Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-04-28
Prom Regular Correspondent.
St. Nicholas Hotel, New York.
April 18th. 1883

many years, We find ourself again in
the Metropolis of the Union. Many
are the changes which have taken place
since we were here before. New
Streets have been opened, and many
old ones have been remodled. Build
ings, such as we never even dreamed
of q few years ago, but which are now
becoming quite common in our own
Chicago, confront us in many of the
leading streets, but where we expected
to find All old familiar object, we are
surprised to fetch up against one of
these palatial stores.
We have been Oh the point Of
losing ourselves several times and but
for occasionally running upon an old
landmark, we should lose ourseIfevery
half hour in the streets Of this city.
Yesterday, the first day after a1riv-
ing here, we managed, somehow, to
stray out of our latitude, or rather out
of what was the latitude Of New York
according to the geography Of our
memory, and were suddenly awakened
from a pleasing train of reflection and
the great progress and Improvement
Of the city, to find ourselves complete
~ at fault as to our whereabouts. We
looked east, west, north and south, but
like ''Sister Ann could discover moth
ing ''de6nlng our position" Remem-
bering, that once upon time, when
lost in a Wisconsin Pnery, we found
our way back to civilization by obser-
walton of the Sun, we cast about to find
old Sol, who had 50 kindly befriended
us Oh that occasion, confident that he
would help US out of our dilemma, but
the old codger had lodged behind
some huge cloud Of the many which
surrounded us, and was indiskiyerable.
''Lost! Lost!' we mentally calculated ;
and as the narrowing fact more vivid
~ impressed our mind, we became so
bewildered, that we doubt had we been
inquired of, we could have told ''where
we lived,' OF ''what our name was.n
The black clouds, which unobserv-
we'd by us, had been gathering in vol
ume and density for over an hour, sud
denly opened their Street ,Sprinhzers,
and down came most delectable show
err Of the aqueous element. This had
the effect Of drenching us speedily to
the skin, and at the same time made
us aware of a personal identity, and
that like Webster eve still Iyed,n and
by slight exertion on our part, we might
still be saved. Hence, we incurred of
the first man we met, the way to the
St. Nicholas. Easy enough, my friend'
said he, ''Keep ahead for four blocks,
then turn the corner, and go east 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, counting his fmgers) sew
en- blocks, then west two blocks, then
south counting his fingers again) FIVE
blocks, then west one block, and you
won't be far from where you want to
be. When you get there, inquire
again" Thanking him, we went
'straight ahead for four blocks" and
then of course was puzzled to know
which way was east. We inquired
again Of gentleman, who Informed us
that We had been mislead, that Kit was
only necessary to keep straight ahead,
and we'd come out all right" So
straight ahead we went and in about
ten minutes were brought up all stand
ing, by solid wall of buildings which
crossed my Street at right angle, and
ended it.
Wen make an end Of this narration
of troubles by stating that having lost
all confidence Of Street directions from
New Workers, and resolving hereafter
to keep on the line Of omnibusses, OF
under the escort Of a chaperoaae, we
concluded to trust to luck, and so hap
hazard turned to the left, and fortu-
nately soon struck horse railroad.
paid our dime, and was soon after
changing our dripping clothes in room
10.
After such supper as only the stew
ard of the Saint knows how to get up,
we visited Niblo's Garden, to see the
Ravel brothers in some of their
grand pantomines This is their last
engagement in the States, prior to their
abandonment Of the stage theatrical
forever. A desire once more to see
this peerless corps, induced us to visit
them first in the round of amusements
we purpose to make. We would give
you description of the performance,
but it would be uninteresting to your
readers, and owing to the Wettiuc of