Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-08-03
Our RadiX Letter.

uCdtlOHs business anu AmuSe.
nents-Matters at Phila-
delphia-Mummies of
Old-The Tribes of
the IncaS.
New YORK, July %, 1876.
To the Editor Of the Observer:
SDme enterprising reporter Of a
statistical turn of mind has been
devoting himself to an inveStiga.
ton Of the cost of living in New
York at the present time in COM
parison with that of a Jew years
since, and has presented the result
of his labors In two columns of
the Tribune AS to the details
of bis report it need only be said
that they are copious, careful and
probably correct; but the writer's
conclusions, which may be briefly
given, are interesting. He finds
that the New Yorker can now eat
and drink, and be clothed and
housed about 25 per cent, cheaper
than he paid for corresponding
commodities in 1873; and / pre-
sumo the per centage of decline in
the price of absolute necessities
throughout the country has not
been very different. But our sta
tistician fails to see that our peo-
pie generally have reaped any
proportionate advantage from this
fall, and concludes therefrom that
Americans generally, jewellers in
this city in particular, are improv.
ident and extravagantly inclined.
He finds by actual inquiry that
people who in previous years
bought so cent tea and 6 dollar
-four and found them satisfactory,
now scorn to purchase the same
article at its reduced price and
save the difference, but insist on
paying the old figures for a bet
ter article.
10 the same paper is found an
interesting comarison of our past
and present facilities for education
in private institutions, only in this
case the contrast is a Centennial
one, reaching back to l776, when,
as we are told, this city and Phil.
adelphia had each just two schools.
where the youth of the period
were thrashed into knowledge of
the polite accomplishments-such
as dancing, fencing, French and
the like. Now such schools are
a thousand for one, and in all
grades from the kindergarten to
the classical college offer thorough
instruction on every subject and
to every age.
The most significant feature Of
this contrast is that relating to
the condition of female education.
In the records of '76 we see moth.
ing to show that much attention
was paid the subject beyond in
structing them how to walk grace
fully through minuet. Now, this
city alone has more young ladies'
Seminarles than the whole United
Colonies could have boosted in
those-and these are of a high
character which our forefathers
never dreamed of. a fine speci-
men of these modern establish.
ments, and the most prominent
one in New York, is Mrs. Bene-
diets school for young ladies, on
Forty-Second street, near Fifth
Avenue, one of the oldest and
most perfectly appointed in the
country. Its location on hurry
Hill, the centre of the city's
wealth and refinement, is pecul.
iarly happy, its success is great,
and its record irreproachable. By
system,th result of thirty years
experience in the work, it offers a
thorough education TO pupils of all
ages and is warmly endorsed by|
our leading clergymen. The com.
ing academic year of this school
commences on the 2Sth of Sep
TENDER.
At Wallack's "The Mighty
Dollar" still retains its grasp and
at the 9Th Avenue "Pique" is on.
ly forced off by the approach of
Southern's engagement as Lord
Dundreary. Early in August
Booths will reopen under Jarrett
& Palmer, with what these gentle
men propose to make their great
est managerial achievement thus
FIR namely tho nronucfion of tho