The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-17

dollars worth of goods annually. I am not
ssrn,~ on descriptions il tho dry goods line
NV interest being chiefly in the human ele-
mani connected with it-and shall have to
LET stewart pass until I can persuade my
."cousin" to write you about it. I had almost
forgotten to tell you of the new sensation
and what is going to be still more the sensa-
ton next year.
THE vELoCPEDE.
You see it in the streets now and then of an
evening, and already school has been opened
to tes cll the new method of equtation "All
saddled and bridled and ready for a flight
will soon be something more than a nursery
rhyme. Ward Beecher is velocipedist, 20
they say, and know not who else beside; bat
you may count it as sure that the coming
man" will propel his own carriage if he doesn't
paddle his own canoe, that is, for While. by
and by of course he Will use wings.
GENERAL GRANT,
as Won know, has been stopping with us for
dow or two, but thanks to his late mastery
flank movement, the great Captain was able
to smoke his cigar without mole station from
office seekers. Plenty OF attention, of cours e,
he received, the most noteworthy of which
was the magnificent reception given in his
honor by Marshall o. Roberts, one of the gen.
une merchant princes OF New York. Mr..
Roberts has been for years largely interested
in the California steamers, is prominent Re
publican and headed the electoral ticket Of
his party in the last campaign. His popular
;ty and influence are attested by the fact that
he ran as Republican candidate for Mayor a
year or two since, and just missed of an cleo
ton in this stronghold of Democracy. 1t is
but fair to say, however, that the unterrified
| had not then reduced the manufacture of ma
| jorities to the exact science which it has W
| become. But to return to our muttons. Mr.
Roberts has one of the finest and largest resi-
| dences on the Fifth Avenue, which was al
throw1l open on Wednesday night, including
| his picture gallery which as a witty member
| of the bench, noted for his keen appreciation
| of Milesian humor, said, "has the full of q
| house in it," II can't give the brogue) and
| which probably contains the best private col
| lection of paintings in the country. Among
them are one or two of Church's most admire
works, "Huntington's "Mercy's Dream" and
Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware
| Tho company assembled to meet our next Pres
dent comprised nearly all the notabilities Of
the city, merchants, bankers, judges, lawyers
doctors, divines, artists, journalists and litter
| ateurs-not to mention the "three wise men
or their representatives who have made Goth
am so renowned by their daring adventures OF
the sea. 1t is needless to say that everything
was as brilliant as choice company, delicou
music and-yes / will mention it, for do no
Wendell Phillips and other philosophical stu
dents tell us that the stomach is the motiv,
power Of civilzation?-a sumptuous banque
could make it. Mr.. and Mrs. Roberts witt
General Grant between them received tn
guests no light task when they number 100
to 1000.
Now, my dear Press, ! am not penning thes
lines in imitation of the immortal jenkins
I humbly acknowledge my inability to follo'
that great man even from afar-but in order t
point moral, the great end and aim of a
that WEAKNESS of the flesh which results il
the making of books and the writing of letters
This very brilliant affair of which have bee
speaking, was what is popularity and some
what POLITICALLY styled
STAG PARTY.
Embracing "staes of ten" and other nObl
antlered specimens of the kind, but quit
wanting in mild eyed does and timid fawns
Indeed, am told by intelligent naturalist
that the last named are very rarely to be me
in this Gothamic wilderness And what i
more alarming this kind of party is getting t.
be the rage, Notwithstanding the vivaciou
Parton tells us that the coming man will no
drink wine, nor smoke, and will have the fair
er half of creation present at all his banquet
ings and at the polls, too. And the fairer hal
aforesaid are insisting upon their rights on al
sides-over the water, right around us-an'
down in Maine, I see, have secured the power
full aid of the Press,
l said 1 wanted to point a moral-but. il
truth, don't-T only want to ask question
Is this new movement sort of protest agains
the new order of thing? Or is it only clearin.
the way for it? "You pays your money ant
you takes your choice" for your correspond
ent protests that he is completely muddled
but 'he has heart for any fate"
/ pr,,r