s sympa thy and support. May a kind Providence favor and bless your noble city and people ple through all time ! " * * * TIIKATF.lt ( iOKlIS and lovers of music are beginning to have their hands full as the season goes on The three "proper" theaters of the city are the Globe , the Bost-m and the Holiis street. The Park and the Bijou come next , while tint Howard and the Windsor supply the wants of still cheaper patrons. The cosy little Bijou has taken a very marked step downwurd within a your , At the Glebe Mr. Wilson Barrett has made a decided hit. Ho is indeed a forc ible and talented actor , young , educated and handsome. His Hamlet is entirely dillerent from Booth's and many like it better. He nortruys Hamlet as a school boy of eighteen instead of a man of thirty and gives his reasons for so doing. His Olaudian is novel and strong ; his Clito , which lie produced last week for the first lime in America , although it is jilaycd in a most rclincd and nnsuggch- tivn manner , savors pretty strongly of the loose. Itoman times which it represents , Still it is beautifully tragic and shows the qualities of Mr. Barrett's excellent company to good advantage. The prin cipal lady , Miss Kastlako , is one of the cleverest actresses Boston has seen for some time. Mrs. Langtry i < playing at the Boston as Pauline in "The Lady of Lyons. " She plays to big houses but him is received coldly and with reserve and seems to owe her popularity to tao fact that she is a great beauty rather than a good actress. Dixey is still drawing full houses at the Holiis street as Adoii'n. It is well known that Dixoy is a prominent member of the masonic order in this city , and his mason ic brothers have conspired to do him great honor. On Thursday evening the entire house has been purchased by the nobles of the mystic shrine , AloppoTom- tle , and members of vaiious masonic lodges , and it is said that the red fez will bo worn. Theallair will bo an event of no little significance in theatrical circles , * * * DIXUY'S lUNQL'ET TO WILSON IIAIIHr.TT , Speaking of theaters reminds mu that hi.it night chronicled one of the most sumptions feasts that has been given in the Hub for some time. It was thn occa sion of a banquet given by Mr. Dixoy to Mr. Wilson Barrett , the great Knglihh actor , whom wo have mentioned in this letter. The marble columned banquet hall of the Vcndonio had been changed into a perfect paradise under the direc tion of a skillful llorisl , and where imt one week ago sat President C'lovoland and his bride , "tho observed of all observers , " were now arranged long tables most ex travagantly and" sumptuously ladun for the 107 tired actors who were to join Mr. Dixoy in doing honor to the illustrious Briton. Wo can no moro than mention a few of the features of tlm evening such as speeches from Mr. Dixoy and Mr. Bar rett and a poem by J. C. ( ioodwin , Mr. Dixoy was most hospitably received by Mr. Barrett in London , and tjhu link of their friendship has been wcjdcd in a most mc.iutifnl nnd lusting manner , * * OllC TJIANKsOJVINfJ is to be Mirrouhdodf as it were , by I'utti concerts. 'I li'is cell brat -d sing r \ 111 jrivo two farewell concerts in Mnsie Hall next week , ono on the evening before and the other on the evening after Thanksgiving. The second act of Semeramtdo will be given on Wednesday evening and .the garden oono from 1-aust on Friday. This will bo a rare musical treat and nltlionsh seats will cost $ .1 , ! ? I , and $ * > , crowded houses are a foregone coiicltiilon. * The lirst thing a stranger criti/.ies in Boston , especially if lids a westerner is the evtreme crockoilni'M ami narrowness of our streets , lie immediately concludes That the buildings were put tip promis cuously and the streets picked out I'.ftor- wards , and indeed his conclusion is not far from correct. The names of streets are as capricious as the streets them- selves. For instance , a street erovdug Washington street is called Summer stioet on one side of Washington and Winter street on the other , when in reality they are oiui and the same street. The same is true of Klliottaml Kneel , and when it crosses Trcmont , near Seollay Square , the buildings on one side of the street are on Tr mont How and on the other side of the saitR' street are called on Court street , Add to all this the extremely barbarous way of having door numbers increiise on one side of a street and decrease on the other and you can form some idea of the facility with which a stranger linds his way in the city of