The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-31
NEW YORK TOPICS.
The Bartholdi Statue in Paris and on BedlOes
Island-High Church and Fast Horses.
Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal.

statue Of Liberty Enlightening the World was
in progress of erection, preparatory to its ship
ment to America. The figure was placed on
low, wooden platform, and completed. with the
exception of placing the torch. Seen from this
close standpoint the face severe and majestic,
reminded me of Christine Nilsson in Norma.
Through a rift in tho folds of the
robe 1 entered the interior of the
statue. which, in the dim light within,
looks like some vast, gloomy, high -arched cathe-
dral Yesterday, in company with party of
friends, Invent in Commodore IS yacht, kind
" placed at our disposal, to Bedloes Island. the
ruins of an old fertilization, Fort Wood. situ-
! ated inside of the Narrows, to see the statue
which has now become an American citizen on
her throne, splendid. massive, granite pedestal
eiehty-nine feet high. The day was charming the
harbor was crowded with all kinds of water
craft, and the sea just rough enough to make
the sail exciting. Our little boat outfew the
clumsy steamer that labored behind
with the crowd that hourly flock to
the island to see the statue. We landed
at the temporary pier, and mounted the steps
that led TO the esplanade, on which stands the
pedestal Looking up to the total height, 305
feet, the figure is seen In its true proportions 1t
pears from every point with equa! advantage.
/ Workmen poised on her mighty bosom were still
hammerne away at the finishing touches look
ing like Liliputans scaling a puzzled Gulliver.
or running ny and down the swaying cords, at
tached to the head of the statue, like the famous
mice in Hickory, Dickory, Dock" One fellow
/ aloft with lighted cigar, resembled, as he
moved about, the restless FREELY. 1t
was amusing TO hear the remarks of the
people as they circled about the figure. with in
verified chins. trying to take her in. "She don't
! look like an American squaw, said one man. who
! was looking for the usual expression American
! art takes on when the idea is national one.
! mo- guess it's Bartholdi's mother-in-law set
adrift," said another, who ought to have been
/ presented with chestnut bell on the SPOT IF
4 that's Mrs Cleveland, she's not very good
4 looking said woman, who was evidently from
I the (Easrern) provinces "Guess she's modelled
on Sara Bernhardt," came from satirical gen
/ tleman pointing upward with his cane to the
] powerful arm that upheld the torch. But
! one and all agreed that whoever the
statue did or did not resemble, it was a mighty
nice thing to have, and would come very handy
in dark night to incoming vessels, and would
make very pretty picture on the harbor, with
/ fiery torch and star-tpped tiara
! While we waited saw 'the splendid sun 20
/ down like great, blazing ship a-fre," engulfed
] in the purple waves, and then we set sail for
home, and as we watched the great statue,
/ darkly painted on the crimson sky, with the blue
I ocean creeping to her feet as though to make
obeisance we lkened the silent, deep-browed
! Egyptian presence to Isis, for like
Isis, she, too. was yelled, awating-now
/ near at hand-the unveiling. We sailed
and sailed. and saw between the cities the air
! drawn bridge, like a spider web, gemmed with
/ drops of electric light, and around the nights
black void the crown Jewels of the circling city
! flashed across the water. We were josted
| by newsboys, bootblacks, apple-venders, and all
| the roar and rattle of the noisy city filed our
ears, while the Sphinx we had left in the distant
VIZ nh nd fhnv
| sea-
This afternoon I went to St. Mary's of the
| Virgin to hear the vesper service, to which
crowds are attracted by the excellence of the
| music, said to be the best in
the city. This church is ultra high,
which means that it is neither fish
nor flesh, neth>r Catholic nor yet Protestant,
but the embryo of the greatly desired (by some)
American Catholic Church" If st. Mary's
were in Rome, one might fancy it to be the
chapel of the Pope and cardinals 1t is a start
ling revelation of the tendency of Episcopacy in
America in the direction of Romanism. Lighted
tapers, incense, robed priests, crossings, genu-
F! Fiction, with aurcular confession, prayers for
! the dead and the administration of the Real
| Presence are the order of the day. Father
| Brown, as he is called, is man of magnificent
appearance and great dignity or bearing thought
| his yellow silk, gold-embroidered robe and white
! petticoat little resembling the primitive Sairt
! Peter. The music was superb. A white-robed
/ leader, with baton, in full view, conducted the
| splendid numbers, and with the pictures, the
| moving lights, the picturesquely- costumed
! priests made scene that only needed opera
| glass and libretto to fancy il the grand opera.
/ But one had to only observe the congregation to
! see that they were devout worshipers the whole
| service intoned, and sung, was reverently fol.
lowed by the kneelng, bowling, crossing multi
| tude
| We had but to step into the street to know
that this was not Rome, but the wicked city Of
| New York, which asserts itself on Sunday after
moons in more fast horses and fast men than any
other city on the face of the globe.
is the great dress parade of folly and fashion;
here much beauty and wealth resort on foot and
in carriages; there is constant procession to
the park of superb turnouts. One often sees
slight woman, with her dog, in deep mourning,
both OF EN- drawn by pair of stout horses,
tiger and two footmen. huge strapping fellows in
! white doeskin ee-hreeches and top boots who
! sit enthroned on the box like pair of Roman
! emperors from ireland. their mighty chests and
! chns recalling the image of our respected chief
| executive. These high riders and high livers
| always vote for the workingman's candidate
| who just now means Mr. George, or Mr.. Hewitt,
money and take your choice, which,
if being Republican, you generally do not get.
| But began with the fashions, and diverge to
| poltics-one is about changeful as the other
! but whether the Republic falls or survives,
! the average woman must have o new fall bon
net. Here II am reminded of little story" to
this effect An old-fashoned minister's wife,
| who longed for a change of head gear, besought
! her husband for Hew-fashioned bonnet, then
very large. He refused. the wife sold her big
| hureau-ol6 fashioned, too-and the next Sun
| day appeared on her husbands arm, who had
apparently taken notice of it, in the coveted
! bonnet The waiting throng outside the church
were astonished when the minister, spreading
out mis- hands, exclaimed. make way. gentlemen,
! make way; here comes my wife with bureau
on her head" The bureau" of the period is
different it is very high and gaudy, and runs up
| with sort of house-ahre effect; but the church
portals of New York lofty, and the proud
creatures do not have TO bow their heads ex-
| cept in devotion. I may add that the devotions
of their near neighbors are spoiled by inward
aDathemas at the diabolical obstruction which
conceals everything from his point of view be-
hind its spirelike elevation A big woman, in a
howdah like shawl and turreted bonnet, looks
like one of Barnum's escaped elephants One
feels like prodding her and following her
like procession of small boys. At the
church of the "Holy Ocloth,' so called
from its gaudiIy-painted exterior, woman
| with an American spread eagle arrangement on
! her hat touched secret spring and presto