Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-25
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.


NEW YORK, February 9th.
Society always makes a great ado about the
observance OF Lent here, but fear that 1t only
shams, for with one exception tie whirl of gaiety
goes on The public and private balls all cease
on Ash wednesday, but their place Is taken by
"lmpromptu' dances, to which the guests are
invited ten days in advance There is something
bland about it. The Invitations are usually nom
commttal requests to attend an "At Home" Or
musicale" or "a reading IN the earlier part OF
the evening"" but it is made plain that dancing
Will be INDUCED in, and the affairs usually go off
with great ec,at The dinners, drives, receptions,
teas kettle-drumS, hunts and other entertain
mentS keep right On. Formerly 1t was not the
proper caDer to go to the opera in Lent, but the
subject IS discreetly passed by in silence now
probably because OF the outburSt of italian opera
mere. Patti at the Germania Theater, GerSter at
Booths Theater and Col. Maplesons troupe at the
Academy Of Music form too strong an attraction
In musical way to be resisted by the most con-
scentious devotee.
MANAGER FRoHMAN.
went into Dan Frohman's Office couple OF
days ago, and found that gentleman in a most I'M
happy frame of mind. He Is the manager OF the
Madison Square Theater the director OF its numer-
Gus road companies, and the promulgator of such
occasional enterprises as the Greek play, recently
gwen at Booths Theater. When called on him,
The other day, he was YEARLY examining an ap-
barehty endless assortment OF plaques, medal
ilohS bronze1, Autographs photographs engrav-
1ngs, bits OF brc-a-brac, eSthetic embiems, Oil and
water color paintings on satin OF every shade, and
clever drawings on various cards that were scat
tered over his desk. He smiled anguitlly ana Said
I'm Still at It, you see. I've made an effort to
inure myself to It, but 1t stretches out into such
dead waste to intinity that my soul recoilS."
"What Is it?"
1.-THE internal souvenir business. In rash mo-
ment we began to give souvenirs at one-hundred-
night performances, and the thing has piled up
MorseL.ssly ever since. have to select the de-
signs"
''What are the next anniversaries"
"The one hundred and fi:ticth performance OF
'ESmeralda comes first. l have decided TO ac-
eept the design OF Beddtr, the tile artist, of head
velvet The souvenirs Will be given away on the
anniversary night, but the artist viii charge s.
hundredth performance OF tie Professor I've
not yet picked out the design for that as I'm
growing gray over the next Hazel kirke'-you've
well, yes, seems to me have"
,, "QlIts 50. Well she has her fifteen hundredth
twelve doubly EN- bossed- iitlog ,phe-cC mpounG-
toggie-J0inted plates at one time. I'm getting at
the twelve slowly. This souvenir business is
pleasant to look upon and agreeable to the ladies,
but when you have to get 1t up It exhausts what
ever innocent fun you may have in your nature
anu, WHAT'S more, 1t Hills your future with gloom"
THE NEW MELOpRAMA-
Mr.. Wallack has scored another success.
Youth" which he produced on Monday night, Is
running to Overlooking houses and promises to
keep the boards Tor many months 1t Is a bowling
nelodrama, after the style OF 1.-THE World,' only
much more elaborate and deals entirely with
deeds OF black and gloomy tint No man would
nave Ventured to say three years ago that Wal
lacks stage, the home Of high st ndard plsys and
vigorous old English comedies, would so soon be
gwen over to melOfirilna and the astounding crea-
ions OF stage carpenters and InaChinists. The
prestige OF the house Is 81 i'll marked however It's
manager, are always in full dress. man without
ores, coat and cboker would be hard to find ez-
teps In the upper galleries, while the ladies'
tolletteS are frequently very beautiful.
