Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-25
LOUISVILLE LETTER.
COYLE DOUGLAS CORRESPON-
DENCE.

l.
eating committee abroad, quietly pushing its
work, and every man feels that he is standing
on the top swell of a young earthquake Our
City Hall has been for these many years nest
of corruption, open and daring and it was
manifest day of reckoning must come some
time. 1t was quite mystery TO the unsus-
pecting how men could step into these civil Of
fees, where the salaries are not magnificent,
and in few years retire upon a handsome
little fortune.
The committee Is not confning itself to the
transactions of 1879 by any means; it is creep
ing behind those records, and keeps on making
dlscoYerles that open its eyes wider the far
ther they go. One young gentleman who flour
lshed as an assistant in the Tax Receivers
office during the time in question, and who
has since gone West. has been sent for: other
officials of that epoch have scattered in various
directions away from Louisville, and it begins
TO look as though they would be invited back
too. 1t Is the widespread opinion in the city
that since the investigation has started it had
better go through the whole machine and up
set 1t like cyclone. There are not too many
of these civic dgnitaries past or present, who
can lay their heads on their pillows with con-
science void Of Offense and sleep the sleep of
the just.
We have been enjoying quite a breezy time
lately in theatrical circles, and a pretty wo-
man was at the bottom of it, of course. The
"Esmeralda" Company, under the Madison
Square management, recently played an en-
gagement at Macauleys, Miss Estelle Clayton
taking the part of 'Nora Desmond" She is
lovely woman in face and form, and mmedi-
ately created a furore. Night after night the
theatre was crowded, and her rooms at the
Motel OYertiOwed with flowers. The florists
would doubtless have been glad to have her
stay all winter. Don't mention Mrs. Langtry
the Clayton completely laid her in the
shadow, and the jeVnesse dOree of Main street
were all torn up about her.
When the engagement was over the COM
pany went over the river, but Miss Clayton
remained. Close upon the heels of the ''Esme-
ralda combination came E'The Professor, also
Madison Square company, and day after
day it was announced that Miss Clayton would
appear in certain box as spectator, and she
drew equally as well as in her stage role. The
manager of the "PrOfessOr' company is one
McGeachy, and the actress who has the hero
ines part is Miss Jackson, who fills the role
finely, and who made great many friends
here. 1t occurred to McGeachy that it
would be an excellent thing to put Miss Clay
ton in Miss Jackson's place if she would
consent, and now comes the under side of the
proceeding. 1t seems that McGeachy had
once made Miss jackson supremey happy by
giving her the contract to sew on his buttons
for the rest of her life, and upon the strength
of this began to assume lOrdly airs. He want
ed 1t understood that where he was he eX-
pected people to hustle around, and they
hustled. Then the young lady snapped the
calling fetters, and her persecution began.
McGeachy treated her with such in
difference, ~ he didn't appear to
know she was alive, and resorted
to divers spiteful actions, designed to make
his quondam lady love wish she had dnever been
born. The climax of indignities was reached
when he attempted to set her aside without
consulting her in the least and substitute
another. But she was resolute little person
and wouldn't be put down without at least
fight for it. For while the war ragged fierce
and furious, and the condition of dramatic cir
cles was volcanic, to put it mildly. 1t was
only brought to close by Miss ClaytOns posi-
lively refusing to take the part of ''Daisy
Brown" McGeachy left here, attended with
considerable odium.
The Southern Exposition is the popular
shibboleth; it has turned the heads of all of
us. More than 100000 have been subscribed,
and we are not through yet. One citizen has
offered siXty-three acres of land free, lying
between the fair grounds and the city, for as
long a time as the directors may choose. This
is almost too far away from the centre of the
city to make it popular, though it is available
by several lines of street and steam cars. The
drill ground adjoining Central Park would be
a fine situation were it only a little larger.
The owner of the Park has offered that for
promenade free concerts should the drill
ground be selected,
Amongst ways and means devised to raise
charity funds this Christmas has been
"DolPs Wedding Reception" 1t is held in
small hall of the Y NJ. G., A. building. under
the auspices of st. Paul's Home Mission.
There is a dazzling array of dolls in every posi-
tiOn in society, and an amount of dolls wear
ing apparel that fills the souls of countless
little girls with unmitigated ecstacy. These
are all sold at handsome prices, and fund un-
expectedly satisfactory has been netted. The
bride dolls have evidently made brilliant
matches, from the splendOr of appearances,
and the dowager mother-in-law makes part
of the pageant, manifestly content with the
wav things have turned out. 1t is quite
travesty upon real life and society to study
the scene for half hour.
