Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-03-21
For the Republican.
GOTHAM GOSSIP.
NEW YORK, March lost, 1853.


DR.. Dixs Lenten lectures about women
have created decided sensation, but his
address of last Friday evening on divorce
iairly capped the climax. Divorces are
really increasing at au alarming rate. anu
the question arises under what circum
stances do people really marry nowa
days when SO many couples find that
they have made mistakes. Ii marriage is
only civil contract liable to be dissolved
whenever the parties to it desire, how will
their children eventually he able to reg
ognize their own parents. We will have
to get to the ideal of the rabid soclallst
and communis swho maintain chat tne
State shodld take care OF all children
But the return to the increase Ofdivorce
[ called at the Office Oi n an in 10 du y
not lar from st. Paul's Church the ther
day. Il have to go out for halfan hour,
please wait. If you wish to amuse your
self sit down at The window aud watch
the building on the other side Of the way.
Tell me what you notice" He returned
in about twenty minutes, ''Di4 you notice
anything?" he asked. "Nothina,' /
answered. He stepl ed over to the win
dow. "What is that going into lhal
nuildng?" "A handsomely dressed lady,
and as far as | can make out good look
ing" was my reply. "And is thai he
first one you nnticed entering th re
"No, did not keep count, but there
must have been lnzen before ner.'
chats it, be exclaimed" There are
four or five divorce lawl ers in that e.
taDlishmeut-misery loves company you
know--and there is a regular stream oi
women, la lies | suppose | ought to call
them, going in and out of that building
from ten to four O'Clock every day. Ii
you value your peace of mind, my friend,
never get married. Here is a fact which
DR.. Dix might have intro uced very nice
ly in his sermon.
Easter cards and Easter flowers are
what interest everybody now The lash
ion has been set that churches on Christ
mas and Easter must be decorated superb
ly with cut flowers, and every church 10
matter how poor it mav be spends from
hundreds to thousands on them These
decorations will be very extensive this
year, as the prolonged cold weather makes
the price OF flowers come verv high.
Violet and other spring flowers have sci
dom been so expensive as they are now,
and assregards fine and rare roses they
are worth from twenty-five cents to a
dollar piece. AS regards Easter cards
the sta,ioners have given US number Of
new and tasteful designs and the styles
of execution are in many cases marvel
lously beautiful Christmas and Easter
cards have all but driven valentines out
of fashion, and when one remembers to
what base uses the valentine has fire.
quently come to, one can hardly regret it.
Hand painted cards, little plates Of ivory,
wooden and metal plaques, beautifully
colored with spring flowers and the cross
make handsome presents, and may be
had al prices ranging all the way from
one to fifty and seventy-five dollars.
A determined effort is to be made by
the police to close the opium dens in the
city, which have been increasing at
really alarming rate. Captain Williams
of the Twenty ninth Police Precinct, raid
ed one last week and captured the Chinese
proprietor and one of his guests. This,
however, is only a'forerunner Of what is
10 come. There are about eighty well
kaown AMI regularly patrOnized dens in
operation and they are thronged nightly
and to great extent daily too. Most
of them are situated far down town in the
regions along the river front. They are
most extensively patronized by aband-
oned men and women of the lower walks
OF life, but persons of both sexes from the
best classes frequent them as well, be-
cause they believe that there they are
freer from discovery than in more select
places up town. The other evening as [
came home from Brooklyn met a well
known detective who took me to an opium
den in side street leading off from Chath-
am Street The place consisting of two
small rooms was packed A divan ran
along the walls, and for every two smok
ers there was peculiar little kerosene
lamp, with chimney shaped like an
inverted cup, with small hole on top.
At this the smokers lighted the opium
before they placed it on the pans of their
pipes which from a distance looked like
ivory mounted clarionets.