Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-26
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
Theatrical Matters-Life mt the Seaside and
Race Courses-Beauty and the Beast-The
Political Puzzle.

Theatrical Matters-Life mt the Seaside and
Race Courses-Beauty and the Beast-The
Political Puzzle.
Special Correspondence of The EVENING STAR
NEW YORK, August 25
THE OPENINGS
The regular theatrical season opened this week
Inc mefodramatic mania has broken out afresh,
ana threatens TO rage worse than ever. Two CORY
pieces have already been produced. One OF them
Is 1.-THE Black Flag" at the Union Square Theater
the other Is "Ranch TO-" at Haverly'5 Theater.
have not seen "The Black Flag" but it has been
characterized as weak and impossible in plot, and
wholly dependent on stage carpentry. The stage
carpenter has, In fact, become the principal man
of the theater nowadays, and we have the spec
tacle OF him before the curtain bowling his acknowl-
edgments to the audience, while the leading man
and the leading lady are quite forgotten
In the regions behind the scenes. Jay
Gould will soon have a revival OF "The
Lights o. London" at the Grand Opera House, and
''Youth" is to be revived at NibIos Garden. That
makes four. Then there's "R0many RyeD In re-
hearsal at Booths theater, of which spoke last
week. Mr.. Wallack also intends to continue in
the melodramatic line, although it is a sad sight
10 see Rose Coghlan, and good old John Gilbert
to nitroglycerine and red fire. 1t is Mr. Wallack'
intention to cultivate taste for high dramatic
art by producing Taken From Life,n and when
this has exhausted Itself he viii oblige (as they
say In the Bowery1 with the "Parvenu" 1t Is
thought that 1.-The Black Flag" will not prove a
success, and 1t is hoped that the others Will not
Ihe stage carpenter has had glory enough al
ready.
There is man in London named Walter Pei
nam. lie Is mimic and a member OF the Savage
Club His latest entertainments onSistS Of an
imitation of ArtemuS Ward-whom he never saw,
and, as a matter of course, the American manager
has been after him and is going to import him.
Our glorious country is looked upon as a splendid
held for the museum buSineSS-perhaps justly.
Inc curiosity comes, and returns loaded down
with shekelS Mr. o. Wilde was the last He
hasn't gone back yet, as he hasn't got big enough
load. He will get it, though. Oh yes let Pelham,
the mimic, come.
MURPHY'S MISTAKE.
Young Mr. Murphy, a son of ex-Collector Thos.
Murphy, has just missed shining mark by one
OF those indscretions OF youth that you can't &C
count for His first name is Edgar. II his arlsto-
cratic Ideas were carried out he would spell his
last name Merle, with the accent on the ultimate
syllable The scene of the romance in which he
has cut such a sad figure was at Long Branch.
Miss Nellie Whitehouse, also of New York, was
the heroine, end she possesses position youth and
beauty. Indeed, Miss w. is remarkable for her
beauty OF face and figure, and she has created
sensation at Long Branch for several seasons by
her dash and the grace and elegance of her dresses
This summer the young lady smiled upon Mr.. Edgar
Murphy. To the surprise OF every one the pair
always together They danced together; one was
never seen on the beach without the other and
when Miss W. rode out the ever-faithful young
man was at her side. TO have seen Mr.. Edgar no
body would have dreamed that he had such Gel
tic name. He wore the snuggest OF coats AMI the
tighteSt Of trousers To make the situation more
interesting, the heroine was about to come into
possession of fortune of half million dollars.
one day, as the story goes, the young man ap-
this city. He was flushed with pride, and his
voice trembled with emotion. When he could
nounce his engagement with Miss Whitehouse.
The announcement was made. Then somebody
made a scene. and the young lady wrote public
denial OF the engagement herself Possibly young
Mr.. Murphy was relying on one OF those tacit un-
derstandings that do not require the formality Of
speech. AT any rate, Miss w. is more carefully
guarded now than she was, and the impetuouS
Cet has retired from Long Branch to mourn the
lndlscretion that caused him to lose so pretty
woman and so big a fortune.