OF all the unique and startling methods of
holiday advertisement devised to haul in the
unwary, it has remained for two retail Louis
vile houses to cap the climax. Lotteries of
jewelry and pianos and furniture are stale,
but Market street firm, amongst several at
fractions of this description, have inserted a
real live horse and Shetland pony prizes
in Christmas drawing. The immense win
dows have been filled in with sawdust and on
alternate days boy leads or rather holds the
prize horse and pony for all the world to look
upon and make sure they are there, while
crowd of eXpectant urchins the
outside, with that iubilant delight which
only the soul of a curb-stone arab may know,
awaits the thrilling moment when the fiery
steed shall become restive, and with his un-
tanned heels shah scatter the plate glass win
dow to measureless distances, Another win
dow on Fourth avenue, similarly upholstered,
presents an interesting young family of settlers,
any one purchasing TO the amount Of five dol
brisk young specimen of doghood, standing
stoutly on his legs and apparently willing to
change hands at moments notice.
All the world is turned into the streets these
keen winter days, and the crowd overfows
with merriment and good nature, as a Christ
mas crowd should. Sometimes in the rush a
very, very funny thing happens; Here is
something occurred yesterday that has an ele-
ment of the tragic and awfully awful descrip-
ton. just at the corner OF Fourth and Jeffer-
son, where the jam is most dense, a stout,
unwieldy old gentleman, loaded with bundles
and baskets and toys until he looked like
Santa Claus in the flesh, pushed his way to
the crossing. He bore the unmistakable marks
of a well-to-do old rustic who came to
and he had dear, kindly, beautiful
old face that must be a blessing to the chill
dren that surely waited somewhere for grand
papa's coming. A light driZzle was falling,
and he carried above him an umbrella Of such
dimensions that il might have covered half a
hemisphere Picking her way over the muddy
crossing came a dashing blonde, her glittering
bangs surmOunted by little fiat contrivance
no larger than a mans hand. Had Fate
brought the steps of those two to such pass?
Even so. She sailed past him of the umbrella
and one of its ribs caught in the ravishing bon
net and lifted it from its place and bore il along
like the dangling scalp of q pale face taken as
trophy. And, strange to relate. the blonde
bangs came off, too; they were fastened inside
the hat and went with it, and D mystery OF
mysteries the young lady, denuded of her
hat, was not blonde at all, but owned a dark
head with funny little tightly twisted knot
on top! There was frantic gasp, ''Save me-"
and a crimson face dived into a neighbOring
store, and The unconscious Rusticus said ''Bless
me-! with looks of horror when relieved of
his trophy. Next time she will use plenty of
pins and beware of old gentlemen and UNI
brellas.
The photographers are always holding up to
view the Eastern woman and her pet dog; it !
is ridiculous enough to read about, but TO come
face to faGe with it is something worse. A
part of the throng ON the avenue
the other day was an elegant and fashiOnably |
dressed lady. Following in her wake came |
the nurse rolling the baby buggy, where her |
child lay motiOnless quite smothered with the |
amount of finery heaped about it.. Yog could |
tell it was alive by the way il hliuked Its poor I
little daZzled eyes Pressed close to Madames |
sealskin bosom, its tiny head nestled lovingly |
under her chin, was black and tan the siza OF /
young rat, gayly caparisoned in scarlet CLOTH |
She had manifestly fulfilled her full mOtherlv
duty to her child in giving it blue satin pillow
and lace cover TO its carriage. Talk of woman /
on her pedestal! Isn't it glorious good thing I
all women were not fashieh1tt and lowered 4
alike, else the most chivalrOus man in exist
ence might feel a desire to march up gallantIv /
and jerk her of her perch and shake all her |
hair pins loose. The man who has the misfor- |
tune to be her husband should take her seal |
skin sacQue away from her and not LET her have
it until she rejects the dog and takes her babv
in its place, or course she would sob ont
''MY punishment is greater than | can bear5 /
and It would be heavy doubtless, but it might
be efficacious.
all things, and they vary with the seasons.
Yesterday ii was the shrinking, blushing TYNE
whose yelled head dropped low sstin lifted /
like the petal of flower" To-day it n tLa
self-possessed bride, and in soetA she is 81 !
brassy as the widow Of thee husbands -
it threatens te spread alarmingly. for + - tha
qqintessence or good 'styie," and that Iyord |
10 like the mantle of charity, cOyerines sa,Ib
At recent swell wedding, the connie nre
ceded by regimeat of attendants. entered the
the part Of the spectators. The oroom an
peared in the usual miserable ana suffering
conditlon a man always presents when he il
pelIg married. and which the anguish of No. 6