Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-30
OUR BOSTON LETTER.
The Ters Parties-HOW Boston Distrib-
utes Charity, or Flow Not TO DO 1t
literary, Musical and Theatrical
(sOSsiD.

literary, Musical and Theatrical
Gossip.
Correspondence Of the Union and American.
Boston, Dec. 22-Thc tea parties
have been the prominent excitement of
the Hub during the past week, and
have fully Swallowed forth the long Sc
ries and centennial celebrations which
this section of the country viii be in
ticted with during the next few years.
The prospect is really appalling when
one thinks Of the amount Of buncOmb
and spread-eagle speech-making which
will be recorded by the enteTprising
press of this section. and one almost
wishes that those old parties who kick
ed up such a row hun red years ago
had concentrated their operations and
offered fewer opportunities for talk by
the present generation OF their descen-
dants. The Woman's Suffrage party
at Fanueil Hall was by far the
most successful of the celebrations and
thcaddresses were to thepOint and inter-
csting The taxation without repre-
sentation" cry fitted their case 50 ex-
actly that their hobby and the occa-
sion were easily run together. We
had a representation OF the destruction
of the tea at another entertainment,
but the savages for the occasion being
taken from the ranks of the various
Sunday schools made it difficult TO i'm
agine anything ike the old time scene.
One Of our big tea companies seized
the opportunity as an advertising me-
dunn and distributed miniature chests
of tea. said to be filled with the best Of
their stock toE be kept as souvenirs,
trusting that the poetic associations
would prevent an inspection Of their
contents. Unfortunately the proposal
to again tax tea forced the price up
and many thrifty lads gathered up
these samples for home use, but con-
cluded to get along with meadow hay
a little while longer rather than use
the choice tea in The sample chests.
OUR CITY CHARITY BUREAU
seems to be threatened with a shaking
up that will prove "A serious matter
with the officers Of this cIrcumlocution
Office. 1t has evidently been the aim
of those who planned this bureau to
discover how not to do it. and the SUI
fering poor who have applied in vain at
its doors think it a success IN this par
ticular. As near as an outsider can
discover. the management Of the State,
city and private charities, which all
center in the building occupied by the
bureau. are in charge Of Anticipated
or otherwise incompetent persons, and
their lack of Judgment neoessitates a
multitude of rules and regulations for
the control of the business of the bu-
rcau. and these rules make a barrier
between the worthy poor and the help
which they require which few have per-
severance or strength enough to break
down. A poor woman who is in a stary
ing condition and comes to ask bread for
herself and little ones at home is hard
ly in a condition to give history of
her ancestors since the landing at
Plymoth Rock or Castle Garden, yet
the questions asked at the Bureau IN
wolves about as extended knowledge
of ones antecedents as would be requir-
ed by the former statement. The prac-
teal result of all this questioning is to
utterly discourage and dlshearten all
bah professional beggars. The ques-
ton of charity and It's most economl-
cal application has never yet been set
settled, but in that good time coming
it is to be hoped that public and pri-
waite disbursements viii be made by
persons chosen for their large hearts
and large brains rather than from that
numerous class of be little do little
people who are provided for by their
friends in Office by shelving them upon
some charity board.
THE LITERARY WORLD
of this city were somewhat startled at
the change in the ownership of The
atlantic and Orr Yo,wg Folks and
feared that the fame of these standard
magazines would depart with the old
imprint on the title page; but instead
of this the general opinion is that the
new publishers will revive the fame OF
both publications and still further in.
crease their popularity. The store oc.
cupied for the past few years by The
Messrs. Fields, Osgood a Co, has been
a pleasant rendezvous for literary mer
and women, and it is a question If any
other firm will succeed in attracting
the brilliant gatherings Of wits anc
Artists who have been So much ut home
at the two corner bookstores Of the
popular firm who have done 50 much
for the literary reputation Of Boston
The course pursued by the managers OF
Old and NeiC, the magazine conducted
under the editorship of Rev. E. E
Hale the Unitarian minister, is being
somewhat criticised, IS the January
number IF the magazine is nothing
more than a secular periodical, having
nothing of the religious character
which was promised at the start Of the