Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-04
LETTER FROM NEW YORK,
THE BIG FIRE-EX-sENATOR CONKLING-AN INTER-
VIEW WITH HIS BARBER-THE BALL SEASON
oDETTE-THE ALBANY DKADLoCK-oDps AND ENDS

dead are only known as yet from the list OF the
missing WreckerS were at work all day yesterday
I'm trying TO pull safes from the smouiering debris
but no effort was made to recover the bodies
Perhaps the philosophy Of the police is that the
dead are very dead, and that consequently there
Is little need OF hurry. The scenes OF this remark
able fire remain with me like the recollectOns of
frightful dream in which flames and smoke and
cries for help, and hurried efforts to rescue those
In peril still seem to be seen and heard. To my
mind the most thrilling incident was the rescue OF
Ida Small, who exhibited GOODNESS and courage
that great danger SOmeu mes develops in the
young and frail When l first saw her she was
clinging to a window sill, with the smoke encir
cling her slender form and the flames darling all
around her. Her face was pale, yet one could
see that her teeth We're set with a
would be fatal. To loosen her hold would be
death; TO obey the shouts of those below calling
upon her jump for her life would be death. SO she
shock her head to those urging her to jump and
chung to the sill. The time to us seemed hours to
her it must have seemed ages. At last 4 fireman
reached her from the top of ladder and she was
carried down limp and white. There is scarcely
any trsgedy that has not lines Of comedy running
through it. On the day OF the accident an old man
reported to the police that his daughter, Jane Ryer
son, spiniSter, aged 40 years,was missing and that
he thought she must have persisted in the burning
building. II a father doesn't know about his own
family, who does? Consequently her obituary has
been written over and over again. with the fact to
come out at last that she safe at home and had
not been in the "World building for months.
EX-SENATOR CONKLING.
ner OF the Albany Grant Club, where he was called
the greatest man of the century and gloried with
out stint, his first decisive boom since he re-
tired into private life in New York. He is very
close mouthed and never appears in public here
went to the Fifth Avenue hotel yesterday to in
teryiew him, but he was out ana l dropped into
the barber shop for shave. The shop was full,
but found a vacant chair and tumbled into it. A
lnoroae looking barber. with hair and beard parted
eliborately in the middle, advanced with great
dignity. stood bolt upright beside me and gaZed
with whitening contempt at a beard OF two days
growth.
Shave, sir?"
He got his lather and began to rub my face
gently, gazing straight before him. and occasion
ally coughing with great importance. / never said
a word. L knew from experience that no matter
where the barber may be. or how high-toned he
wants to BE- the desire TO talk is irresistible. Pres
enJly he cOughed ana said:
"Ahem."
"Eh?"
Il beg parding. said nothink at ALL sir Fine
day, sir; lots OF people in town. Hotel crowded to
the doors. Many great men here. SIR"
Roscoe COnking for one ?"
An immediate change came over the barber. He
rubbed my chin with amazing roughness and said
MY opinion OF him amt what you might hope
II ud o., SIR but can't help 1t, all the same He's
goldfish haristocracy. How do 1 know? 1 knows
him well. I've done his hair fur years, and
never got so much as nckle. He always co mes
10 my chair cause 1 fixed him up the night he
made the dizzy speech in the Academy OF Music
three years ago He thinks he's an awful beauty
don't he? Well, he amt, all the samee. Now, I'm
giyn you straight tip when tell you that his
head is monstro5ty! It's like Guiteau's."
