Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-16
LIFE IN NEW YORK.


csupttstsi Dcprssssss-A spst with Nsn'
sen~A rsauksrd's fanssnment Actors
Nsves rnsssucs. Etc.
tCorrespndenee ofthe Richmond pisiatch-i
NEW York, August Is, 1885.
The wisest men confess thor inability
10 discover "a silver lining 20 the
cloud " that overshadows the business
community aud threatens disaster.
Down in Wall street brokers are stand
ing around with their hands idly watt
ing for customers who do not come,
or are specializing on each other
10 secure the picsyune profits that
will pay days expenses. The banks
are flush with money and eager to
loan II for I cent per apnum, but there
ave no borrowers. Railroads and
steamships are fighting for travel. rents
have come down 70 keep pace With re-
duced incomes, and even the favored
class who scizzor coupons are bowling
10 :. the wind that tcmpers the shorn
lamb The newspapers are full Of
the "wants" Of the unemployed,
and shop keepers are literally giving
away their goods. You can buy pawn
tickets that represent the saddest Of life
histories for a mere gong, and the
streets abound in tramps, whose only
bedroom is the park or open doorwaJ.
Nevertheless, there is brighter side
10 the picture. Material being cheap
and labor abundant, many local i'm
provements are in progress new streets
are being cut in the upper part Of the
city; the Masterpieces are filling up
the elevated railroads have given IN
impetus to speculation in real estate.
and the men who used to drop their
money in Wall street are now invest
ing in eight and ten-story apartment
houses.
GRANT AND LEES PAROLE.
The journals continue TO publish in
teresting "reminiscences Of the life Of
General Grant, but here is an incident
which l believe never has been in print.
1t will be remembered that at the time
Of the Confederate surrender the Off
GERS and men were placed under pa
role of honor, and also generously con-
ceded the use Of their side-arms and
horses. The General was a great lover
Of billiards and remarkably fine play
err. Shortly after the war, while at the
National Hotel one day. engaged in the
game with his chief Of staff, General
Rawlins, major in the regular army
entered and, quickly advancing to Grant,
whispered message in his ear. "All
right" was the simple rejoinder,
overheard by the two gentlemen at
n neighboring table, one of whom is my
informant, IN 60 at once" Laying
down his cue, he said : " Rawlins,
please wait until my return; Pm going
TO the War Department" Accompa-
MED by the officer referred to, the Gen.
eral in moment afterwards was riding
rapidly up Pennsylvania avenue. On
arriving at the Department, he went
straight to the Office of Secretary Stan
ton, and brushing brusquely by the
porter in attendance, opened the door.
Two or three persons were present, but
not needing them, he advanced directly
TO the desk at which Stanton was sit
ting, and said, mir. Secretary, IN
derstaDd that YOU are about TO issue
orders for the arrest of Generals Lee,
Johnston, and other officers of the late
Confederate army is that so, sir ?"
" Yes, sir; | am preparing those or
ders now, and shall send them out at
once"
"You will do nothing Of the kind,
Mr.. Stanton. When those officers sur
rendered it was under parole, aud so
far as know it has been religiously |
observed, and they must not be dis
turbed." Grant looked the Secretary
squarely in the eye, and his lips were
fixed as if he meant every word. STAN
ton seemed thunderstruck at the auda-
city Of the man who stood before him so
imperturbably, and, with the color ris-
ing in his face, snapped out "Do you
know who you are talking to, sir? |
am the Secretary Of War, and my or
ders are to be obeyed." "And |,
sir" replied Grant, with an emphasis
not to be misunderstood, "am the Gene
raj ofthe Army, and that order shall not |
be obeyed while / am in command"
Then, turning on his heel, he left the
room. 1t is unnecessary to add that
Stanton took no further steps in the
matter and was content to let it drop.
lie probably remembered what Senator
Wigfall once said to Jefferson Davis
when there was some talk Of suspend
ing Beauregard Don't touch him,
sir; when the women Of the country
name their babies and the men their
race-horses and steamboats, after a
popular general, let him alone; its
dangerous to NEEDLE with him." What
may have been the result if Stanton
had persisted in his mad design can
only be conjectured, but il is safe to
say that single word to the army
from its idol would have rendered the
position of the famous War Secretary
extremely precarious, and he doubtless
knew it.
A TERRIBLE LESSON.
recently heard another incident that
may prove a lesson TO somebody. A
well-to-do citizen of New York, who is
hard-drinking man, had sweet little
daughter, to whom, when sober, he was
devotedly attached, but when drunk he
was inclined to be ugly. In the latter
condition he was frequently in the habit
Of calling her to him for kiss. If she
hesitated the maudlin beast would rap
her on the head with his cane, knuckles,
OF whatever came handy. The result was
that after awhile his mere approach
served TO throw the little one almost
into convulsions in anticipation Of the
blows she expected to receive. All this
appeared TO please the brute while he
played upon her fears, and the shyer she
grew the severer became the punish
ment that followed the enforced caress.
Finally she Was taken i'll, and the ply
sieian who was summoned pronounced
Il case Of brain-fever. On examining
her head he found 1t full Of knots and
bruises. ltwss unnecessary to make 9
further diagnosis, and the father wa
informed that his child must die. Tn,
intelligence sobered him. and he in
sisted on being present at her bed
side continuously. just before The