The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-04
New York Letter.
Stores i'm Holiday Attire-An Evening at
she Metropolitan Opera. Housc-Frank
Cursis's Theatre-Sardou's "FedOra',
and ssExcelsior''-The Hotel Dam.
NEW YORK. Dec.


NEW YORK, Dec I'd, 1883.
To the Editor Of the Press:
In these days, when the telegraph takes
the place of the mail and places
kaleidoscope picture of all that goes
on in a great metropolis like New
York before the millions of people in
the country at large, every morning, 1t seems
as If whatever one may write must seem
stale and Improbable. This is especially
the fact since the associated press, of late,
has taken upon itself to give reports of con-
certs and theatricals on both sides of the
water. But New York at this season is so
bright and busting, anticipatory of the holt
days, that I will venture few lines with
the hope that they not prove dull and unin-
teresting.
THE STORES.
First, the stores. l wish every Portland
child could step with me to the corner of
Fourteenth street and Sixth Avenue and see
the crowds congregated around Macy's enor-
nous plate-glass show windows. which oc-
cupy space on the two streets about as
large as the front and Casco street side of
Brown Block. Here from early morning
until late at night, by sunlight and electric
light, moves on in endless procession grand
children's circus. Huge elephants, their
howdahs filed with elegantly dressad, bright
faced dolls as large as children of five and
six years OF age; camels, gaily caparisoned;
ostriches with Bedouin riders; beautiful
horses, superbly grOomed, mounted by lay
figures attired in the richest costumes, and
most attractive in face and form; all kinds
of odd vehicles, loaded with exceedingly re-
alistic children, blonde and brunette, laugh
ing wInsome faces; and all these figures and
animals, bear in mind. of life-size, steadily
marching day after day before constantly
changing audience. Inside the store there
is everything in the way of playthings that
human ingenuity can devise, and at very
moderate prices. There was time-no. SO
long ago-when it cost the stranger pretty
penny to visit one of these magazines, but
competition has become so sharp that many
articles appear remarkably cheap. In John
son Brothers, on Broadway, very large
store, full of novelties, prices were marked
down ten per cent. below Macy's. All kinds
of things in beautiful hammered brass COW
cred their counters, stretching from Broad
way to Fifth Avenue. The Palais ROYAL
showed exquisite taste in it's decorations;
flowers, smilax, and silk of every concelva-
BILE hue were festooned about windows and
above counters In most artistic and at
tractive manner. Hammered silver and
gold ornaments seemed to be among the
holiday specialties in greatest demand
can do wonderfully well, provided he can
only make up his mind what to buy amid
this embarrassment of riches" Tiffany's
is thronged, and the new designs in jewelry
meet with rapid sale. The ladies' pins
and earrings are among the favorites for
gifts. They are in flower patterns Of daisies,
pansies, primroses and violets, with di a.
mond dewdrop, either resting on petal or
nesting in the centre Of the flower; then
there are fruit designs of a cluster of pome-
granates bursting and showing their seeds,
a tiny Dough of peaches or apples, or a shep-
AClQ ClOOh Will otdl VI bu0 ldt-
ter called the Star of Bethlehem pin. But a
newspaper letter has not the space for
more detailed account of the pretty things
to be found in these great bazaars. 1t is
enough to know that everything is now fresh
and that the sojourner can exhaust the Deep
est purse in few brief hours.
THE THEATRES.
New York managers, as rule, are very
courteous to the journalists of other cities.
and to them must express my acknowl-
edgements for a series of delightful even
ings. Last sunday night our party attend
ed the new Metropolitan Opera House Our
first seats were in the balcony, and we nat
urally imagined that part of the house was
very desirable. We commenced climbing,
and finally, when we thought we had ascen-
ded about as many steps as Bunker Hill
monument possesses, the courteous usher,
in his blue dress coat and brass buttons,
showed Us into row of seats under another
gallery, from whence we looked down to
catch glimpse of one end of the stage, and
part of the orchestra, the people looking
almost as small as ants. For these seats
they only charge $3.50 apiece for concert,
and So for an opera. On the tier below, or
dress circle, the price is So for opera, and
the tiers below that are occupied by the box
es at 500 and $40 each. An orchestra stall
costs S.. AS you can well imagine we got
out of the celestial position in which we
found ourselves as quickly as possible, to be
placed in box close by the stage where we
could see and hear to perfection The ar
lists were Sembrich, Fursch-Madi, Trebelli,
Signors Campanini and Mrabella, assisted
by the grand rchestra and military band of
10 pieces The effect of the house is chill
ling. The prevailing tone of color is cream,
without anything to brighten it. The size
of the house is not fully realized until you
walk from one stage side of the box lobby
to the other Then you take it all in
and understand that you are in the lar
gest opera house in the world. There
is one satisfaction about it; there
Is NO fear of fire, for the build
ing is areproof The singing, especial
" that Of Nine. Sembrich was fine. Nine.