The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-22
WASHINGTON's BIRTHDAY.
The Visible Token of the Celebration of the
Anniversary in New York.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YoRK, Feb. 22.-Evidences of the cele
bration Of Washington's birthday in New York
city are not of very tangible character. The
principal outward sign indicating that there Is
anything uncommon about the day is the mac
tvity in the business quarters; and the effect of
this is rather funereal than festive colored
target company parading in Bleecker street:
swarm of gsmins masquerading in certain fan
tastic and unmentionable things purloined from
the wardrobes of their sisters mothers and
aunts, or the funeral Of prominent politician
in one of the thickly populated wards-these
may indeed make some little stir in their own
localities; but they only ripples on the serene
surface Of the day
Still, New York usually finds some way to
amuse itself whenever 1t has o day off," and the
glorious 22d of February Is not altogether an ex-
cepsion. For one thing there are matinees at
nearly all the theaters. The amusement-loving
population turns ont in full force, to harrow mp
It's feelings with modern French emotion, or to
be shocked perhaps not altogether unpleasantly,
by the eyolutions Of battaiions Of young women
in tighta From an impartial point OF view, the
connection between patriotism and theater-
fare, is extremely slight The British flag is
raised at the Madison-square and Union square
theathers the French tricolor at Wallack's and
the Star. Foreign standards, too, are generally
faunted over the combination houses Of the
Bowerv and the West Side. often with the
black flag of piracy. Edwin Booth at the Fifth
avenue is digging up dry homes as old as Yor-
lexis skull and Mr. DAILY has resuseitated that
fac old English worthy of the eighteenth Gen.
tury-Colley Cibber. In short unless we open
" accept the responsibility for the "Adonis" and
'.Evangeliues what-is-its, there Is nothing Ameri
can except Bronson Howard's Zone OF Our
Girls" at the Lyceurn. and Mr.. Harrigan's local
vaudeville at the Park. All the same. there are
audiences enough to 60 around, and in the early
gioaming, about the time the electric constella-
lions are hoistsd to the tops of their tall poles in
Union square and Madison square. the neighbor-
hoods Of these two Broadway centers are
thronged with welldressed and interesting
crowds Of people, each carrying homeward q bill
Df the play.
Evening brings q whole train Of Martha
Washington" receptions. It is now teacup time
Over North Washington square, and Grammercy
Park, and Murray Fill there seems to foat a
faint aromatic haze. issuing from thousand
Japanese teapots and cups of dainty, transparent
porcelain. The coy and artistic interior, where
eongregate the 'sets" from which veritable salons
are beginning to be evolved, offer seductions not
entirely to be associated with weak tea. The
chances are rather more than even that the
visitor will drop in upon quiet little cotillon
party. and discover that the new figures for the
Spinning top" ''Blindman'e buff" and
Fox hunt"-are both fascinating and bewilder-
These mild designations are not held in SO
much favor at the Washirgton's birthday parties
given by the Michael Gilhooley Association or
the Growler Coterie, in dingy halls further down
town. Here the dancing is of the racket" and
s'heel and toe" polka order, to the music of an
excursion boat orchestra or the asthmatic ac-
cordion. Beverages are copiously supplied from
Che saloon, which is certain to be IN convenient
proximity. Smoking is not considered bad
- = II l.
the WALL insis. that there is mo excuse if caught
with another mans hat"
In aluding to the lack of dstinctively pa
triotic or nationally suggestive observance of the
day, we had nearly been guilty Of gross injus-
lice in omiting mention Of Poet Bloodgood II.
Cutter aud his friends. What
Shall gentle Cutter pass unnoticed here,
To homespun rhyme and jagged stanza dearl
No. for the Long Island farmer poet is the
leading spirit of small band OF veterans, includ-
ing several of 1872 who hold q reunion in New
York city on every patriotic hoiday-particu-
Washington's birth. They get themselves up in
The brave regimentais
OF the old Continentals,
and enjoys feast of reason and reminiscence, to-
gether with a goodly outlay of the creature COM
forts. at some such historic hostelry as Fraunces
Tavern. or Military Hall. Here the poet Cutter
opens the hoo6gates of his verse, which flows in
rich, turbid torrents like this:
Hero is the place where Washington safe
On that ever memorable day.
When the British New York did evacuate
Because he made it too hot for them to stay.
To drink 10 his glorious memory we pause
On his birthday we always do SO,
But we'll have plum pudding at our feast, because
That would be English, you Know
Thus is the commemorative anniversary cee-
brated in the metropolis and the last of its
kwenty-four hours sees the ''night-hawks,D 9th.
erwise known as tramp hackmen, swooping. down
upon their prey which on this occasion consists
chiefly of ycung men about town In drcss-suits
and surprising state Of bewilderment. consid-
ering that the staple beverage Of the day has
been tea
TT is rumored that the sale Of DR.. Bulls Cough
Syrup has taken such dimensions that the pro-
prietors are unable to supply ali orders We ad.
wise our druggists to prepare themselves for all
emergencies as the people rely on them for this