Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-24

fortnight. All New Workers, too, who
have money to spare, have been spending
it in Christmas gifts. From morn till
noon, from noon till dewy eve, and late
into the night, the streets and stores have
been crowded with the busy buyers. Until
yesterday, when we were visited by an
Old-fashiOned snow storm, the weather
has been no impediment to shopping ex-
cursIons. Last week was succession of
bright, sunny days, and even yesterdays
storm was hailed by the shopkeepers with
delight, as they think snow a requisite to
a realizing sense of the obligations of
Christmas.
New York is seen at its best during the
holiday season. The stores all keep open
until late in the evening, and streets,
which are ordinarily dark and deserted,
are crowded with life and brilliant with
light. The most attractive articles are
invariably placed in the shop windows,
where enticing spectacles are arranged
to draw within the passer-by. At Macy's,
for instance, miniature caravan, moved
by machinery, passes IN slow procession
along the inside of the windows, and as
the rear disappears behind curtain, the
van reappears and begins the circuit over
again. Dolls of all sizes and complex
ions. arrayed in silk and satin gowns
which Worth might have made, thus
move along in endless circuit on the
backs of camels, elephants and os-
triches, the latter stuffed specimens of
of the real bird, and accordingly life size,
which renders them decidedly out of pro-
portion to the rest of the group. In the
windows of other dry goods stores the
stately figures of wax beauties pose in
gorgeous gowns which Worth did make,
while around them are artistically draped
shimmering silks and satins, like JOseph's
coat, of many eolors. At the cOnfec-
tiOnery stores specimens of sugar archi-
lecture, eXcelling anything made in stone,
rear their fairy forms under the CLEAN of
electric lights, while Christmas cards of
radiant hues brighten the ordinarily
sOmbre windows of the booksellers. The
city seems like one vast fair, and the
crowds which, until yesterday, fairly
filled the sidewalks, rendered it easy to
believe the story of the countryman who
stood "a long hour by Shrewsbury clock
in Broadway" waiting for the procession
to pass.
PERHAPS THE MOST VALUABLE SHOP
WINDOW-FULL
to be seen is at Twenty-ninth street and
Fifth avenue, where diamond necklaces
and other jewels, said to be worth over a
quarter of million of dollars, are spread
out under a blaze of light from 6 p. m.
until half past 10. One necklace alone is
valued at $4,000, and the price of a pair
of earrings, each consisting of a single
huge diamond, is $4,000. There are
a number of colored gems in the col
lection whose hues are reflected in the
more precious stones surrounding them,
while all glitter in the strong light that
beats upon them so as to almost dazzle
the eye. Two armed detectives guard
this costly collection on the outside of the
store, while third is posted behind a cur
tain within the window with a cooked re-
volver, ready to fire at any one who breaks
the glass and attempts to steal the Jewels.
His readiness was illustrated the other
evening, when gilded youth, IN pointing
out some ornament to his companion, ac-
cidentally struck the glass quite a sharp
rap with his cane. Instantly the curtain
was thrown aside, and the young man
found himself looking down the barrel of
a revolver which was leYelled within two
feet OF his head.
In accordance with the English custom,
which has been impOrted-New Workers,
you know, are nothing if not English in
their tastes and habits-on Saturday will
begin the Christmas exodus to the cOun-
try of the people who possess country hab-
itations. Ever since Anglomania became
an epidemic, it has been the fashion for
rich New Workers to pass the holidays at
their country houses. One can under
stand the reason for this emigration in
England, where the town house is tenn
porary habitatiOn and the ancestral
homes are in the country, but
here, where the conditions are
reversed, the importation of the custom
is more than ridiculous. Few rural es-
adjustments are kept up all the year
round, and the country houses of most
people are built only for summer habita-
tion, and cannot he made comfortable by
any amount of preliminary airing and
heating. Why persons thus abandon their
warm and substantial stone houses in
town for their damp and fiimsy wood cot
tages in the country at what is often the
coldest part of the winter is inconceiv-
able. However, there is bright side to
the picture. People who do this carry
with them a houseful of young folks, who
contrive to make Christmas merry in spite
of drawbacks. An Esquimau hut would
be enjoyable if crowded with young men
and maidens full of animal spirits and
bent on having good time.
LEANDER RICHARDSON'S PLAY, ''EX-
PATTON"
now being presented in Brooklyn is fa-
yOrably spoken of by nearly all who have
seen it, but its author is perhaps more an
OIlSlildl budu HIS WOIk. lie Is JQe son Oh
the Richardson who was connected with
the Tribune in Greeley's time and was
shot by MacFarland for leading the latter's
wife astray. Leander went to Denver in the
summer of 1876, and some time in July of
that year set out for the Black Hills, where
gold had but recently been discovered.
Shortly after his departure from Denver
the body of a man, who had been muir
dered and Scalped by the Sioux. was
n n n nm b0 froi ino 70
DeadwoOd. In the pockets of the clothing
were notebook inscribed with the name
Leander Richardson, and, if / remember
rightly, other articles which belonged to
the now successful playwright. OfcOurse
the body was presumed to be that of
Richardson, and the fearful fate which
was supposed to have befallen him was
telegraphed all over the country. l re-
member the thrill which passed through
me on reading in Chicago that the man
whose hand 1 had shaken In Denver
not fortnight before had been murdered
| by savages. / felt as l did when poor
Fred. Loring, my classmate at Harvard,
was killed by Apaches in Arizona in the
autumn of 1871. The Tribune gave
Richardson a two-cOlumn obituary, and
he got all the nOtOriety he could have
hoped for, although several notices were
not OF the most complimentary kind. The
Chicago Times, for instance, printed
something to the effect that journalism
would not become respectable pro-
fession until all newspaper men such as
Richardson had been killed by Indians or
had met with an equally tragic endp'
Richardson in due course of time re-
turned safe and sound to Denver, and his
enemies said that he had, himself, placed
his note book on the body of the man who
was mistaken for him in order to bring
about that mistake, and gain correspond
ing nOtoriety. He, of course, declares this
a calumny, but he never gave a satisfac-
! tory explanation of the presence Of his
| property in the pockets of another fellow,
: A NEW THEATRICAL DEPARTURE,
or rather the revival of an old one familiar
| to the West, is announced. The certif-
cate of incorporation of a company with
a capital of $1,000 which is about to
! build a floating theatre, is announced.
| The theatrical boat is to cost $3.50, 600, and
will be called the Gladiator. 1t will be a
catamaran, 276 feet long and 66 feet wide.
The seating capacity of the auditorium
VIII be 1,500, and there will be stateroom
| accommodation for the 100 persons who
! form the company. The Gladiator will
| visit Newport. Fall River, ALBANY and
other coast side and river side towns in
| this region in the summer season and give
entertainments at their docks. In the
autumn she will move South.
] There are several new plays to be seen
in addition to Richardson's this week. but
not one of any great merit. The critics
are divided in regard to Justice Barrett's
drama OF cOntempOraneOus human inter-
est, entitled San American Wife" which
was presented at Wallack's on Tuesday
evening. but the general opinion is that