culture. A certain member of the board of al dermen IniM become ( lie object of much ridicule and a corresponding amount of pity since he conceived and made known the novel idea of taking out the show windows of shops .uid constructing side walks in their places along the front and on tlie ground Moor of buildings. The itlea is rather Chinese and I fear that it "must go. " The labyrinthian streets , however , are only to be found in this old part of the city. The Back Bay district or fashionable purl of the city is beauti fully laid out in broad avenues and lias a more modern appearance. Commonwealth avenue is the richest and most aristocratic. On this is situated the most noted of Boston's hostelrics , ( lie Vemlome. And this reminds me of Pro-blent Cleveland's joke while breakfasting - fasting at the Vemlome. ( Pronounced Vomlonie. French : vous save/ . ) Looking out. upon the. rich brown stone mansions which adorn the avenue , and being told that ils name was Comm > wealth , his excellency remarked that as name xyas inappropriate since it was very evident that none but the iineoui- monwcalthy could all'ord to live there. This being a presidential joke must needs be laughed at by every loyj-l American , ami will therefore be a good one to close with. KUANSIIML. : : . MTKItAHV NOTKS. "From Meadow Sweet to Mistletoe" is the title of a beautiful volume by Miss M. A. Lathbury , artist-author of the "Seven Little Maids , " "King-a-Honml-n-Kosy , " etc. It consists of1(1 ( original designs printed in photogravure , from theoiig- inal Sepia drawings ; printed on extra size , heavy drawing paper , with illustra tive verses by the author. Inclosed in a cover of unique design , printed colors and gold. The price of this holiday book is $2,5 ! ) . It comes from the. pre > s of the Worlhmgion company. New York , which continues to maintain its reputa tion for producing artistic and appro priate American books for American children. The Century company has published Frank II Stockton's story , "The Casting Away of Mri. Leeks and Mrs. Aleshine , " in book iorm. The ocean adventures of Mr. Craig and his two rather elderly protegees is told with a simplicity , di rectness and honest candor , that exhibits a most delicate and sympathetic humor , by tlie presentation of a trio that acted so natural , easy and unconcerned , in time of danger. Their Hobinson Crusoe existence as boarders on the lonely isle is original and clever. "How to Win" is a book for girls , written by Francis K. Willard , with an introduction by Hose Kli/.abcth Cleve land. Thn volume consists of talks to girls on many subjects , with tlie intent to render them more serious and con- scions of their place in life by centering their thoughts above the limc-killirtg in ventions of society. Ideals in woman hood and manhood are spoken of , and tlie way in which these ideals may be realized is presented. Bread-winniiig is touched upon mil lightly. This UOOK is published by Funk \i \ Wagnalls , New York 'Must One Day. " by John Habberton , is a very funny and amusing story , fully equal to his "Helen's Babies , " being truthful and told with spirit and humor. It is a natural and amusing story of chil dren in every-ilay life , and will amuse and cheer all who read it , for it is full of humor , is intensely real , and will in vari ably move the reader to lanqhter. It is a good book for every husband , wife , father and mother to read , for it is tilled to the brim with fun , frolic , and reality , r.ml there is in it a sweet undercurrent of pathos that lends a special charm to the whole slor.t. All should read it. It is published in uniform style with "Helen's Babies , " price lifty coniy , by T , B. Peter son & Brothers , Philadelphia. Fords , Howard tfc lltilbcrt , New York , have ; just published an interesting volume , "The Volcano Under the City. " It is a history of 'he riots in the metropolis in 180 ; ) . It is a long time since any writer lias opened so strangely inlon.'sting a crypt in American history. Tlie nation al'large has pretty much forgotten if in deed it over knew that it OIICD had a great riot , in which more than fourteen hundred men were killed. It docs not rcali/e that a mob once contended , through four successive days and nights , for the mastery of the city of New York. The author was what was known as a "Volunteer Special , " one of those citi zens who came to the aid of the over taxed police authorities , and were as signed to special duties ns volunteers in the ranks of law ami order