St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-10-10
Our New York Letter.

Our New York Letter.
THE LAST OF OUR WALKING MATCH
CRoACHMENT-QUARA & BERGH
"A NEW GUIBORD CASE SHOWING
THE QUEER-POsT OFFICE STEALING.
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 1879.
To the Editor of the CaIedOnian
"The Agony Over" was the heading
put by morning contemporary to its
story of the finish of the last walking
match, but the statement was little
premature. 1t appears the poor ex-
champion, Weston, has been in the tolls
for some time, and was, in fact, only
allowed to continue on the track by
sufferance of sheriff7s Officers-which, by
the way, may account in some degree
for his miserable failure-and then the
belt was attached by them. The con-
sequence was that on the occasion of
the grand presentation of prizes, there
was a ludicrous scene where a gentle
man, delivering a set speech in manu-
script, delivered an imaginary belt to
ROwell, the present champion, which
was gravely accepted by the latter. He
diers say at drill, perfectly, but lost
countenance sadly when the orator,
warming up to the occasion, told him
to look on that Imaginary belt, and
cherish it proudly for his Imaginary
wife and Imaginary children. ROwell
is bachelor and everybody knows it.
He didn't know whether to laugh, cry or
run away. The audience yelled, and
the whole farce passed off happily
""""%h The helt- bv the way, has
sheriff.
The calm way in which soulless cor
porations, if they are given an inch,
take an ell, is exemplified in the way
by which the al" railroads have been
on the Battery Park. Our
citizens are prOverbially hard to stir to
action under any ordinary amount of ill
usage, but the offence on this occasion
is too fragrant to pass without severe
rebuke. The Battery is one of the his
toric spots of the city, the very heart,
indeed, of the first settlement of the
city by the Dutch, under the title of
New Amsterdam, and retains around it
still many revolutionary relics, besides
Castle Garden, the famous scene of
Jenny Lind's first singing in America,
and though the surroundings of bust
ness houses and swarming tenements
are mainly not of the most attractive
order, the park itself with its superb
view of the bay and rivers encircling
Island, its grassy lawns and
noble forest trees, is very beautiful
place. The elevated railroads have al |
ready secured great deal more space |
for their depOts than many citizens were
willing to allow them but when they
undertake to help themselves to what
they didn't even have the manners to
ask for, there's likely to be quite lit
tie storm in the family. We, New
Y orkers, cannot spare one of the lions
Of the city, to which those on hospita-
Die cares intent, invariably escort the
stranger from the country or
foreigner from over the ocean.
The Great Talmage is back at last,
md his luck never deserting him, got
plump into controversy of no little
Importance arising out of the very act
IF landing. The BOthnia, which brought
him, arrived at night. The Health Off
,er was far too lazy to let the great
hip proceed, and the passengers had to
'tay all night at Quarantine. All but
falmage. The preachers friends char
cred tug, and armed with a special
permit captured their pastor and took
him home rejoicing. Of course this was
to the unfortunates de-
aimed, and, unfortunately for DR.. Van
lerpool, among the more or less dis
,Ingulshed arrivals, which included
iome of the operate stage, was Mr..
Charles A. Dana, editor of the Sun, re-
urnlng from very brief flying trip to
europe. Mr.. Dana is known to some
ew persons as being of quite a comba-
i've and persistent nature, qualifica-
ions that do not always 90 together. A
characteristic editorial led the next col
INNS of his paper, denouncing the out
age in scathing terms, and in fact the
'OOr doctor is now going to be vivisect-
ID just as much as the CANNES the good
Mr.. Bergh is so tender about.
Talking about Bergh, he has got an
'ther bone to pick with the theatre
people. 1t appears that in a certain
airy scene, by way of a grotesque con-
'rast, wretched old apology for horse
$ brought on the stage limping. Mr..
3ergh says this is cruelty, though, as
he poor beast is well fed and kindly
'reated, and simply has to walk across
ne stage once or twice, it is hard to see
it consists. However, the first
lorse was enjOined to his contentment,
md the wicked managers, nowise dis
concerted, and gently remarking that
here are hundreds more like him to be
got, promptly supplied his place with
second skeleton. That was enioined.
90, and so the war goes on, like most
If Mr.. Bergh's well-meant efforts, oc-
'asionlng good deal of mirth.
A controversy which arose some ,
weeks ago, involving a collision be-
ween the State laws and the laws of ;
he Roman Catholic Church, has excit-
ID great interest, and has at last reach ,
ID that preliminary stage toward a de- ,
lSlOn where the indpas toIya tbc ,,a,,1.