Morris tribune., 1883-01-13
Our New York Letter.

NeW Years calls an Institution Of the
tre Parties for the youngsters -
.SulnH .Horsr's Passion P0y.-A
society Baitc'S Singular Lore Letter
-ChedpHeSs Of Diamonds. fits
Of the Cdndy TRADE.
New York, January I'd, 1883.
The good old Gotham custom for
gentlemn to make New Years Calls
on their lady friends seems to be dying
out, anI SION it will be on par with
that u: ladies using the second of Janu-
AIRY rs 4 visiting day, which is nov ..
renin;5r"ncc OF the past. Wher
hundreds once filled the streets benz
on maki'iG their rounds from house t.
house to present TO their friends the
compliments Of the season, and t,
take il glass of wine at each place, ten
were scarcely to be seen. In upper
tendon the custom has in fact entirely
disappeared, although many ladie
would like to receive were they noI
afraid that gentlemen would not come.
There the New Years dinner has ta-
ken the place of the former custom.
The lady Orthe master of hOsue invites
such people as are wanted and arounu
the festive board the disappointment
or successes Of the old year, the hope,
or fears for the new year are discussed.
Among batchelors the unwritten law
Of swelldom require that eiEhsEa party
club together pE sQItte generous am
F.. phitgNGn pE0Vide Il dinner at one Ofthe
! hotels,
! \ growing fashion now is to organ-
/ lze theatre parties. At present Wal
lacks Is the favorite establishment,
and the box office books show rows q
seats or boxes engaged for week
| ahead. Yesterday Il large party of
Philadelphians came on in a special
train from the city of Rwtherly Love.
! They filled four boxes and after the
performance enjoyed Il capital Dime
at Delmonico's ordered beforehand
This evening Mr.. Gebhard, (Mrs
Langtry's friend), Mr.. Washington
and Mr.. Phelps, give theatre parties al
the same house. Tomorrow even
ing, Mr.: Lester Wallaek viii appea
forthe first tlme this season on the
sion will be duly solemniaed by "Oul |
Society,"" Mr.. George Gould, Mr. |
VIM, L; Travors, MIR. Follows, Mr. |
Lastor WalIack, Mrs. Theodore Mos,
and Miss Whitaker, will give "bo> |
Interesting theatre party however was !
given by Mrs. &. \. LeM"th of Fittl |
Avenue, last Saturday afternoon to
large number of children An entir,
little regiment was conveyed to the
matinee at Wallaek'2 Ia carriages.
After the nehformaGce they were taken |
to her hOl, Sc where the lady gave them
grand ball and a supper which lasted |
until nine o'clock,
Publicity In the newspapers seems
50 have its dangers for young society
ladies. The other evening | called on
one Of the most charming members OF |
a coterie famous for their beauty, tast'
and dash. In the course of the con-
yersation the lady with the remarl
II knew / wanted to show you some
thing" produced a letter from hel
pocket. 'Read it, please" she said,
"and tel nue. what yau think OF it,
~ was love letter, dated Lancaster,
Pa. Tee writer began with apologies
for what might he construed as "for-
wardness," Then, although he said
he was an entire stranger to her, he
offered her his hand in matrimony.
He said he knew of her beauty, he,
talent and accomplishments, as we'll
as her wealth. He believed he woul.
make her good husband. He wa
hot yet forty, had travelled extensively.
could speak foIr Ap Ave languages, had
a little money Of his own, was not
cluhman, never drank or smoked, DOS
sessed quiet and rafined tastes, was
ready to join any church she desired
and altogether thought he would dc
better t,lan almost anybody among the
lady's immediate circle of acGuail,-
tances.
~'Do you know the man." asked
Not Ia the least. In fact I believe
Judging by certain passages in his let
ter that he has never seen me but has
learned all that he knows of me from
the papers. should not be surprised
if the fellow had sent similar letters t,
other girls. What should do? Civ
the letter to papa and ask him to show
it to the police?'
'On the country, don't say wor.
about it. If he writes again, you have
brother and plenty of male friends,
who pride themselves on their muscle,
give any af them an opportunity anG
he will be glad of a chance to sho,
what he can do in the way ot ''correc-
ton"
Although Mayor Grace refused to
grant Mr.. Salmi Morse license to
produce his Passion Play in the hall, or
the temple as he calls it which he has
built, this idefatigable crank does not
propose to give up his idea. 1t seems
to me that if the papers and the GER
tain class of religious fanatics whose
aim in life seems to be run in very
small arenas and pose as wild bills in
pursuit of shreds of red cloth would
let him alone, Mr. Morse and his "Pas-
sion Playn would have been forgotten
by this time. No one really cares to
witness performance, or as Mr..
Morse calls it a religious ceremony,
like this, and if let alone Mr.. Morse
would have furnished another proof of
the old adage that a fool and his money
are soon parted.
Anybody in search of diamond.
ought to get them now. Not for I,
long time has the trade in precious
stones been SO dull as at present.
Times were when during the holida, |
season importers and jewellers could |
sell at premium of fifteen or twenty
per cent, over the regular price. This |
year they were grad to sell at q dis
count amounting to the same figures.
People in the trade generally are not
willing to admit this, but it is so none
the less. A jeweler told me that
stone which was fully worth $50, had
been sold for sos, and others in proper
tion. Prices for exceptionally large or
brilliant specimens of course remain
unchanged, but as these do not COM