The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-10-28
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

nf4cences Of r. +. Barnum-The Sl0yers
Of Jessie oJames-Political Furry
In stocks-Brother Beecher's Return :
Local Items, Gossip, Etc.. Etc.
NEW YORK, October q, 1882.
EDIToR CHIEF:
/ Forty years ago, when r. I. Barnum,
proprietor of the greatest show on earth,
had his museum on the site 0f the present
Herald office, New York had 4 museum
worth speaking of. It is true that this
antiqnated hnmbug may have palmed
off on us Joyce Hetl,, the FIJI mermaid,
the wonderful gorilla from the wilds Of
Borneo, and other wonders too numerous
to mention. But, Notwithstanding all
that, he gave the biggest twenty-five
cents worth of amusement that has ever
been given in New York from that day
to this. A man might pass day pleas
antly and profitably in its spacious gal
| leries, in which were thousands of curl
osities which would delight and instruct
either philosopher or achild; and in his
theatre, while the performances might
not be equal to Wallack's or the Union
Square, it was 10 small treat for moral
deacon or Il country parson to have a
chance at real live city theatre, with
out infracting the canons of the church.
/ Fire drove hin, out and he took the old
Chinese museum, once the home of the
aristrocratic Costers, but the fire fiend
chased him again, and he took refuge IN
an antiquatcd structure on the corner OF
/ Twenty-eightll street and Broadway, now
occupied by Daly's theatre, but in time
he gave that up to wandering show
man from the west, n Colonel somebody,
| and that was abOnt the last attempt at q
respectable museum in New York. We
have one now, however, which mHst
make the greatest Snowman on earth
smile if he ever looks into it. If you look
OH the outside you might he led to be-
licye that the assembled wonders of the
earth were inside. twenty-five cents IS
tue charge, but ii yon want to get the
full value of your money you had better
take il outside On the inside is squlf-
rel, tame rat, two bogus Indians, con-
sumptive looking Albino, a long haired
lady, a man without arms, all ungalnly
lout, called giant, a. stuffed alligator,
aud the Ford boys, the slayers of Jessie
james. These latter curi"sities are not
a pleasant pair to look on; one is Il thin
razor faced looking scoundrel, whose
black eyes are constantly OH the watch
us if a spectre were walking at his back,
while little gabby man was expatiating
Iop the service these two occident philan-
/ thropists lad done mankind. Tic elder
Ford boy kept his eyes uneasily about
him, as if he expected that some one III
! the crowd might serve him as his brother
Brother Bob served Jessie James. Bob
has the good hard muzzle of the typical
border ruffian, and while acknowledging
freely the obligation which I am under
to him personally, for removing his
brother bandit, am Of opinion that it
he escapes States prison or the gallows
in the future lie will be more fortunate
than think lie will be. The exhibition
of ruffians of this class is not all edifylng
spectacle. When Ned Buntline, of un-
savory memory, wrote the life OF Buffalo
Bill, we little expected to have the orlgl-
nal Jacobs figuring as Il first class star at
all our theatres; but the name OF Hon.
WIN. F. Cody has become as much OF a
household word in the north aud east as
it is i'll the west, and to give the - his
due he has been one of the best behaved
border men that ever visited New York.
The small boy has rushed ont to see him
as he rode along the street in all the
glory cf broad-brimmed hat, flowing
locks, dear skin coat, moccaslns, repeater
and all tho parapllernalia Of the plains.
But the slayer of wild Indians was Il
hero, a romantic dream, beside these two
Missouri outlaws. 1t WAS almost painful
to see little boys who had begged or
stolen enough to get into the show, stand
admiriug the Ford boys and wishing that
they were in their place. No doubt they
will 90 elsewhere and thousands will
aock to SEQ them, but the taste that
seeks such curiosities is the most shock
ing and depraved, and for ono will feel
relieved when Mr.. Bunnell puts up his
sign that the wonderful Ford boys have
departed.
The papers have been full of the an,
uouncenent that Judge Hilton has gone
out of the dry goods business; it is prob
ABLY of as little con sequence whether bt
:. has or not, or whether he lives or dies
For rich man he is one of the smallest
possible factors in any community;
man who inherited millions which hs
, never earned, but whose name is MOI
coupled with any decent charitable
work, which would make his memory
, honored among men if he should pas
away tomorrow. His time has been tot
much occupied forwarding the intercs
of Judge Hilton to attend to the want
, Of anybody else. Accumulated wealtl
seems to have closed his heart instead q
| opening it, though he must feel that th
| end is not far off. Perhaps, now that h
r is relieved from the onerous task Q
| watching the accounts of statesmen au
work nirls ha nay haze more time t