Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-24
YARNS ABOUT GOTHAM.
HOW A DIVORCED WIFE MADE
HER WAY IN THE WORLD.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2t.--A reliable per
son who personally knew OF what he
talked about, told me a romance In real
lie the other day. Some years ago Con-
necticut girl married a captain in the
Federal army. The union proved an un-
happy one, for the man in the course of
time became such hard drinker that his
wife was obliged to leave him. AS she
had no money she was obliged to work TO
support herself She came to this city
and obtained employment in large mer-
camille house. Presently her efiicien-
cy and diligence procured for her
promotion, and she became the head
ofthe department devoted to women's gar
ments. Finally her employees determined
to establish branch house, or rather
agency in Paris and she was selected to
represent it in the gay capital
On the steamer in which she sailed for
France, was an Englishman reported to
be worth $l3, 100000. Being fellow pas
sengers, they became acquainted, and the
rich Englishman Of leisure fell In love
with the woman of business. Either
during this voyage, or soon after her ar
rival in Paris, he offered himself. Before
this opportunity she had obtained a di-
vOrce from her husband, SO that there
was no legal reason for her refusing the Of
fer, and as she reciprOcated her admirers
affections, she accepted him. The hus-
band, too, conveniently died from the ef-
fects of his eXcesses about this time, so
that there was no moral, as we'll as no le-
gal obstacle to her Te-marrage. Accord
ingly, she gave up the agency in Paris to
which she had been appointed, and re-
turning to this city, ARRANGED her affairs
with her employers. This done, she mar
ried her English lover, and she is now the
mistress OF a fine old house surrounded
by one of the grand parks for which
England is famous. Although her
husband is widOwer and has grown
up children by mis- first wife, she has
proved 80 entirely equal to sustaining the
dignity Of head OF the household that little
or no criticism has interfered with her
new career, and the happiness which was
denied 10 her In her fret marriage she
has found in her second. Her good for
tune has not caused her TO put on airs,
and, when she revisits this country, she
seeks, in place of stunning those who
knew her as working woman, and is as
friendly to her associates when poor as
she was before she left them to rule over
her grand English household.
A BOOK COLLECTOR,
whose library looked over yesterday, told
me many quite interesting "reminiscences
connected with his calling. One day, for
example. he found, split I'm two, a board
which had formed the back OF a looking
glass, in the garret OF relative In Staten
Island. Though the dust which covered
the part he first picked up he deciphered
the name New York" on the printed
paper which covered it. Brushing away
the dust and putting the two pieces Of the
mirrors back together, he discovered that
the paper WIS play bill of one Of the
initial nights Of the first theatre in this
city. The date was. i'll remember rightly,
March 20, 1850, and the play was 0twaY's
Orphan" The play was performed in a
building belonging TO Rip Van Dam, In
Nassau street, between John street and
Maiden lane, which was fitted up for
theatrical representations. In 1853 this
building was torn down TO make room for
a church.
1t did not cost much TO get up theatre
IN those days, but Sl65 was required In
1901 to prepare as a place for dramatic
performances the Chapel Street theatre.
Otway WAS favOrite of our f0refathers.
The Greenwich Street theatre opened in
1877 with "Venice Preserved. The first
real theatre, built solely for theatrical
purposes, was the Park theatre, which
was opened In 179S. 1t was In Park row,
near Ann street. 1t was burned In 1920
and was rebuilt the following year. ital-
ian opera was first sung ia New York in
the rebuilt Park theatre. The Park the
atre was burned for the second time in
1926. and as the old Bowery theatre was
opened this year it was not rebuilt. The
atre alley, which runs from Beekman 10
Ann street, between Park row and Nassau
street, draws attention TO the site of the
Hraf rouI1ap fhnafra pf NaW York
There we're many ''duaint and curious
volumes Of forgotten lore" In the collec-
tors library, but the chief feature OF the
collection was the cheap rates at which
some Of the choicest books had been pur-
chased. Volumes which had sold for dol
lars at the sale preceding the one at which
the collector had purchased them he OBJ
tained for shillings. Archbishop Laud's
autobiography, tor instance, with a con-
tinuatlon by his son, in two enormous
volumes, over 200 years old, which were
considered cheap when sold for 81 80 each,
were got by him at the next sale for SOC.
each.
Speaking Of books: There are number
Of Goths and Vandals among the men,
bers OF the mercantile library. Whatever
topic OF interest Is uppermost In the puD-
llc mind may be discovered from the book
mutilations. When public attention was
country were cut out and stolen from at
lases and books Of travels. As soon az
the boundary dispute between England
and Russia began, similar attacks were
made on maps OF ASIA and Asiatic books
Of travel. Choice engraVings have also
been cut from costly books, and those I'm
which the pictures are necessary 20 Illus
trate the text are cOrrespOndngly ruined.
In order 10 protect what has not
already been stolen, the words "Mer-
camille Library" are printed
over the illustrations and maps, and
sometimes over the pages containing only
text. This protects the illustrations from
the thief. for 10 not only renders discovery
likely, but it renders tho things them
selves valueless. For OF what use is an
engraving with huge letters deiacing It's
very middloY Although a standing re-
ward ni 500 IL offered for the detection Of
"a book mutilatOr, none has been caught
10 my knowledge. Under the present
law book mutilatlon IN punishable ~ a
misdemean0r. 10 ought ~ De felony.
CHESS AT rHE PRODUCE ExcHANGE.
Quiet is ordinarily supposed 70 be- a |
condition, without which 10 la not pOssi- /
BILE % bo very successful ln the game Of
chess. Few players can play their best |
in n crowd Yet chess forms the relaXa-
lion Of the members Of the Produce EK- /
change, and those who have no orders /
pass The hours ln playing chess amid the /
fuffnNII gF UHHlnfaa The chess room II i