The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-07

1DneS.I
THE HERMITs LETTER.
Balls and Parties-Sexton Brown in his Glory
What February Brings-Amusements-
Quarter Day Rents and Real Estate.
NEW YORK, Feb. 2.
Last evening the grand charity ball took
place, and this will afford gossip to society
till Monday, when the Scovel-Roosevelt
nuptials are to be accomplished. Rector
Morgan of st. Thomas's will officiate at the
ceremony, and Brown will superintend at
the reception. He will be much the great
or man of the two, for Morgan simply mar
ries the couple, whereas Brown deals with
the gay and festive throug-calliDg off their
names, ordering up coaches, and displaying
that obsequiousness to the guest and that
self-importance to the menial which so nat
urally become him. Brown, as sexton of
| Grace church, will feel proud of this op-
portunity Of serving in connection with St.
| Thomas's, which is now the most fashion
able of of the two. 1t shows how Brown
| keeps abreast with the march of fashion,
notwithstanding his advance in years and
the changes in society.
PATRIARCH OF FASHION.
Brown is now the Oldest caterer and
"major domo" in the country. 1t is thirty
years since he made his entrance into this
important profession, and he has for near
ly that period been sexton of Grace
church. There is a peculiar propriety in
the combined worship of fashion and of
ministers-the former on Sunday at Grace
and the latter during the week at the fes-
tivities Of the gentry. Brown is also an
adept at fashionable funerals, which he
manages with such a finished style that
such an occasion seems almost next to a
wedding. Brown has enjoyed the patron
| age of two generations of fashion worship
ers, and is in fair way to serve q third.
| The beau monde has been revolutionized
during this interval. Many high families
have come down to poverty, while new
race of pd,Tenus has risen to distinction.
| Browns..experience and "reminiscences would
| before this suggested that he should write
his life. As lecturer he would be very at
tractive, and l recommend him to try the
platform. Pope tells us
"oh, tits the sweetest of all mortal things
To gaze on princes and 10 talk Of kings"
MEDICAL CHARITY.
Speaking of the charity ball, am led tc
mention in connection the society for the
relief or tho widows and orphans of medi
cal men. This society levies a yearly as
sessment upon its members of $40, which
may be commuted for life by the paymen,
of $3.50. The allowance to needy families
is $400 per year. The widow of one of the
ablest surgeons in this city Of his day i;
now glad to receive this annuity. 1t is sad
to think how many men of science leave
their families in want. Especially is this
true of New York physicians, who, as 6
class, accumulate less than any other pro-
fession, except the clergy, and indeed are
feeling the depression in very severe man
her. The law of mutation works rapidly
| in great cities, and some of those families
| to whom Brown ministered in their days oi
luxury are now huddled In tenement
houses. Were l permitted to mention
names, might give sketches suggestive Of
Goldsmith's lines on the dying villiers.
FASHIONS ACTIVITY.
There is tremendous pressure in the
ranks of fashion-worshipers, for the time in
short. Lent throws its awful shadow up
on the gay crowd which lives upon the friv
olties of style. Think, indeed, how neal
it is at hand Ash Wednesday will come
on the very day consecrated to st. Valen
tine, and what conflicting train of asso
Citations these terms suggest? This may ex
plain the activity among musicians hair
dressers, confectioners, wine dealers anC
walters. The latter, who are chiefly col
ored, receive SO yer night, and in some in
stances more. The expense of even mod
crate party is $500, and from t at figure tht
cost may reach $40, 900 which was the est
mated expense Of the Astor ball. Any first
class young man can now attend from two
to three parties in a night, though he will
have to use frequent stimulus in order to &C
through. This is the chief charm of first
class party to most of the je1neSse d0re, snC
yet at these pretentious entertainments there
is as poor class OF liquors as the moderr
system of compoundiDg will permit. The
best established wine dealers in this city
| nave Dtcu uetCClcu III manufacturing lThuu
ulent champagne and counterfeiting favor
lite brands, 80 that the admirers of Mumu
& Co. Veuve Cliquot, are in reality only
guzzllng New York poison. The contras
between the mad reveling of the fashionable
crowd and the squald misery of the massei
recalls the prayer of the old satiIist Dome
THAT all mankind might that Just mean OBJ
In which none e'er could surfeit, none shoult
starve."
One of the most judicious receptions OF thu
sesson-marked by good taste in every
particular-was held at the Union league
last Thursday. 1t was the anniversary O
the birthday of Burns, and this fact, though
It did not prompt the occasion, could no
fail to awaken tribute to departed genius
WHAT IT BRINGS.
In addition to St. Valentines day and thu
opening of Lent, February brings us som'
dates worth o passing notice. Saturday
(the 3d) is the birthday of Horace Greeley
who, had he lived, would have been SO
His death at an age when experience hal
but ripened its lessons, was national loss
The 7th is the birthday of Dickens, tn,
Shakespeare of fiction, who was yeal
younger than Greeley. Three of our presi
dents are also on the birth record OF thi
month, Harrison the 9th, Lincoln the 18th
and Washington the 22d. The most popu
lar Cor at least the most frequently quoted
of American ipoets was also a February
babe, and the 9th gives Longfellow thu
ripe age of threescore and ten. When yol
add TO these the birthdays of such astrono
mers az Calico (the 16th) and Copernicu
Uhe 10th) you see the honor conferred upoI
the closing month OF winter. Speaking o
| Greeley am reminded that bIa forme