, 1877-12-16
NEW YORK.
The Weekly Budget from the
Metropolis.
Society's Aid for the Crescent
and the Cross.
changes in the Modes Dictated
for Full Dress.
Tic Theatre Managers Who Will Not
-" Come Down."
Ind the History Of tho Great Excise Muddle and
Movement.

Ind the History Of tho Great Excise Middle and
Movement.
F5n,n our Otr,t CoT7tspondeAt-
New York, Dec. 13.-San Francisco citizens
have time aud again tried to create envy n the
minds of friends here bywritns OF roses bloom
inc out IT doors in January. and all that sort of
thing, especially calculated to affect people ex-
1a,r1cuciur bclow-zcro chii]s. No such stories
ui}l do this season, If the weather continues SO
phenomenal as il has been thus far. Open win
dows aud s11per1uous fires, With charming at
;,,osphcrc for promenade aud shopping, make
r}rcenber at this date an unusual ally to trade
and enjoyment. There has been no cold wealth
cr vet to speak OF, and frosts have been rare
instead OF common. Many man drags about
the unnecessary ulster because q fall overcoat
seems so ont Of prop,icty. and many a woman
,osus secretly because it is utterly impossible TO
a,sp,ay sealskius and furs in such temperature.
The furriers. indeed. have had more cause than
sny onc else to wish for change. Country dealers
of shye,rdness have bcen stocking up while
manufacturers were ready almost to give
AWAY their products rather than have
them remain on hand until next
,yutsr The Hudson River steamers 20 up to
Albany laden with freight with fair prospect of
being able to transport Christmas orders right up
ia The day, without opposition from the dreaded
ice, 50 warm and sprinslike December has not
becn kuown for yea.s There was little anow If
auy last year at this time. but there cold mir
enough to satisfy the most pitless eoal-lealer.
Now the coal companies propose to stop produc
tjon Till the winter has chance to catch up with
thci. provisions for it. The poor are In special
fortune and the tramp cltngs with hopeful face to
his rendezvous in tie park. Various lines of iu-
oustry have been pushed with extreme rapidly
which must i,1vc been retarded 1t not stopped en-
.ircly by the cold usual at this season. The elc-
waited railway foundations. for instance, arc nearly
hid through on the $ix1ta-avennc routc. from
Camoers street 10 The Park. aud the :rcai strands
which are to support the Brooklyn bridge daily
this ion, Indian summer while it lasts. for in Il
ncht may come change such as makes ''the
winter Of our discomfort"
THE CROSS AND CRESCENT.
The first public social event Of importance
was no: so great BY any means as it was atlycr
t;sed to he, and hence suffers in proportion to
disappointed expectations. The ball was very
brilliant one undoubtedly, and Displayed ex-
oulsitc toilets and mich wealth. But the Pres
ident and his lady did not come in special
traiu from Washington. neither did the Mcrl-
bcrs of the Cabinet nor tue foreign !Ambassa-
doris anpcar. The only notabcs from abroad
were Aristarchi Bey, the Turkish Consul at this
uort and Mir. Story. the sculptor and author The
assembly WIS more OF private than public char
actcr and was composed OF the ladies and gentle
men OF Murray Hill society who are regularly to
be fo.nd Ut the Academy on such an OCCASION
There has been some criticism of that charity
which would send money 10 aid sufferers who
ouch: 70 b. cared for by tlcir own Governments,
which are responsible for their condition, At
tine when there is more suGcrin: and want right
at home than have been known in many years, If
cycr; but then all Charity balls must expect
criticism and 1t is not Il new thing that fashion
should like TO spend moncy and make dlsp!ay
for wnat seems larger philanthropy in proportion
10 its distance from home
FCLL-DREss FASHIONS.
