Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-28

AiA6SAkAC Oo AOPSGAs
 NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 1880. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 New York keeps holidays after fashion. In honor ot Washington's Birthday large proportion of the stores and offices were closed, especially in the downtown quarters. Wall street looked like ''deserted village, l" and wss as silent as one. Buildings like the Evening Post building, which are inhabited mostly by bankers and lawyers-usuaIly found in company-did not even roll up the ponder ous iron shutters that seal the main entrance. Nevertheless, tho people who do not believe in holidays are always present in great force, which gives to the city generally an aspect of doubtful loyalty. day of absolute suspen- sion of business is never seen. Sunday ap breaches nearest but never attains that ideal condition. Strolling up Broadway, however, was able to discover signs of jour de fete. Flags foated and Tapped in bewiIdering numbers; very seldom did one discover bare staff. The theater Hobbies yawned and dis played the words ''Matinee To day" conspic- uously at the entrance. The sidewalk was trodden by straggling leisurely- moving crowd, quite different in it's character from the solid columns of the ordinary business day. Arrived at Union Square, encountered @ multitude that lined the curbstone and choked the doorways, patiently waiting for the appearance of the Eleventh regiment which had announced a parade At length it marched into view, resplendent with hel- nets, plumes and white gloves.
 In the evening the Ninth regiment held g reception at Madison Square Garden. The review of the regiment and the presentation of new stand of colors were followed by full dress ball. The fantastic decorations on the occasion of the ball of the Arion Society last week still remained, and contributed to the brilliancy of the scene.
 THOSE CELEBRATED NEW HAVEN BRAHMAs
 Never did family of fowls reach such a Napoleonic height of notoriety as those Brah- mas attained which citizen of your city sent here to be sold for the Irish famine fund. :. During their sojourn in the metropolis they were courted by the upper ten and admired by the lower ten thousand, and the Herald de- voted column daily to sounding their raises Their sale at auction in front of the Stock Ex- change was attended by thousands. stage was erected in the middle of the street and decorated with bunting for the use of the auctioneer, and MT. Levy, who had promised to be present, accompanied by his cornet Being person of note, it was justly supposed that his presence would lend prestige to the occasion. How large a share of the attend ance the illustrious fowls owed to his presence cannot well be computed. but at noon, the hour of their sale, the stand and truck bear
 
 course that filled the street to the doorways and fences on either side and overfowed upon the lofty steps of the Sub Treasury
 Mir. Levy opened the exercises by playing some lively airs of Erin, and was greeted with the enthusiasm that he never fails to excite. Then, while their. good humor was at it's height the auctioneer took the audience in hand and made a forcible appeal to their char itable feelings. When he turned and pointed with an eloquent gesture to the noble Brahma cock (who had been taken out of his coop and introduced to the audience from the top of it) and said, ''There stands the harbineer of success in this laudable endeavor," " his cock ship gave an exultant crow and the crowd cheered. MT. Levy was very obliging, disre- garded the formality of the concert room, and introduced tune whenever the speech maker got out of breath and paused. A rollicking, noisy, boisterous street assembly requires a very different style of oratory from the polite, quiet and attentive audience of the lyceur1. One needs the qualities of the bully to make @ successful curbstone orator. Wendell Phil lips polished elocution, with it's delicacies of enunciation and infection, would scarcely be appreciated by such gathering as surged around the Ructioueer of those Brahmas
 The bulls and bears looked upon the fowls as so much stock, and so they were sold over and over again half dozen times, and the total amount realized from these repeated sales was between six and seven hundred dol lars
 IMPAIRMENT IN LENT.
 A certain element of New York society ex- hibits the most profound contempt for Lent and Lenten observances. The frequency of balls must scandalize all good Catholics On Thursday evening two were given, both on 8 scale of great magnifcence the Purim ball at the Academy of Music, and the Bal Masque de POpera at Madison Square Garden. I at- tended the latter,-it being the naughtiest It a11 rauohtv h1t 1t WQ IkaIuica Tio thing is French, it may be naughty with im- punity.
 This ball and carnival were given under the supervision of Mons. Vic. Corini, of the world renowned Bal de fOpera given at the Opera House in Paris and was on the same plan and equal to those given at Paris, which are cele- bIated for their brilliancy and gayety. The vast enclosure of the garden was crowded with very picturesque assembly. The costumes were bewildering in number and variety There were squaws, braves with their bows and tomahawks, zouaves, farmers, jolly tars, humpty dumptys, knights, clowns, white cats walking upright, soldiers, policemen, girls dressed as pages, and some dressed in 8 still simpler costume. One lady, who looked as if she might be the fat woman from the museum on the Bowery, was attired like a girl seven years old, short dress with low tied sash,' low neck and short sleeves, and after her she pulled by string childs toy, little bell on wheels. There were girls dressed like peas- ant boys, spinning tops. A man displayed very handsome figure, in pedestrian costume, red shirt, white trunks and striped stockings, and heia kept getting up impromptu walking matches and strode around the floor, occa- sionaly making ''spurt," and initiating at pIayfulness of Weston, and again going gracefully like Hart. This gentleman after wards fell in with female companion, also dressed in pedestrian fashion,-no skirts to embarrass her stride. and the pair flashed about the garden the very embodiment of sprightliness and mischief. In fact, every body was ripe for fun, and endless pranks were played by the maskers on each other. A man with 8 nose a foot long had it tweaked by bewitching damsel in bright colored peasants costume, and then he chased her, but her agility was such that he had to give up the pursuit.
 The vast space enclosed by the eighth of mile track, around which the pedestrians were wont to tramp so indefatigably, was entirely devoted to the dancers, and grand dancing floor it is. Nevertheless it was almost uncom- fortaby full. When waltz was struck up five hundred couples began to whirl and glide simultaneously. There were two full orches- tras, one on either side of the garden, and as soon as one had finished a piece the other would begin one.
 It was queer scene that the long barroom presented. Here the maskers mingled freely Wltn the Reu6TdI COStuut5 flashed here and there among suits of black, girls in full dress, three quarters dress, half dress, or even 8 less fraction still, thronged in with their escorts, stood in knots and chat ted and laughed, and went boldly up to the bar and pledged their companions in the festive beer. Yes, there was lots of freedom, but then 1t was French ball.
 The grand procession had been announced for 10 o'clock, but it was half-past 12 when the bugle sounded it's approach. The track had been cleared, and when the bugle sound ed there was 8 helter-skelter rush and scramble for good positions that reminded one of an exciting ''spurt' between O'Leary and Rowell,. or Hazael and Merritt dur ing the six-day walks First came the ''halberdiers' with their long halberds. Then followed the floor and reception com- mittees Next were humpty dumpty police men, standard bearers, carnival soldiers, com- mander, drum major, tin kettle drummers; band of music; master of ceremonies in chariot, drawn by four horses, driven by Char ioteer; pages with cushions, carrying large key and money bag; Sun, represented by young lady whose face was surrounded by 8 circle of gilt rays; Moon, also represented by a young lady, whose ordinary physiognomy had been usurped by @ large sllvered crescent; Stars by young ladies with silver