The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-23
NEW YORK LETTER.
Lent-Irish Aida Queer Passenger
-Beecher ON the Presidency-Tne
GBthe Club-The Great ArtOn

Gethe Olub-The Great Arton
Rail.
Special Correspondence of the Star.
New YORK, Feb. 20, 1880.
! The gay season is over, carnivals end
ed, and already well into the cleansing
discipline of Lent. 1t is marvellous tc
see the absolute vehemence Of enjoyment
with which the pleasure-going classe;
rushed into the closing amusements oil
balls, parties, receptions and lunches
Even for New York the season has been
unusually gay, and the rest and self-de-
nial of the Lenten season will be hailed
with. .gladness by all, sermons and lee.
tufes, abstinence and early hours being
alike beneficial to soul and body.
First on the list of quiet amusements
now offered the public is Vale's popular
series Of matinees, Thursdays,
MR.. GEORGE vANDENHoFF's
Dickens and Shakspearean readings.
The first has been given, to a de-
lighted audience and a crowded house.
Good wine needs no bush," and Van
denhof's rendering of Shakespeare no
comment. His "Hamlet" thrills with a
refreshing horror, especially 80 in this
day of undue nearness to ghostly pres
ence.
JAMES GORDON BENEFITS GIFT
for the benefit of those who have been
keeping Lent the year round across the
water has set in motion current of feel
ing so strong that for two days $500 per
hour poured into the Herald Office. The
brig Spanker, Captain Whitehall, nobly
offers to carry shipload Of provisions
free of charge to any port in Ireland.
Then come two noble looking fellows and
offer to load the Spanker, and so the good
work goes on, from the toiling men
and women, who can give but the wild
owls mite, up to the millionaire, who
gives his thousands So, again, Ireland
| will soon have enough to eat, and again
she will be hungry, for the grass will grow
on the Emerald Isle, but not the wheat.
1t needs the charity of deeper and a
broader legislation to meet the needs of
Ireland. But it sends thrill through
the blood, and "the blood is the life," to
see this warm-hearted giving. Since the
Chicago fire there has been nothing like
it. Alas! for the land and the people
who need, but blessed for those who have
to give. The people whose pulse throb
as one at the cry Of hunger or pain, who
have no divided heart, but give freely as
they have received, need never fear dis
memberment as nation. Such integral
strength is beyond the power of politics.
THE STEAMSHIP CELTIC
Brought over a passenger who board
ed her in mid ocean. About eight hun
dred miles out from New Found.
land white owl, emaciated and ex.
J hausted, futtered down on to one of the
forward spars. A sailor brought it to
the deck, and on trying to feed it, found
, it to be nearly dead from cold and
hunger. The hospitality of the Celtic
proved the victor, and Minerals bird
now goes by the name of the Celtic's
Owl, is quite tame, but dignifed, and
blinking as wisely as ever. Its powers OF
endurance must be unparalleled, drifting
before the gale and keaping above the
waves as it did. 1t was supposed to have
been driven off the coast of New Found.
land by the westerly gales.
4 HENRY WARD BEECHER.
In few terse sentences, at the
Lincoln Memorial Celebration, gave
his opinion of the Presidential as
!, pirants (though that boom does
not apply to Gen. Grant) He said: 81
; should elect Gen. Grant if / had the
casting of the whole vote of the country
: | should elect him because | think he is
the most remarkable man our age has
ever produced in any country. He is 8
man who is very little understood"
4 Of Blaine he said, "That he would
!, make brilliant campaign, but itwould
, take him four years to learn how to bt
President. That he would rather vote fol
Bayard than any man on the othel
side"
Of John Sherman, that che was vel
! qualified to adorn the ranks Of privat,
life, and that he would make an admira
BILE candidate if he would only rul
! WE'LL"
His remarks elected an immense ap
plause and laughter.
THE GETHE CLUB
J Gave full dress reception to TIN
Rev. William R. Algers, of Chicago
1t was given at Delmonico's larg'
hall. Among the distinguished ,guest
, present were George W. Curtis
} MIR. R. H. Stoddard, Mr.. E. G. Stedman
Park Goodwin, DR. Collyer, DR.. Felix
Adler and DR.. Bellows. The Presiden
. of the Club, DR.. Ruppauer, then intro
: duced DIR. Alger to the Club, remarkinl
at the time that the Goethe Club was th'
one in the city which made the study o
, literature and art the first consideration
and social pleasure the second. That il
, the world of letters it was becoming
: critical force; that William Cullen Bry
: ant had frequently said to him that HI
, looked in vain elsewhere for the degre,
e ..i.1I..4,,oI orl ,ob.loeonh;oo1 ,,,lt,r