Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-26

remarkably glad to be able to use the
dizziness acquired by much painful prse-
tice in former days, and that Tipping
mosquitoes is no new art you have 70
learn.
A MASONIC AFFAIR.
On Saturday night there was kerr
mess held at the Casino by the Free
Masons in aid Of their various benevo-
lent institutions. There were the
amusements usual at such an enter
tainment, the only novelty being a
blind beggar Of the most heartrending
type, who had managed to get in with
out detection and refused to be turned
out. An appeal was made to the pre-
sident. who, after having hurled dire
threats at the poor creature TO no pur-
pose. collected as many Of the other
officials as he could find to de-
liberate on what was to be done
with this miserable object, who
was quite out of place in a
fashionable assembly. One of them
suggested that as he seemed to be re-
ceiving something from everybody 1T
would be well to 60 halves in the re-
ceipts. The rest agreed to this as a
suitable solution of the difficulty, espe-
cially as it was seen the beggar would
have to be elected by main force, and
such proceeding would be sure to cause
an unpleasant disturbance and evoke
sympathy from the gay but not heart
less visitors. 1t was not till settling-up
time came that it was discovered the
supposed blind man was the comedian
Tiste, who has been acting here this
winter and is great fayorite with the
theatre-going public, and who succeeded
in taking every one in.
ALAND OF FLOWERS.
This is land of flowers, and bouquets
Of what would be the rarest and choicest
kinds in less-favored climate are made
up on the hugest scale, and must aston
ish even the New York bellies over here,
who are accustomed 10 such enormous
ones at home. The drives leading out
of the city in many directions afford
views of most beautiful combinations OF
scenery varying at every minute, and
made up of bay, mountains. and castles
in the distance, and villas, gardens,
groves, and carpets Of wild flowers in
the foreground. There is no need to 60
far for a general survey of this lovely
country, for a short climb up the castle
hill, now laid out in shady promenadcs,
leads to high ground dominating the
whole place as well as bay and noun
tains. The fatigue Of the ascent is
lessened by the pedestrian being able to
rest on comfortable seats placed at
short intervals under trees of luxuriant
foliage where peeps of charming bits of
landscape and sea are to be had. When
] was there the bay, marvellous in
tints of Mediterranean blues, was of
tabled calmness and here and there a
sail swayed lazily on its surface.
The old town, its narrow curved
streets, running between high houses,
scarcely visible from the top Of the hill,
and crowded and cramped up and hud-
died close to the foot Of the castle rock,
and the new town beyond it, with its
broad and straight avenues and stately
villas, lay in dreamy quietness. The
hill itself was noisy enough, as it is
the spot given up to the soldiers who
have to practice the bugle-calls, and as
many noyices endeavor to blow the
same note at the same time the discOrd
is excruciating, and EFFORTS reproach-
full groans even from the instructing
sergeants.
GAMBETTA'S MONUMENT.
In the cemetery on the north side of
the hill stands design for monument
to Gambetta. 1t is wooden pyramid,
hideOusly ugly, covered over with about
100 wreaths, most of them in orna-
mental bead-work protected by glass,
and these seen from little way Off
look as if some china-plate-loving lady
had left her cherished possessions to be
hung around her tomb. The Paillon,
the river passing through Nice into the
Bay des Anges, is detected from the
castle hill only by the bridges spanning
it, but from its banks down in the
town it presents peculiar APP
pearance. Its broad, stony bed, near
ly dry, except after very heavy rain, is
given up as laundry to all the wash
erwomen in Nice. For over half
mile they stretch along both sides Of
the two or three narrow channels that
are still flowing, and protect themselves
slightly from getting wet and from the
hardness Of the ground by kneeling in OBJ
long wicker baskets, and beat and
souse the clothes in the running water,
and then hang them out on lines on the
dry part of the river, or simply lay
them fiat on it, or OCCASION
ally take the finer pieces down to
the sea-shore and spread them out to
bleach them. These rivers with nearly
dry beds are common here. At rare
they are full Of water rushing
along like torrent, but that is only
after violent storm, and their habitual
state is with two or three little runlets
through the wide, pebbly bed.
They have the dreary, parched look of |
extreme drought when the country Dor
1ering them is fresh and green.
EDMUND YATES.
Nice is said to be thinning out fast,
out noted people keep arriving to take |
he place Of those departing. Edmund |
\ ates came few days ago, and is stay
ne close by the sea. lie looks very ill
md worn after his imprisonment, but
MS friends declare he is already bene-
ited by this healthful and attractive
,lace. The German General Won
loltke was at our hotel couple of
lays last week, as guest of the King
md Queen. He was on his way to San
Reno, il is said, in search of rest aud
pleasant climate, but as the great Bis
narck was coming TO these Italian and
french Riviera towns, and then changed
lis mind, people are inquiring why his
ext-door neighbor has arrived at this
moment. Victorien Sardou
; still here. His birthday occurred re-
emily, and he was .fesed with an affec-
ion and enthusiasm that must have