Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-02-06
Our New York Letter.
,HAEIlY AND The LIGHT FANTASTIC-A NOV
EITy IN THE ETHICS OF BALIs-wHITE
SLAVERY IL NEW YoEK-TIIE COLOR LINE
oN PARADE -BUEGLAEIoUS INGENUITY.

hAI.ili AM iit- ll'ii fANiA@iI' \ Wv
EITY IN THE ETHICS OF BAIIs-wHITE
SLAVERY IL NEW YoEK-TnE COLOR LINE
oN PARADE -BrEGLAEIOUS INGENUITY.
New IoEK, Feb. ID, 1880.
To the Editor OF The Free Press and Times.
Eight thousand dollars was the nice little
sum realized for the sacred cause Of charity
by the grand annual ball at the Academy of
to be considered the eliminating point oil the
fashionable season. The lion lies down with
the lamb on these occasions and the biltercst
enemies, politically or socially. are found
side by side in the boxes and on the list OF
managers. The ladies Of every race and de
gree Of beauty den their sweetest smiles and
most respondent jcwcry, and the costumes
are with each succeeding year getting more
costly and artistic The censorious may
sivageiy say that but 4 small percentage OF
the extraordinary expenses of the evening
goes To the poor, but the fair argument is
tina; the employment provided blythe wealthy
and luxurious goes long way to forestall
the necessity for appeals TO charity. AT any
rate, it is plcasan; to do good and enjoy ones
self doing it.
To turn from the upper ten to less exalted
circles, the longshoremen have now intro
duced new feature in social entertain
ments. At ball recently given by the fra
ternity, the committee Of arrangements pro
vided a retiring room where the guests might
hctakc themselves when they had got their
fighting cargo on beard, and pummel each
other to their hearts content.
1t is terrible 10 think of how, in the heart
of the grandcst city on this continent, out
RACES are pcrpetrated for months and years
on helpless and hopeless victims Every one
of course is immensely surprised when any
unusually fragrant case is brought to light,
and for few days there is great stir
made. Then the matter drops and the sick
ching rascality am! iii usage Of the poor,
the feeble or insane continues. Two cases
have just come up of very heinous nature.
The Rev Mr.. Cowlcy Of the Shepherds
Fold, and the Lambs Fold, and half-a-dozen
other clcemosynary institutions, a fox with a
cross of the wolf, WHO has been unearihed
and made TO step down and out dozen
times, more or less, but has managed from
time to time to finger considerable sums
from State and city appropriations, has again
been brought into court by the Society for
the Prevention OF Cruelty to Children. Ills
establishment was 4 very torture house IRON
all accounts, the horrors of which as sworn
to in court | will not attempt to recount.
Then, over on Blackwell's Island, at the In
sane Asylum one patient murdered another
This of course causes inquiry, and it is learn
ed that in the ward where the poor creatures
were confined, were no less than thirty-hv
dangerous lunatics, with but one nurse and
three paupcr assistants 10 take charge OF
them each night
The gallant Seventh Militia, the pets OF
Fifth avenue bellies, and pride of fashionable
tailors, are very much scandallzcd by the APP
plicaliOn of a number of colorcd independent
military companies to be consolidated into
battalion, and enrolled in the National
Guard. The latter do not see why this should
be SO. If it is limited that their position as
walters and whitewashers is not equal to that
of the youths who deal in stocks in Wall
StIttl, VI tuHtOh'io ii''i
the country into buying big bills of goods,
who can serve oysters or hash (under the hui
morous nicknames of mystery" OF ''boned
turkey with more winning ways: The
uniform, so far adopted by the sable and
cream colored heroes. is, perhaps, trifle
conspicuous, and hardly beautiful TO the
artistic eye, a profusion of blue feathers and
trimmings scarcely harmonizing with the
average Ethiopian complexion but this
matter could easily be settled. As TO ap
pcarancc, there are no finer looking troops
in the world than the West India regiments
of Great Britain, composed OF colored men
in scarlet zoulve costume, and the East In
dian warriors are famous for their gallant
bearing and attire.
1t is getting little too annoying when
respectable merchant cannot even go to
church or synagogue without being robbed.
A Hebrew gentleman whose caution has
provided locks for his store that would de
light Jail warden, and some member OF
whose family has always-or almost always
occupied the premises night and day, has
been sadly imposed on. Last Saturday, some
religious festivty having taken off his faml-
", and having similar occasion himself to go
out, he locked up with much elaborate care.
On his return a very short time afterward,
missing A hole in the floor revealed the
method Of the thieves. While Mr.. Moses
was locking up and trying bolts and shut
tiers, the burglars who had slipped into the
cellar set briskly to work. AS Mr.. Moses
ratified away at bar and lock, the burglars
sawed fliriansly un.i.- o"~cr Of the nolsr.
When Mr.. Moses RETIRED the burglars hoist
ed up small boy through the hole they had
made and waited till the old man came back,
and while he was fumbling with his keys,
they deliberately handed out the stolen goods
in broad daylight under his nose, so that no
passer-by could possibly suspect them. The
trick was certainly smart.
Why is it people will build well stairways
without any grating or other protection st
each floor? Some years ago, while stopping
at an uptown hotel, witnessed the death of
a well-known and popular guest of the house.
who. while slightly intoxicated, lost his bal
ance and fell through several stories with Il
sickening crash 10 the marble floor of the
hall. a precisely similar accident occurred
a few days ago to a female patient at the
Mount Sinai Hospital, Il most noble institu-
lion, by the way, maintained by the Israel
ties of this city, for the benefit of the affiict-
cd of every race or creed. Yours,