Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-27
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
WHAT GOTHAM TALKS ABOUT.

NEW 1ORE, Oec' 20, iooo'
Every one Of the three hundred and
fifty men employed on the World ate
turkey yesterday at the expense Of Con-
gresham Joseph Pulitzer, and most OF |
them enjoyed post-prandial cigar at
the expense of Colonel John A. Cock
Grill, managing editor Of the World.
The turkey was by no means the limit
of "Uncle Joe's" generosity, for to
his chiefs of departments ne
made presents in money of
from $3.50 down to 800, and to
others two weeks salary was given.
This is an entirely new departure in
New York journalism, but is nothing
novel for the congressman from the
Ninth, who pursued the same course in
St. Louis when he personally conducted
the Post-Dispatch, an afternoon paper,
which is as great marvel Of success in
the West as the World is in the Fast.
1t is to this appreciation Of other
mems merits that he is to some extent
indebted for his position to-day. When
he divided up the stock of the Post
Dispatch in right tidy sums among the
men who made the paper he laid the
foundation for an esprit du corps that
was eyerlastingly evolving new ideas and
never permitting a halt When the
master mind came East to national
field there was no relaxation Of energy
and vigilance dividends were in-
creased, and the men left in charge eat
the turkey of reward and swell their
bank accounts with Christmas remem-
brances. Nor have the poor Of his dis
trict been neglected but this branch
the congressman has been compelled to
turn over to his wife, who, aided by a
member Of the World staff thoroughly
acquainted with the field, has been for
nearly two months searching out cases
worthy of relief. This is a private
charity, the details of which he does
not allow to become public; but thou
sands Of people to-day have him to
thank for warm clothing and good din
ners.
\ SCANDALOUS CHRONICLE.
have Just finished reading the manu-
script of a novel written by lady
not long ago well known in Gotham
society, but who has been living in re-
tirement for several years in hand
some castellated home on the Hudson.
1t is a story of real life as she saw it
about twelve years ago, and, even with
out the knowledge Of the key to the
characters, is as absorbing as one of
Xola's works. 1t was submitted to
my judgment, after two publishing
houses had rejected it, by the managers
of one of our brightest society jour
nails, who proposed to use it as serial,
but were daunted by the hat-footed |
criticisms Of the publishers readers.
1t is cleverly written, and so pain
fully minute that one can easily |
fix the date Of the action by the descrlp- !
tons Of localities or of costumes. It's |
- ScandalOus Chronicle" and is told |
as boldly as a newspaper sensation.
Although the plot is somewhat COM
pick the story reads as though the
principal sections had been scisSOred |
from some daily and cemented together |
under an Outlandlsh title by curious |
little feminine disquisitionS on morality |
and human nature. The authoresS de-
picts facts evidently as she saw them,
in blacks and whites. She plainly
lacks descriptive ability, but her gram
mar is correct, and she is capable of |
sentences at once as long and clearer
than any Mr.. Evarts ever reeled of.
As its acceptance would carry with it
the right to a severe reylsion-which |
the authoress agrees tot is likely to |
see the light, and if it should there will
be great lutter among the lame and
reformed ducks whose identity could
not long remain matter of doubt.
GOODBYE. COLONEL, :. s.
Colonel Mapleson and his Italian
opera tlickered out Wednesday night.
when he had his annual benefit and flu
tilely tried to saveit from being an actual
loss to him by producing "Manon,'
a new work by Massenet. the author of
1.-The Cid" just performed with success
in Paris. Cnder ordinary circumstances
a new work by a rising author like
MasSenet would attract large house,
but the doughty Colonel has so often
broken faith with his patrons that they
no longer believe him capable of giving
anything new. So they stayed away
by large majority. and did not lose
much thereby, as the music is fiat and
spiritless and the libretto idiotic and
erratic.
is SHE HEIRESS TO MILLIONS:
There died at 0swego two weeks ago
a woman, evidently of wealth and re-
finement, who had taken up her abode
there in May last. Her income came
to her through an Oswego lawyer, and
was ample for the maintenance of her
fine house, little daughter, and a SIN
gularly large collection of horses and
dogs. To the few acquaintance she
made she said she was the wife of son
Of a prominent New York merchant,
and was in the city merely for the
summer. When death overlook her
word was sent to the man she claimed
as husband, but no answer was re.
ceived. The next day mysterious
stranger put in an appearance, caused
the body to be embalmed, and took it
away to New York. The child, girl
of four years, was taken in charge by
a reputable citizen, who became very
much attached to it. Two weeks after
the mothers burial a well-known Off
cial from one of the charitable societies
appeared in Oswego and demanded pos
session ofthe child, was refused, and the
official returned to New York, where he
obtained an order from a Supreme
Court judge commanding that the little
one be taken to this city. When the
guardian saw this paper he determined
to yield, but while he and his counsel
were negotiating the surrender the child
disappeared, and the official was again
compelled to return to New York with
out accomplishing his GRAND. Not a
word was said about the paternity of
the child during these proceedings. Now
it appears that the mother on her death