The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-31

Though February is now AZ hand and
bat one morn month of winter remains,
W. lave 80 far seen only lew flakes Of
SNOW, which Just whitehead the ground and
were speedily melted by the sun. For the
last few days the weather has been sharper
than We had been experiencing. But Janu-
AIRY hcrcabuut- is apt to be mild in it, early
part, and before March IS over We may feel
Some real winter cold.
The eject OF the unusually open winter
on some branches OF trade has been very
injurious. There H. Of course. during such
weather as We have been having, with the
skies for the most part clear and the streets
dry less than the ordinary demand for
warm clothing. thick boots and shoes. for
rubber coverings, and for fuel The cun@e-
quenco il loss to merchants who had laid in
stocks Of winter goods and some Of them.
unable to bear it, have been obliged to fail
or to suspend. This decline in an expected
trade has been the harder to bear since
people generally are more economical than
in better times in their purchases of things
which have no particular reference 10 the
season. The doubt and uncertainty a. TO
tine currency. brought about by the silver
discussion, also have bad effect on trade,
and contribute to deprr-s business 1t cam
not bee denied that the close Of the first
month of the year finds mercantile actiNi-
ties in very unpromising condition.
Yet the fashionable season has been gay
one, and will socontinue until Lent comes in.
The private balls, receptions, and dinners
have been numerous, and many more are
announced for the remaining weeks up
to Tia" beginning OF the pcnitcntia fast.
Perhaps the weddings have been fewer than
usual among the people who frequent gay
society, for though many bachelors find
that, even with diminished incomes, they can
got along as their selfish tastes require, they
fancy they need all the money they can get
10 spend on Themselves alone, This noble
most is the larger because the number of
girls with fortunes in hand or in cXpecta-
ton has grown smaller of late years.
The most fashionable public bah Of the
-oa-on the Charity ball, takes place at
the Academy Of Music Tonight. 1t will
unquc,tionably be largely attended by a
| brilliant company. Other notable balls hr-
1 tween now aud Lent will bee those Of the
| LicdcrkranH Society Of the Arion Society, OF
the Cooks Society, and %! the Elks. tn,
/ stiiugoncy Of the time, nlahc- it more diff
cult than in some former years to sci
tickets To- these entertainments; but thos,
that are to come, like those which hay,
already taken place. promise to reward tn,
pains and expense laid out on then.
The theatres are not having very pros
porous season, but they are doing fairly
and present II really attractive array
Of plays and actors. Mr. EDWIN BoOrh j,
acting in Shahrepcarcan characters at III,
theatrrwhich bears his name; Mr.. CuGHLA,
at the Union Square in the narrowing
drama Of a Celebrated Casc;' Mr.. LEs
TrR WALLACE at his own theatre in Rob
PRISONS delightful comedy of "School; :
aud Mr.. JONI 4. RAYMOND at the Park
in his caricature, Us HmUlgioa Penn
brOkr, Of tho much maligned Insurance
agent. These are a few of the many thcatrl
cal entertainments now offered, all Of Whicl
show that the purNeyOrs of amusement
even though they may not be making 81
much money rs usual, are yet not rcuXin,
their efforts TO engage the interest Of audi
euces.