ONE OF THE GIRLS OF NEW YORK.
1 saw good specimen OF the sporting woman
yesterday. She came into car bound for Brighton
Beach, unaccompanied by any one, and looking
quite independent and able to take care of herself
In one hand she carried an umbrella or rather she
carried 1t in the crook OF her elbow, and in the
other she swung a fiat yellow handbag She was
Tall, and had once been fair, but that was long
ago. Yet she was still struggling to be fair Her
costume consisted of a blue basque and skirt of
The same color, button kid CATERS, yellow NOUS
quetaire gloves, and a large GainsbOro hat around
which were curled two enormous white plumes
shaded into blue: Above her waist, which was
maryel0uSly small for woman OF her dimensions,
swelled an enormous bust In graceful outline, and
row or brass buttons described q double COM
pound curve from her double chin down to the
point of her basque in front. Her hair was straw
colored and arranged In waves on her forehead. On
ier cheeks there was mingling OF the lilly and
the rose. as Oscar W. has said of Mrs. Langtry,
and her lips were vermilion. She carried herself
like "a grenader The train was crowded with
people going to the Brighton Beach races, and any
one who has been at the Brighton track does not
need to be told that 1t was not a fashionable
throng When our sporting woman reached the
incloSure she mounted TO good seat on the grand
stand. She evidently had been there before, as
several sporting gen'en dererentially lifted their
hats to her as II taking pleasure in doing her the
tachi0S and big watch-chan, came and sat down
at her side To him She gave roll OF crisp bills
from her handbag, and he went off to execute a
little commission for her-SO much on this horse
and so much on that He did not return after giving
ner the tickets She was done with him. At first
there was shade of anxiety on her face, in spite
OF her Keen enjoyment OF the sport But she must
have had some good luck, for she now wore smile
OF conplacency, and grinned at the beasts as they
came In on the home stretch. When she got on
the train to return to the city she sat down.
don't know whether by accident or design-at the
side Of a colored jockey Making animated ges-
lures with her gloved hand she chatted Familiarity
with the jockey. The other women in the car
stared at ner curiouSy. She didn't notice them, or
ut least, gave nosigns Of caring that they looked
at her. The conversation was altogether about
were asked of the jockey, whose Information on
racing matters seemed to be inexhaustible. The
races OF that day were freely talked over, and
those that were to take place the following day.
BY one or those curious turns which conversation
Will sometimes take, the sporting female said She
believed in enjoying life and in making the most of
it, because she did not think there was hereafter
On leaving the car, she marched down the street
smiling, and carrying her umbrella In the crook of
her elbow.
NEW swHAT Is IT?"
The transition may be somewhat sudden, but
saw the "Bear-Man" at Brighton the same day.
He reminded me Of Quilp, only he was less intell.
gent and consequently not as capable Of being a
villain. sort OF lair is partftioned of in one
corner of the museum for him, where he is con.
cealed from view except when the spectators are
allowed TO pass through and look at him. When
we went In he was sitting quietly on a raised
platform, Which was carpeted and rallied in This
was special privilege given by his keeper a weak
looking man with long brown beard. On seeing
us the wild man sprang forward and snapped his
Jaws like dog. His head is abnormally large
and Is covered with long, curly brown hair His
eyes are grey, very small and shaped somewhat
ike those OF the Japanese. From his broad fore
mead his race tapers to pointed chin, on which
there Is tuft OF fine hair. There is suggestion
OF the pig In his lips, when they are extended as
they are when he snaps The neck is thick and
strong; the chest and shoulders broad In propor-
ton TO his height (Or rather length as he does not
walk erecD, and his arms are thick and muscular
between the shoulder and elbow. The muscles of
MS arms are at the back part instead OF on the
Inner anterior surface. His forearms are smaller
IN proportion than the upper arms, but his hands
are large and fat Each hand has a double
thumb and six fingers. They are chubby and cal.
lous on the palm, like the paws OF an animal His
knees have the appearance OF being double jointed