The New York herald., 1877-01-21
SINGLE BLESSEDNESS
Abodes of the Eccentric in the
Heart of Gotham.
STORIES OF CURIOUS LIVES
Sacred Cows, Cats and Birds OF Paradise
aS Companions.
STRANGE, THOUGH TRUE. STORIES


Here and there throughout the city, sometimes In
neglected by street and frequently on the busiest
highway houses strange eccentric houses, arrest az
tenuon. Not always houses OF obsolete pattern, or
strangely design thai appeal Immediately TO the
eye ard please or shock the taste, but houses with
an air Of romance and mystery about them. Oiten IN
monotonous row Of brown stone fronts the eye VIII
nngle out one house from all rest having air
indescribable something, about IL that divorces
from It's neighbors. Peculiar decorations, an unor-
ainary twist in the curtains the adjustment OF door
plate or the style Of knob often sufficient TO IN
iicate the popularity OF the resident master. Then,
again. there houses IN which melancholy seems 10
nave taken permanent residence, houses marked
lnd avoided IN the neighborhoods in which they
staad In many of these Melancholy has for COM
panon old maid old bachelor. moro frequently
The latter, for-public opinion to the contrary
the latter is much moro gloomy and cross than
the former An entertaining tale concerning tho
abodes Of old bachelors in New York could easily
be written, for the town s rich in such. The tale
might be supplemented with sequel less enter
tanning concerning their habits and modes OF lfe And
then what romances might be woven, II going
back 10 tho initiation of eccentrlcy the writer might
discover its cause AS the bachelors arc In majority
Dr. rather bachelors with houses are IN majority
they claim earliest mention. Tho old maids know
all alike rude and the old bachelors In ques-
ton don't make any favorable impressions on
gentle minds, this inversion OF the polite order Of
things in first considering the will Of course be
overlooked II is only here proposed TO delineate tho
pccuiarites OF the bachelors who build own and
reside in odd houses in remarkable neighborhoods
ana who display on exterior OF their residences
unmstakable signs Of their sngularity They have
thrust their houses upon public attention and their
houses have been noticed.
A BAcuELoR's PARADISE.
Pedestrians Broadway have for years noticed and
remarked house tho OF Nineteenth street
and Broadway. blinds of which always closed.
Occasionally man, who looks like gardener, may be
seen yard Of this house feeding birds of para
disc curaiing the liberty of certain sacred COW
that rambles tho front yard. The house stands In
the middle OF large square lot surrounded by tall
Iron fence, the bottom of which is closely wired to
prevent the escape of the iows which occasionally
fed In public. The house is six stories high and Of
very plain exterior but within, If those who claim
To have been there to bc believed, It is
perfect fairyand OF beauty. Rumor has It that
artistic taste and refinement have combined
to mako tho decorations and furniture 'Just
perfect" Though nothing has been said IN
public OF the picture gallery OF this house IL IS SAID TO
be- OF the most curious IN New YORK. is not SO
much collection OF master works AS an artistic mu-
scum grotosqueries and curlostes Of cover and
brush. There are ancul tales about rich, heavy
carpets Persian woof and hossy push OF great od
hrepaccs, with antique androns and ancient poshed
brass lenders; OF Old fashioned bedsteads, with high
carved headboards hidden in curtaded iods OF satin
hnod velvet; OF Deep deep cellar, where IN graves Oh
dust and coDweos sepose sr ,s Oh a n,san ~
Lantte. This last tradition has an addcndum
known only in club circles aud to the elect
that some old, old and oily, some
old oily aromatic, hand mashed, bluegrass Bourbon
is hidden down this dirty ho G. Oh the lips that
smack aud tue that long Tor Just pony OF
that Am All this beauty all this sweet
old bachelor are resident IN the strange
house on the corner Of Nineteenth and Broad
way Before the built their beautiful hall
on rwentythrd street they offered the old gentleman
who lives m tins house $3.50 900 for tho property, but
he refused sell any price, and it probable that
the property Will be ded ated to no better use than
residence long as he lives The proprietor oil tho
house occupy the northeast corner oil Bond
street and broadway held similar views 10 those en-
by the gentleman OF Nineteenth street,
that the house good enough tor him.
MATILDA HERoS's
Just above the Filth Avenue Hotel on Twenty
many TO be uninhabted on account OF the settled
gloom about them. Something seems TO be the mat
ter with these houses. They are not nfrm In struc-
ture but they want omethihg and that some
thing is wonan's They what might be called
mems houses" VINO can imagine the ugliness OF
city of mems housesY mIcrocosm Of prose- a
wilderness OF badness, congregation IN which beauty
and would be represented by gigantic ''minus
sign and a place where people would fail down coal
holes and injure their limbs would be found In such
CITY, Tlis cxaggeraton, Tor, though there are
many coal holes in Twen third street. us any
wishes may prove to himself by promenade through
that none of them injure peoples limbs
but those front OF these "men's houses" Every
body IN New York who reads the papers knows that
Matilda Heron made her last hit la front oil one or
these gloomy residences. From the evidence II ap-
pearcd that Matilda while walking along tho street
thrust her leg into the coal hole at least that IS the
way the counsel Tor the defence put II when she sued
for and obtained ST. 900 damages. 1h~same counsellor
sought the protdndt OF intent upon the
plaintiff, TOR was actually In evidence that man
bad stepped upon the same hole cover Just minute
before Matilda Heron through. Oi coursel any
numper OF could step upon II, ana that The man
step upon and did not go through was proof posi-
tive intention in regard TO the woman.
What ungaant thing tor man to do, ail TO catch
D woman by ordinary social measures ana thcn set
trap public street to catch one.
BACHELOR OF HARLEM.
OF all the dens oi single bcsscdncss in New York
none has more interest tor the curious than the ono
located 124th street, Third avenue For years
this house has been an enigma TO the police ana the
people Harlem. No is ever seen 10 go INTO or
comoout OF this house, and even the Oldest resident
fails recoect having the face OF It's single
occupant The house IS PLAN BRICK structure, and Is
Quilt the westerly end OF lot 100 eet deep and $50
feet front 1t stands back OF the house line, aud OH
The house line extending The whole length
oi the properly ,s BOARD 'enoe WE'VE en, ma ,ect
be called the stoop line Is an open picket
lence In each Of the fences gate Is cut just opposite
The house. AT the outer gate ut stated intervals "A
butcher man appears ana lets himself through fhe
inner gate which is decorated with great pot heads
ranged IN diagonal rows alter tho fashion OF old sale
doors Is then opened from within aud the market
bas kct il taken from him. lie waits until the basket
IS returned 70 bum empty ana ne a"ays & nnus % money
M the basket The butcher Is also the grocery man OF
,he house lie makes the purchases at the grOcers
ana brings them To the house with the meat
with tile money he receives an order Tor the follow
lnc day and 50 communication ~ Kept up with the
outer world The man who first had business re
ut ions with the house has long since Departed he
sold uut his business and with II the trade OF tho
MYSTERIOUS house. His successor IN turn sold out,
Also conveying the right title and interest 10 the
patronage OF tins remarkable customer The boy who
carries goods has been initiated IN the business by
n bov whose SUCCESSOR he is, and SO from boy To boy
tho duty IN handed down. IL II SAID thut
Tor n long time alter the war, wnen god was
~ bIqh premium, all the butchers bills were
natd in coin, and that II was not until alter
Inc corn or ON which the Harlem Bank now stands was
sold thai any currency came out OF the house Tue
uroperty occupied by the bank was originally part
of fno lot on which the Mysterious house stood Alter
The property sold currency became ihe medium
-, s.l,s ua. and even now. when have