The main feature Of the ball, OF course, WAS
It's costumes. aud 1 venture 10 trench 90 the
fashion department so far as to give few conf
ments from an evening paper, whose costume
writer is good authority. The report says:
The costumes were some of them very handsome.
hu1 were more remarkable for their steco!iete
character Than for their beauty. Very low sonarc
hasqucs were tue rule hut so;ae wste ~ pointed a',u
1hc waist. The sleeves to ttesc low bot:lces were
straps Of lace across the shoulder covered wit, an
timed round the neck. When The sleeves were not
short they of figured lace. and lace sleeves Q
the elbow also attached I" su1ns ot the hlGh
Eodces. II the styles 1T t!ir, the !rs ball OF Inc
eca-ou, ago,d any indication "f the rgesailin"
fashions for the winter, 11c1e WI! be lllle fhat y
new IL chronicle. st.ts arc s;il tied u.cs trans
arc .1 lang, AMI the bunch: appearance seems 10
have beeu som. what revived. The only alteration
Of in,nurtancc is, as hefore remarked; a. the pre-
1o1Lcrauce OF low bos:ccs over the high ones, anu
the almost entire absence Of sleeves
AMUSEMENT PROSPECTS.
Amorn1n. paper recently printed an et!itor:a
an the amusement season, past, present. and
prosrcc1iyc. The writer was not in hopciu
win The theatri:al business thus fur he PRO
nouncctl unusually bad, while the outlook Wa
not apparently bcttar. Two or three theatre:
were allowed to have kcp: even with EXPENSES
hit that auy manager had done paying busl
mss was a question not considered oPen lhs
mtnlic, it was asserted, seemed less disposed
than ever to be drawn by novelties or real u;
fractions. The causc, then. must be sough
otDcrwhere than in the bil!s presented. II was Il
he found in this critic opinion, simply anu soicI.
in the necessity for economy. The rich were Les
rich the poor were poorer. than formerly M
evening ut class .csttc was tolerahly cost
ly luxury, which ncope had decided they must &c
nouncc. The remedy was plain Let the rFice
e,e reduced. This need not imply the whoiesa:
cutting down Of the scale. but thc introduction o
sensible system Of grading. l'ks thai ;an tonn
everywhere IN :hc Continent. inc .Nmctlea
,o:iuu thu, there were but two classes Of :cats
good oust and baa ones was sInna,'S nsrnic'oa u
nnss;blc The conclusion was rraehcd fsia
If rome manager Of good standing would TAX
,l,e initiative. make II universally Know
that while the very trout seats were nell
al the old prices, there were other Fcws
in every RESPECT desirable and not less Trsreelaoie
al lesser rriccs ,nnu then provide entertainment
The same high order hitherto The result "onl
he snch a. to show The truth OF the prohos'91o
that the dull and unsatisfactory business II que
lack If money a.,d OF interest in good perform
ances. This statement of the case created eoln
motion, if noihlns more. Sets OF interviews 80, .ut
loved As v:ls to DC expected. the managers WI
one voice opposcd the Indti0a TO reduce. "hlt
those Of the people who werc chosen as lair fen3e
scniutiyt4 Of theatre going classes were az u74n
mons in favor OF The idea The manacers "9a. u
not admit that business W1s 50 moor " stlte..
begin with, and however Door IL Waa. 1Hcs p"t u
fan1t IN inc character oi the entertainment lat:e
,nall on the nrlcts charged for them. Ar. hnHcl
cau|t was like himself in saying that shch inen-
were none o1 the press business. and IN &rea'1ns
suggestion merely as II it were an u1"hEtautcm ~
tcrje1ence or a-sanl1. tic W1s sure ar. Nal'aJ
hat, made money out OF *'Masrage. ana cosl'
make it hand over list at any time ny elmpiy y"
ting Mr.. Eoucicaut OF his sta:e 70 al lhi1 -: a.
Na!iack asScntcn, AZ he nsaaity ut'es , M.,ea ~
docs the linking. lie usually does Whtn he
around. Ono man was particularly sharp on
TIE CLASS OF PERFORMANCES
which had been put before the public. we IA
cometo depend on the French playwFlems 'e
catching pieces, he said, aud the trenen nao n
produced any recently. Another experience
manager fell back on the Brooklyn disaster. an
asserted that alt other causes did not ut date
tf1Ff