New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-26
GENERAL NOTES.

There is an association in Boston called
1.-THE Young Mems Congress" which making prepare
lions Tor n public memorial gathering III fremont Tenn
pie, IN honor Oi the late Bayald Taylor
One of the most gigantic of Christmas pro-
auctions this year colossal candy eepnaut made BY
q Reading, Penn. cOntectoncr. This sweet enormous
creature five high, and onealf feet long.
noI sta ed be much trouble Tor al the YOU e
sters Of RI edlng 10 see that ee 'hant.
An insane cat has made no little trouble III
Fail River, Mass II flew the bare o; Mrs. Con-
nOrs, which II encrcled with its claws, fastening ITS
laws in the neshy part just above the wrist 1t had u
be chOked of and then escaping it attacked work
man returning home with his dinner pail. to which tnr
the cat chung until dashed FROM it against wall The
PROBABLE operations OF the cat nave created great ab1
tety In the neignbOrhOod
4" Ivan the Great" the name playfully ac-
corded the colossal bell of Moscow has rather mod
crate rival bell which has just been set up in
church In Moscow rs a memorial OF the emancipation
the Bulgarians. It Is much smaller than Ivan III,
Great" but still larger than any other bell IN the
world When IL delivered of the church by the con-
tractor had 1t, he declared its weight to b,
10 8O4 pounds. Some members OF the committee VINO
had charge of the business not satisfied "itn tue state
ment tle bellfOunder, took steps Tor having tE'
weight asccrtaned IL pendenty. 1t was tonLd tLai
the actual weight was l36So pounds less IMAM what hau
been stated whicn made dHerence III tEe price VI TIT
bell of about S24OO.
An American gentleman paid round sum
for dinucr he gave to six friends at fasnIonaDI
Paris few weeks Tie menu cOntalneO
nothing extravagant and the wines were not the
choicest After coffee aud cigars he asked for the bi
and tue waiter bowling vita great difference, presented
IL to the host, who over the several lcu.
Asking pardon Of his guests showed them the bl,
and desired know they thought $50 francs $500
reasonable sum charge for dinner they mad haG.
The opinion unanimous that thc amount asked
for a ordinary dinner was more than ex-
orbItant. The proprietor called in. He
tered With a pUWpous bearing. and after hear
ing tie case. regretted that it not the
tom OF his house to reduce any OF the charges made
Two hundred francs $40 offered him aud refused
with great dignity, aud when he found that the Ameri
car gentleman was inclined to argue out each with
him, he waived his hand deprecatingly. told his
TONERS that lac unable TO give them any time.
and asked them. since they appeared unwilling 10 pay
the amount his bill do him the favor Of considering
themselves his guests He left the room; the 200 flames
were sent down him. but were refused, and the parry
Quilted the pace furious at the mperInent manner "
morning the 200 francs offered nim again by pub
lie notary. and no accepted them correspondent oi
The GLOBE (LOBdonl tells the story.
Complaints that the true American charac-
ter is not understood 10y Frenchmen should be fewer
after tins The vcriest "DOwn-Easter," not to mention
the expansive western cousin. has produced nothn-
more characteristic. which of the soil
than the following fiction which, he who reads may
over In an eI,cemcd Partisan contemporary 1t Is a
lady, young aud opulent American, about to embark
on one OF those Mississippi steamers which have
dangerous habit OF cOntcudiDg In speed with
any other boat that comes along Captain"
she says, - embark myself Give me the o.
surance that you will not raCc!" Madame"
saws he with ais hand on his manly heart give II
you!" All hour later another steamer appears, which
gains rapidly upon them. she rushes to the captain.
"Look, captain! Behold! behold" yes, madame"
xEPa, ssn 10 do. unless indeed We'll. but what
Maosme. am out OF wood, and know not with whit
q fire unless take Que of your children" "Ab !
thea tue attest but for heavens sake be quick
ODern troubles and discussions have not
been confined New-YOrk this Winter. Paris has
them ia abundance. An official report just made points
OUT at the condition Of che Opera House
ia far To- osperous than the financial side OF it, II rs
claimed that the opera we'll organized and that IL
does not meet the demands OF art the taste OF the
public AL the authorities who have been consulted
agree that proper standard and that
Il fails accomplish Its high mission. In itself 1T
does not 50 much need reform as does the sys-
tenn OF study which leads up 10 Il. The creation OF
school OF application Is accordingly proposed for
The formation OF since At recent meeting of the
Theatre Commission the report was discussed. Onc
member was opposed to the State administration Of the
opera Another replied that the opera considered
National institution" the State could abandon 1t
TO the risks OF private enterprise which generally ended
in tnaucisl catastrophe third ridiculed the idea Of
the Government making itself theatrical caterer aud
a fourth In answer cOntended that the opera
was "a question OF National honor" and that
the country would not submit 10 1t being
left at the mercy Of private individuals
Financially the Government and the directors have been
making money fast enough In 1875. the first year OF
the New Opera House, the receipts were 4,304,957
francs and tie expenses 3G53.39J francs, giving net
profit Of G51 564 francs In 1875 the receipts were
425l6I4 francs and the expenses 4.0l2, 800 francs
y profit OF 239.2s4 francs. The falling off in
1870 compared with 1875 was due to the pro-
ductlon Of "Jeane dare" and ballet
The receipts 1877 We're 4,14534T francs
the expenses 3.903036 and the profits 2423II
"Roi de- LAHORE ana Dallct having been brought out
during the year. The PRES Mt year up TO December l.
showed profit OF 100 francs, bat the pro.
AIMING , aInuln u cd clad frnr.