Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-30
LIFE IN THE METROPOLIS.

distinguished guests at social gatherings
the past season, have no words with
which to sufficiently express their disap-
pointment at the American climate as ex-
emplified by Gotham weather. They ex-
pected to find almost perpetual sunshine
and have found almost perpetual rain.
They complaIn-to paraphrase IN English
a Latin line-that they have not even
changed their sky by crossing the sea,
and that London fog and the continual
rain of old England have followed them
to what Sir Charles Dixie calls THE
Greater Britain" And they have reason.
as the French say. The memory of man
runneth not to the time when such a
rainy winter was known in New York
For once the oldest inhabitant cannot
find a parallel within his experience. 1t
rained, or was foggy or cloudy, or both,
twenty days out of the tWenty-nine of
February, and this month has not been
much pleasanter. One can almost count
on the fingers on one hand the really
pleasant days we have had thus far. A
sunny day is invariably followed by two
or more that are rainy, and if it does not
rain it is cloudy.
Clergymen should avoid the very APP
pearance of evil. You may imagine my
horror the other day when, just as l was
about to speak to an Episcopal clergy
man, whose name those of your readers
belonging to that denomination would
doubtless recognize, were to tell it, he
suddenly entered low saloon in Blocker
street of the class popularity known as
''dives." Now l have not the slightest
doubt but that he went there on profess
sional errand and for some good purpose.
Even young DIR. Tyng, better known as
''Steevie," whom a wicked wag has styled
"the fastest clergyman in the Episcopal
Church." would not enter such a place rs
l have named in full uniform, i. e., wear-
ing the ministerial white cravat and high
cut clerical coat, and in broad daylight,
excepting in a clerical capacity. 1t is
not the sort of place person having re-
gard for their health would go to take a
little wine or liquor for the stOmach's
sake, and at the time of day my ministe-
rial friend made his visit, it was too early
for the disreputable female frequenters to
be about. Consequently it is much more
likely that he was playing the part of the
Good Samaritan than that Of the prodigal
son.
Nevertheless, when / saw DR.. IS
short, fat figure disappear in the dive, [
felt, in spite of all these considerations,
even more shocked than 1 did in Denver,
about nine years ago, when my Mortified
eyes beheld Canon Kingsley drinking
brandy and water at a bar surrounded
by crowd more or less composed of gam
blers, cowboys and ''greasers.' Appear
ances, however, were deceitful in this
case, as they often are. The Canon was
then rapidly succumbing to the disease
from which he soon after died. Stimu-
lants had been prescribed by his physi-
clan, and, in place of sneaking back to
the dinner table, which he had lust
quilted, and drinking his brandy
and water in comparative secrecy,
the Canon, like the bold BritOn that he
was, conscious that his character ought
to be like CAESARS wife-above suspicion
took his prescription in the public bar
room Of CharpiOt's Hotel, the landlord of
which styled himself ''the Delmonico of
the West" Miss Kingsley, while wait
ing in the street outside, gazed compla-
Gently on her father as he disposed of his
dram, and then the pair went to the hall
where the Canon was to deliver hrs IA
nous lecture on Westminster Abbey.
l heard the lecture on that occasion
and can testify to the fact that the speak
er betrayed no effects from his potatiOn.
l still think, however, that he should have
been more careful of appearances. al
though honor the motive which forbade
him not to do that in secret which he was
afraid to do in public.
CLERGYMEN, INDEED, ARE TOO OFTEN
LACKING
in moral courage which should especially
belong to them. l know of a clergyman,
also an EpiscOpalian, who was once call
ed to a disreputable house to perform
some professional duty, either to baptize
q child, or administer consolation to a
dying sinner. He was seen to leave the
house by some scamp, who visited him
afterwards and threatened that, unless he
TaiH n EaoD. Gi1onf m
abroad what he knew to the clergyman's
apparent discredit. In place, conscious
of rectitude, of defying the blaekmailer to
do his worst, the weak-minded clergy
man paid his demands as often as they
were repeated for several years. He
finally told a brother clergyman of his
troubles, and was, of course, advised to
prosecute his prosecutor. Rather than
risk the publicity which he had so long
stunned, the unfortunate parson actually
gave up tlOurishing parish here and hid
himself IN an obscure country town. He
there found the peace to which he had
long been a stranger, for the blackmailer
failed to follow him.
The Tribune has been obliged TO eat
humble pie in connection with the letter
published in ThUrlow Weeds biography,
purpOrting to be written by Judah 2.
Benjamin, for the authenticity of which
~ ~ obi0htAOuoiy Eutts AlLuJuEA lue
matter Of the letter was intrinsicallv i'm
probable, and to an unprecedented mind it
carried its contradiction on its face, the
Tribune insisted that Mr.. BENJAMIN.
nearly twenty-five years ago, tried to
place the Southern States under the rule
of Great Britain as earnestly as if Mr..
Benjamin were now the Democratic can
didate for the Presidency, and his alleged
effort to create a Southern Canada had
Ia h ~
that the nephew of Sir Edward Archibald
has shown the letter to be-what every
one who was not tool knew it was from
the, start, and which only a knave would
have attempted to disprove-a forgery,
the Tribune acknowledges the corn, but
enthusiastically and cowardly throws
the blame Of the SANDER upon Barnes,
Mr.. Weeds biographer.
How sea sick it would make the shade
of Horace Greeley could it revisit the
scenes of that great editors former la
Dors to see to what a depth of meanness
and hypocrisy the paper founded by him
had descended. For Greeley at least was
brave and honest.
WHEN VULGARIANS
are admitted into the houses of the ''best
people," one is not surprised at the loud
chattering of the occupants of the boxes,
which often renders it impossible to
hear the singing of Mr.. Abbey's company
at the Metropolitan Opera House. The
offenders were publicly rebuked the other
evening by II. A. Root, a Brooklyn
broker, who arose from his seat in the
orchestra and called upon them in scath-
ing language to be silent. Unfortunately
Mr., Root has not a commanding presence,
and, as he wore his morning clothes, not
having taken the trouble to 90 home and
put on evening dress, the rebuke was not
so effective as it would have been had it
come from some one better known.
81 found time to see last week the circus
and the new play at Days Theatre.
Both were disappointing. ''Red Letter
Nights" would be very fiat and unprof-
table but for the acting, and l have seen
better riding under a canvas tent in
country village, with lemonade and pea
nuts, in place of a supper at DelmonicO's
to sustain the inner man, or woman, than
can be witnessed at the greatest shown
on earth. However, my childish memo
ries may mislead me, and l may be hyper
critical. Everybody else says that the
play and the show are well worth seeing.
ID