during the serious outbreak. Hit was an eye-witness of much of tlm dreadful work of those days and nights and speaks , therefore , from personal knowledge. Leo & Shepard , Boston , have published Tennyson's "Dora" ' in a very nrtUtlo style. The illustrations are masterpieces of art , both as to de.iign and engraving. The volume is printed on heavy paper , and is handsomely bound In old gold covers. Altogether it makes a beautiful holiday book. "All Taut , or Higging the Bout , " by Oliver Optic , is the latest addition to the "Boat-Builders series1 published by Lee & Shcpurd , Boston. ' 1 he book contains about the .sumo amount of incident and adventuru as its predecessors in the ( -.cr ies ; bat they are events which forward the action of the principal , and illustrate his method of reforming bud boys. The Lily is rigged , and makes a very good record as a fast sailer. Tlm principal , though the actual work to Iw done by the students is only to rig a foro-und-aft schooner , explains to them the dill'i rent kinds of vessels , classed by their rig. and fully illustrates the system by which the spars , rigging , and aiU of a ship are named , MI that he makes quite an easy matter of it for the boys. "The Book of Eloquence,1' published by Lee it Shepard. Boston , is a collection of extracts in prose and verse from the most f unions orators and pools , ami is in tended as exercises for declamation in colleges and schools. It is arranged by Charles Dudley Warner , who has exer- cibcil care in making the selections. "Where dots the laioklxiard ? " asks tluv Doitim Hcifttd.V'o lUm't .know. In t'ict' : w < > have never heard , ullhoiiL'h the lias tic''U asked a nuuiUi-fot times. ' f t t'VH nnl1\lMT | | 1T 111MAI I\T CALM PUUlm IN IJhRUN Abject Destitution of Tons of Thousand ? in the Go man Metropolis. THE SYSTEM OF RELIEF. Xonrly Kidty Thousand I'orsotis Do * pendent iijion Ctini-lty , While u ( Jtinrlorol a Million K\K < on IIV H Than Thirty Cents a Day. Br.iM.tN , Nov. 8.--fCoriospondencc of the Bi'i.l : 1 was asked ( he other day if there was much Millering among the poor of our capital. The question re minded me of what 1 had heard n New York lady say recently : "I have been paitictiiarly struck by one tiling , " she remarked , "during my six mouths1 so journ ! n your great city ; I do not sen even on the street tho'i ) ragged , hollow- checked figures that attract so many pitying glances in London , Paris Home. and the large American centers. So I conclude that there is but little poverty here. " I hastened to inform my good friend that she was mistaken. Since Berlin has become a grand metroiioliH and new trades and industries have grown up until they are the most nour ishing in Germany , its ludigetiey has in creased at the same rate as Its wealth. And what this trout tn is becoming , may be judged bv the fact that there are li8 ! families in Berlin with an annual income of from 525,01)0 ) to. * iTi,0(0large : ( sums in Knrone , however small they may seem in America. Thousands of families ami single in dividuals come to Berlin annually from the country hoping to find hero better Wages and lighter work ; but , unless favored by circumstances , the greater part of these deluded people fail to get on , and thus increase eveiy year the quantum of our ourI'Al 1-I.lllSM. That a stranger living inja hotel on the west side of the city does not meet with beggars and misery , is ; very natural , for that is the aristocratic quarter. Them , again , our police regulations are very strict. Mendicity is prohibited , and any body found asking alms is promptly ar rested ; if the nutortuunio wretch can give neither an address of his own nor that of an employer , he is promptly com- milted to the workhouse as a tramp. You are not apt to be troubled by beg gars at your front door bell , for the "Hat" system prevails in Berlin , and the porter at the main entrance is as watchful as Cerberus ; yet should a eunnimr mumper succeed in gaining the stair-case , 1m wo'.ild lind himself confronted at every ' door with a notice reading as follows' : "Members of the Society for the Sup- pros-ion of Mendicity. " This moans that the lamily within docs not intend to give without lirst consulting the society and linding out whether this be a worthy east ! . This admirable orgaiii/ation , sup ported by the wealthier portion of Ber lin , is of course unable to help all the needy who apply , but it does consider able good , and at least protects us mem bers against impostors of both sexes. The society lias ollices scattered about the city , and requests for help are caie- full.y examined into before being-granted. Similar societies exist in almost all the largo German cities. How then dons the voice of the poor reach the car of the. rich ? By means of a written appeal , which is an advantage to both parties , for the mendicant can fur nish a complete and truthful account of his wants , while the alms-giver can sat isfy himself that his money is not being wastcil on drunkards or vagabonds. 