Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-01-06
Our New York Letter.
The Arcadian Dinncr.-Joaquin
Miller.-COrn-popping Extra
ordinary. - 100000 per
Month from the North
ern Pacific
"BIG 90
From Our Own Correspondent.

we'll supplied with literary eel
ebrities, a liberal sprinkling Of
whom appeared at the unusual
ly brilliant dinner given by the
Arcadian Club a few evenings
since at their elegant rooms on
Firth avenue. Among the dis
tinguished persons whose pres
ence contributed to the interest
Of the occasion were the veneer
able Peter Cooper, one Of the
few remaining landmarks, so
to speak, Of old New York; VI.
d. Conway, Prentice d. Null
ford, Of the Overland Month
w." Laurence Hutton, author
Of "Plays and Players G. II.
Webb, better known as John
PAUL." aud last, but not least,
Joaquin Miller. From the gen
cral drift Of newspaper para
graz his l had prepared myself
to see in this iIlustrious person
a sort of mixture Of Lord By
ron and Buffalo Bill" and on
entering the rcccption-room
looked over the assemblage Of
black coats and white ties, in
pleasurable expectancy that my
eve would be caught by long,
coal black-locks, flowing over
the shoulders Of red hunting
h'rt, bounded on the South by
d lcathcln belt, filled with i'm
pliments of warfare, and sup
porting buckskin brooches,
which in turn should disappear
in high, big-spurred boots, all
lin accordance with the picture
my fancy had painted Of the
poet of the Sierras." Not sec
ling any thing Of the sort, l st
once concluded that the lion
h d not arrived, and turned to
sreak to an acquaintance by
whom | was introduced TO sew
eral Of the group in which |
found him. Among these was
lone gentleman whose name |
did not catch, bat who, from
b S general appearance, | judg-
led to be 4 business man Of some
kinda middIc-aged person,
with high cbeek-bones, reddish
Blown whiskcrs, and thin, short
hair Of the same color, who cX-
tended his hand IN an absent
sort Of a way, and after a word
or two about the weather, re-
lapscd into silence, leaving ne
to resume my search for tie
picturesque poet at my leiSuic e.
\ few inquiries shortly after
revealed the somewhat staggcr-
ing fact that | had been "cn-
terIaining angels unawares, or
words to that effect, and that
my business friend was noLe
other than the romantic genius
himself. On learning this, | Of
course regarded him more close
ly, to discover, if possible, some
outward signs Of the Promethl-
an fire; but beyond a military
twirI Of his moustachc, and The
wearing Of an immense cluster
diamond ring on his forefngrr,
/ must confess that / found lii
tie to compensate me for the
loss OF my red-shirtcd ideal.
Seeking for a similc to Illus
trate the change which has come
over orr streets during the past
few days, | can only think Of
the city as a big corn pepper,
which has but just arrived at
temperature necessary to the
wonderful transformations that
accompany the operation indi-
Gated. 1t may be a homely
comparison, | admit, but it fits
I the case admirably. First one
store would burst into holiday
| display then another, two, three,
ten, fifty at time, till now the
whole retail portion Of the town
is as plump and as tempting as
the most successful popper-full
that ever was snatched from the
fire in the nick of time. For
these few exhilarating days, the
retail merchants are having a
rest from grumbling, and are
feasting their eyes on crowded
countersandplethoric tills, while
the thought of the little folks
and big folks which these myr.
lad purchases will soon make
glad, is enough to warm the
heart of cynic. Everybody is
doing well, and in the case of
the largest dealers in the differ
( ent branches the volume of bus
mess is exceptionally heavy. -
The Mason 81 Hamlin Organ
! Co., for example, who are the
leading house of the kind in the
world, report a demand which is
temporarily beyond their capac-
itY to supply, though their case