''Weil, sir, I'm telling the truth, and ought to
know. Eve handled that blessed Old skull long
en0ugh-by the way, he's getting bald-to get
onto Its shape In the first place, the head runs
up TO point in the back and cuts in behind so as
to make it hollow out at the neck. On top it runs
down grade to his forehead like the head OF
cherokee Indian, with board strapped Oh its
or m idea of tC oh. lilo
Guiteau's.n
..Well, it don't look that way"
''Of course, it don't, and why? Because me and
the other BARRIERS fix his hair as he orders. He has
a big wad OF hair on the back or his head which
conceals the hollow there, and another big wad In
front, which concealS the down grade tendency
there. He's great man, maybe, but he's the
most conceited ass l ever saw" He stopped here
abruptly and whispered with great confidence
shampoo Shook my head, and he continued
Ibis figure would be good ii he want So puff
pigeon breasted. But his airS-sOme tonic ON your
htIT?-Whan he comes in here would startle an
0belSh-can recommend this b " rum for the face
hity cents bottle. Every hair has to lie lust So
brush, ana When he gets done up at last he struts
our Ike the king of Arjzan, without dropping
cent 10 the brush boy or me-"
TIE BALL SEASON.
The three balls given this week were the most
remarkable OF the season in one sense Monday
night was the "L'Amitie" ball, Tuesday night the
famous "Charty ball." and last night the ball of
the Twenty-second regiment. They were all given
at the Academy OF Music. Was at every one till
late hour in the morning, and saw three extra
ordinary gatherings The 'L'Amitie" was a
french ball OF the most overwhelming, startling,
and suggestive Kind. The academy was a mass OF
glarnS decorations and gaudy color. Every last
woman IN the town was there, and the run grew
faster ana faster as the night wore On, till the
police We're obliged to Interfere and break it w at
ooclock III the morning, when over a thousand
people Were dancing ana shouting with the most
extreme abandon. 1t is astonishing TO notice the
utter careeSsnesS OF men, who have regulations
OF weight, when at ball Of this kind.
cltZens, VINO were engaged when the ball broke
! up In boosting plump little biack-eyed girl, in
PINK domino from the Hoor up to the first gallery
Wncit another highly respectable citizen was
/ holding her up with one hand and pouring cham
payne down The back OF her neck with the other
The next night was the charity ball. and the vast
building Was a mass of fresh and beautiful natu-
raj floWerS, Willie the most prominent men ant
loveiiest women OF the city danced for charity 5
sweet sake, with all imaginable grace and deco
rum. Last night, again, was the vast building
Sl1r1ng in arms, Shields, bunting and colore;i
lights To an extraordinary extent There were
thousands present; the brilliant uniforms OF the
militia ana regular army and navy mingling with
| the bright dresses of the ladies' 1t was a fine
scene ana the clash OF The immense military bands
gave 1t all The 'go" it needed.
Theater goers have considerable curiosity to SEE
how Strdou's new comedy OF Odette which is to be
brought forward at Days next Monday night.
will be received. Some say that the great success
OF tne play III ParlS by no means determines 1t Sue
cess In this country, where ideds Of morals are so
different, Others say that great play is a great
play, ana VIII succeed anywhere. In conversation
with Mr.: Daily last evening l asked him il he
thought the piece would be wei! received.
1t ought to b." he said, ''Sardou YOU
know, is great writer and Odette Is Thought
to be the greatest OF all his works While il
Is comedy, there is an underlying serio
VEIN From first to last the movement is
RAPID, and at times there are scenes OF great
dramatic strength Take the first act or prologue
when the play opens the "Count Lature" and his
wife "Odette' have lived happily for several years
Iheir enid, girl about four years Old they call
Berangere." One night the Count returns nome
from tAe country and while talking to his brother
VINO mas accompanied him, sees secret door I'M
locked by young man who comes to meet his
Wlle Inc Countess hearing him enter comes to
meet MN anG Is suddenly confronted by her nus
band This Is terrible situation Before this the
count hd no suspicious but he Is not long in
making up his mind. He sends the child away
and drives his unIaithful wife out or the
house The next act is at Nice after a
lapse or fifteen years. count Laturen has
tenderly brought up the young s.Beranperen
who Is now a young woman and has a lover
Meanwhile "Odette" has pursued a downward
course, and after having been the mistress of a
prince, mas become the mistress OF a professional
gambler Sardou uses all his art to enlist SYM
Pathy LOT the father and daughter, and in the
! CONCLUSION OF this act brings it about that tire
young man cannot marry - Berangere" except on
the condition that the countess shall change her
< M nor