1 have received during the past week 150 appeals of this kind. What accounts of St'KI'KKINO \VItKT'llKINliSS ( they give ! Some of these descriptions are doubtless exaggerated. Many , I can see by the writing , are the work of the sumo hand .some scrivener who ekes out his existence by inditing begging letters for others. However , most of these sad stories are found to be only too true on investigation , ami you .sometimes meet with eases where the misery js so great that the pen cannot do them justice ; and ali this in spite of our admirable city poor houses , our hundreds of private charitable institutions and very generous individual almsgiving. 1 make it a rule never to irivo , without at lirst inquiring into the ease , and as I was beginning my regular round of in spection , the other day , I invited the New York lady already mentioned to go with me. Now , nothing is more dillicnlt , in : i large city , than to find out who are poor and who are not. Many a family sup posed to be wealthy is living under the shadow of the poor house ; but I have to do now only vvith those who are depend ent upon charity for their existence. OKK1CIA1 , STATISTICS show that Ii0il7 ! , ( ! inhabitants in Berlin , whoso population is now about a million and a half , were relieved from taxation in 18S. > because their annual earnings did not reach $105 , while M8,1'JS persons earned $105which gave them about thirty cents a ( jay for all their expenses. Be sides this mass of starving people who live from hand to mouth , and are never able to lay aside a penny fora rainy day , tn.riSl still moro unfortunate beings re ceived aid from the poor fund , some for a season only , and others throughout the whole year. Again , 17till ! families wens exempted from the payment of their house rent because of their poverty , while ! tJl' ! ! ' more families who tried to meet the demand of their landlord failed to do so. I might go on and lift still moro the veil that partly conceals this abject desti tution , I might show you the crowded tenement houses , the wretched lodging rookeries tor men and women whore all the demands of modesty are forgotten , and the low cellars , those haunts of disease and epidemic , where narents and children sleep on dairpstrawand breatl o mcphltic air ; but why dwell longer oi. such human sullering ? U would be moro profitable and pleasant to recount how the stale , the oily , and the private eili/.en Jabor together to aflcvialo this wretchedness , how every night homes lor the friendless shelter those who have no bed nor roof and how everything possible is done to lift up the struggling beggar and make him an inde pendent man again. But what we try to do in Berlin in tlnsdircction is doubtless much the same as that done ii the other large cil es of the world. 1 have shown that the New York lady was wrong , that the German , like other capitals , is cursed with poverty , and that is moro than enough to have to toll in one letter. LlNA lid Had to ( Jot Illri Key In. Topcka Common wealth : Tint night air was .somewhat loaded with his hiccoughs as he struggled homo by daylight. Thu ears had commenced running , but ho would not take ono. lie knew that ho had nii.-sod the lust car long ago , and ho could not understand that yesterday was over and to-day hud conio. To him no ears ran after forty minutes past twelve o'clock , and it hud been forty minutes past twelve o'clock for hours. There must bo some other ears. Ho was sur prised to meet a good many people com ing down town , and in trying to pu//l out what waup he gradually reached lioine. A stray policeman who had lu.'on left ( > ui all night heard a revolver shot , and in defiance of danger ran. Ho found the inebriated gentleman tiring through his own door , "Hello ! what are you doingV" . "Tliasli all right. Yon Jet me alone. " "What are yon shooting atv" "Darn it , can't yjn SL-c-y I can't -lind the .keyhole ; of this door anil 1 'm'shootin1 in a now one. I've got to get my key into this door somehow. " :