The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-03
Written for THE ARKANsAw TRAVELLER.
 NEW YORK LETTER.
BY ALEX. E. SWEET.
To 6e Continued l


 were shedding bitter tears aud swallowing great chunks of woe over the sarcophagus of one of the greatest generals of modern times. The fact that the Grant obsequies put several million dollars into the pockets of the New Workers only boomed up their sense of bereavement. They sighed to think that Grant could only have one funeral. They made money while the sun shone, and wiped their streaming eyes.
 While we were still pressing our hand kerchiefs to our grief swollen eyelids and quivering chins, we were called on to shudder at the killing of prominent sawdust dealer while professionally en. gagged in shearing kid from Texas, who was wild and woolly and hard to curry. A solemn realization of the insecurity ot human life came over the entire com munity. The crooks, in particular, began to comprehend that in the midst of life they were in danger. The Wall street brokers looked at each other with blanched cheeks and asked in bated breaths: "Who of us is safe2" For a week after the taking off of Tom Davis business was dull on Wall street. The boldest spectators hesitated about rob- ping stranger until they had positive assurance that he was not from Texas. At some of the lea ding hotels newly ar- rived guests from all parts of the country took a mean advantage of the prevailing uncertainty to register in bold, cow.b boy hand, '" from Texas" Their bills, which were moderate, were not presented with hauteur peculiar to the average hotel clerk.
 But we did not remain cowed very long. We have gone out of the shuddering business, and now we are all clapping our wings and growing over the discom- hture of the British lion in the yacht race. We yacht not to do it, but we do it.
 N. B. Everybody in New York has got off that pun, and l yacht to keep with the procession.
 Nobody is more grati6ed at the suc- cess of the Puritan" than the New York doctor. He is doing a rushing business. You see the people peeled the lining off their throats cheering the Boston sloop, and now they have to have new linings put in.
 To tell the truth don't care a cent for races of any kind. It never occurs to me to go out to the race and get jammed half to death on the grand stand, and per- haps bet on the wrong horse, as did at the only race ever attended. know already that one horse can run faster than another, and that one yacht can outsail another. Now, if knew where there were two horses that could not get ahead of each other, that always went under the line at precisely the same second might have some curiosity to see the wonder full animals. Long before the race be- tween the Puritan and the " Genesta " more than suspected that one of them was little faster than the other, and it turned out just as supposed. If they sail over the same course forty times they will never come in precisely at the same second. As the "Puritan" was the best sailer what was to hinder her from coming in first? If the Genesta had been the best sailer would not she have come in first, eh? As the fellow said when he saw the water pouring over Niagara falls" what's to hinder?"
 The rest of the people of New York seemed to take as lively an interest in the | race as if they owned the yachts. For a week I've heard of nothing except bow spirits, cutters, jib-booms, and other nau. tical phrases, the only one of which l understood was "splicing the main brace" That is what yachts are for. | Any kind of scow that has liquors and | cigars on board is a yacht.
 The great point in dispute, as far as I | can understand, is which style of boa. is the faster. The English cutter goes down deep into the water, and having a | lead keel to prevent her from being cap- sized. The American style of yacht does not plough through the water, but skins | over, having a center-board, which is let | down when the craft turns the corner. This is momentous question, compared with | which all others, even the one about the | identity of the man who struck Wm. Pat terson, sink into insigni6cance. It is now settled that this skimming dish with the | center-board goes one minute faster.
 am glad it is over. am weary of sec ing people hitch up their pants and hum |
 "A life on the ocean wave"
 By the way, never hear that tune that l do not think of parody on it that |