The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-04-05
GOTHAM GOSSIP.

Mrs Vander6ilts' Fancy Dress
BaU.-A Sarcastic Reply.-SeU
ing Churches.-A Peculiar State
of 1fairs.-The HaUerstick
Shooting.-Who his Council is.
New YORK, March 81, 1883.
Now that the anniversary of Wash
ington Irving's birth is close at hand
April Sd, Tammany Hall ought to
take some official action on the occa
sion. 1t may not be generally known,
but it is none the less a fact that
Tammany once offered Irving the
Democratic nomination for Mayor Of
New York. The historian declined
it as it was not compatible with his
professional arrangements. A cele-
bration such as suggested would be
an interesting feature of the day, and
would go far to dispel this insane
nonsense that the Republican party
has and has had a monopoly of the
brains of the country.
The most interesting political
event at present is the gallant effort
Elk Governor Sprague is making in
Rhode Island to lead the Democratic
party to triumph. He is strongly
backed by the moral support of Gov
ernor Butler, and other leading Dem
o%cratic statesmen, but the game con-
test which he has started on against
the odds that oppose him is winning
him many votes. Rhode Island is
Republican by the odds of almost
two to one. The Republicans at first
felt so confident of success that they
made no effort. During the past few
days however they are getting down
to work. A prominent Rhode Island
Republican whom I met at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel the other day told me
it would not surprise him in the least
to see Sprague win. The formation
of a so called Stalwart Democratic
ticket to withdraw strength from
Sprague, shows that they have set
tied down to business.
Everybody is tired to-day, that is
to say everybody who is anybody,
for Mrs. w. H. Vanderbilt's fancy
dress ball last evening made a heavy
demand OF the energy and spright-
illness of her guests. The array of
costumes was bewilderingly beauti-
full and costly. Their money must
be rated at over q million, the deco
rations were wonderfully beautiful
and the tout ensemble of the festivity
together made up a picture gorgeous
enough to be worthy the skill and
lavishness of a Monte Christie. Prom
inent among the many ta~stefully cos
tuned men was Mr.. William Henry
Hurlhett of the World, who looked
as if he had just stepped down from
an old Venetian picture. Among
the characters represented was a
Madame Favart, an Orpheus and
an Eruydice, a Bacchus, an array
of Highlanders, two or TIL ee Bedo.
uins, half a dozen Hamlets, a
sprinkling of Orphelias, besides the
conventional Harlequins, Column
bines, Jockeys, and Dominoes. /.
Those who were not there may
perhaps find plenty of material fol
self generalization TO day by learn.
ing all that occurred without being
obliged to endure the horrors of "the
day after" Mrs. Vanderbilt of course
made thousands of enemies by hel
ball, simply because she did not have
room enough in her house. The in
vitations were issued to nearly G
thousand persons. Then the Other
nine thousand of the upper crust
schemed to get in. OF course they
were politely refused and therefore
they mean to get even. One lady
who was refused a card, wrote back
TO Mrs. Vanderbilt that she really
cared nothing about the ball, blu
she would have liked to have viewed
the scene and the house. 81 am very
fond of looking at c%uriosities," sale
she 'and / go everywhere to see
them, so 1 thought l might as wei
look at your place as I have not We
had a chance of seeing it." HOY
nicely sarcastic, and yet how woman
ly! There are things evidently
which you cannot get even if you ar
worth seventy millions, and among
them is respect.
The solemnities over the remain!
of John Howard Payne, the autho
of "Home, Sweet Home" were more
or less a failure. The cultivated
gentlemen who compose u Boart
of Aldermen determined to clay
themselves out on this OCCASION" anC
to impress their constituents will
their appreciation of the charms o
literature. Thus committees wer,
appointed and a grand display wa!
decided upon. Ex-Alderman Slevi1
who is an under taker got the work
and Slevin with a true eye and in
stinct for the main chance, which i!
his W pocket made the pagent a.
long as he could though the less sale
about its quality the better. Th,
remains were placed in the Cover
nor's Room in the City Hall, bu'
! somehow the expected crowds t.
look at an American flag in which
there was sorething which looked
very much like a box did not come
The people who called were with tn
exception of a few people of poetica
tastes, mostly politicians of the con
,entional stripe. There Was a rela
tive of the poet there, but he was o
no account in the presence of the
political magnates who have risen tc
local fame through the kindly aid o
whisky barrels. He was pushed te
one side and stood as if he. had no
a friend in the world. On the after
noon on which the remains were re
: moved to the Pennsylvania Railroad
Depot, I I'm told a supply of whisky
! was laid in to strengthen the distin
: guished political mourners, blu
somebody made away with it, tina
is to say stole it. Thereat there wa
some very vigorous laDouapa. Next