THE MASKED BALL
The last masked ball OF the season was given
Tuesday night, and Ash Wednesday, Washingtons
Birthday ana Lent were ushered in by 1t W tn a
bowling exuberance that lasted till dawn. The
Ar1on was the most ambitious masked bali OF the
season, and will rank as the most successful
nlhanclaliy, II not so:.ly Facts are interesting
The fact In this ball that exctes the most interest
IS that $780, 600 were used to prepare Madison Square
Garden for the event A description OF tn. result
is out OF tue quest on, but never saw anything
more ELL or-te and costly than its decorations, |
and the $4,000 WIS cert,in'y judic.ously laid out
The ball Itself was very brilliant The members
of the Arion Society all wore Costumes OF consider
able worth, and TIE Zig procession WAS dazzling
sight o. course, when you sell tickets to the num-
VIII creep In, and they were unfortunately nuner-
Gus on Tuesday night. They were Kept well In the
background at lirst, hut towards inornlng they |
came out recklessly, and the high-Eickng and can
can dances among the women were So general as
the wild jumping and drinking OF the men.
"MAUD AND ARE OUT"
There Is consi .erabie tan; among theatrical |
people over the domestic inf.lic;ty OF the Follin
family. 1t has long been Known that Mrs F oln, |
or. as she is better known, Maud Granger and !
her husband were ct ''cu5s," but as the same may
be said OF almost every actress and her husband !
1t excited no p:rticular attention. The pair are |
very odd that so much unhappness exists in |
the domestic relations OF theatrical people The |
husband Of the star or leading is
town. He usually ste nds In the lobby Daring the
performance and talks With the doorkeeper or any
casual TREND. All OF them are alike While they
are not shabby, as rule, they are certainly not
prosperous, that Is they, none OF them, look like
bones honest enerEetlc, ana seii;-respectng men.
understand they all explain Their existence by
wives. have often wondered why clever and
gifted women marry sach sticks 1t was forcibly |
brought to ny mind Wednesday night, when
Madame Patti arrived In New York and was re- |
ceived in magnificent style at the Windsor hotel
She was charming, the apartments were beauti- |
fully dressed in flowers, and many eminent people
were present, but there Was one damper. A little
1ll-featured, scraWny and insignificant looking |
specimen. with peevish scowl, dogged the prima
donna's steps ana kept by her side constantly. |
He was treated with forced tolerance because he
was Nicolni PATHS husband He has a vile and
and her oWn husband Is living in retirement.
However. Nicolin has the inside track and is toll
efaDly well taken care OF. Actresses lives are
peculiar.
SOCIAL SNCDS
1t is astonishing with what ease a well-man-
nered foreigner gets into good society here-that
Is it would be astonishing II it were not known
that spirit OF snObbshness prevails that extends
a cordial welcome to anything European. But
sometimes the genial stranger turns out to be
frozen adder. This time 1t was not q rascally
Italian count-Or which there are enough, In !
deed-but well-fed, rosy faced, good-feliow |
well met young Englishman from London His
name is James Revell The story Is a short one |
He was an expert bicycle rider and became a !
fay0rte among wheelmen in New York and |
Brooklyn 1t w3S decided that 1t wOul1 be q |
proper thing to join in the gaiety OF the social |
season by giving grand ball-an idea, believe |
original with the EngliShman-and duo |
preparations were made. The foreigner |
was so prominent in the affair that he was made |
treasurer, and the details OF procuring hall and !
entertainment were put in his charge. The two |
wheel spinncrS engaged the company OF their |
sweetheartS and left the rest to him. But when !
they were set down in the rain in front OF where
the ball was to be, dressed In claw-hammer coats
(and the young ladies wearing elegant costumes |
made for the OccasiOn>, they found the windows |
black and the doors locked. The occupants OF
about a hundred carriages made this painful dis
cOvery-the orchestra meanwhile waiting orders |
In neighboring lager beer shop No clue has as
yet been obtained OF the ROSY and fluent Young
LOndoner, or OF the well-stufTed purse that went
L. ftAto, ~,