The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-02-18

ploughs, though / should not be surprised
to find among their crops more tares than
wheat.
II would have astonished our country
cousins If they could have dropped in al the
reception of Mrs. Hicks-Iord last Satur-
day afternoon. It is now several years
since Mrs. Hicks-Lord was one of the SEN
sations Of New York. Starting country girl
in little town on the Hudson, she wac
left widow at twenty-five with a limited
income and a splendid stock of good looks,
which she still retains and which have been
to her a most profitable Investment. People
who kept she run of the foreign papers
fifteen or sixteen years ago will remember
the startling stories Of young American
widow who had taken an entire floor at a
celebrated hotel in London, and had caused
1t to be refurnished in the most costly man
ner, and who, week after week, astonished
the city with the billiancy OF her receptions
and her dinners, which rivalled in profus-
ion the feasts of Lucullus and in splendor
the story of Aladdin. The lady was then
known as the widow Hicks, and as enter
tainments Of this costly character cost mon
ey, the question that vexed the American
colony in London was, where in Jerusalem
all the cash came from? Apparently there
was no man in the case, and in point Of
propriety nothing could be more circum-
spect than the widow Hicks. The bills
were all paid; landlords, servants and
tradesmen were delighted with her, and her
guests might well be satisfied for she gave
them the best of everything without cost /;
and as l said before, If there was any fellow
behind 1t all he did not materialize, for she
carried herself from first TO last sans puer
ct sans reprOche. One day London was
startled and grieved by the announcement
that the widow Hicks had given up her
London establishment and had taken her
departure for the United States. She had
scarcely arrived in New York when the
fashionable world was startled as if by a
dynamite explosion at the announcement
that the charming widow Hicks was en-
gagged TO be married to the aged millionaire
John Lord, and it was more than hinted
that 1t was he who Supplied the funds for
the widows swell parties in London. BE
that as it may, Mr.. Lords sons, either one
of whom would have been an eligible match
for the widow, entered vigorous protest
against their aged fathers connubial inten-
tions. But widows Hicks got into Mr..
Lords house and barred the doors, and for
ten days, in spite of mandamusses, writs of
certiorarl, rcpleyin, habeas corpus, injunc-
tions and every other formidable document
known to the law, she kept her ancient
lover a willing captive and hurled defiance
at the officers and the courts. AT last it be-
came evident to the most thick-headed
Lord that he was no match for the widow,
and that the only chance of saving or shar-
ing any portion of John Lords millions
was by compromise. When they talked
that the bride was on deck-and an arrange
msnt was soon entered into by which, on
the death of her husband she was not like
ly to become county charge.
The blissful change was too much for
John Lord, and before the spring flowers
bioomed second time, he was on his way to
the Happy hunting grounds In weeds
for second time, the widow looked ten
thousand times handsomer then when she
was the second time crowned with orange
blossoms. The old Lord house Is on Wash.
ington Square, which is not the fashionable
quarter It was fifty years ago. Cresus,
Midas and Dives have moved away, and
have their palaces on lots that were goat
pastures and dumping grounds when wash
ington Square was the centre of our fash.
ionable life. Here Mrs, Lord has made hel
home since the death Of her millionaire
husband. The house is a wonderful mus
cum of bric-a-brac and art. Costly pic
lures, rare statues, rich bronzes meet yot
at every turn; and she ls one of the few
ladies who is not afraid to show her jewels
Those not in use are to be seen in a larg,
glass case, and rare collection it is, as
sure you, At her Saturday reception she
wore the celebrated colarette of diamond,
which cost S25O,0O0. But that was not all
the jewels in her ears were worth prince!
ransom, and either of her hands woulC
have been royal prize for Turkeys Sui
tan or Persia's Shah. Her corsage blazeC
with brilliant jewels, and a wise Hebrew
gentleman at my side estimated the Who'll,
at not less than half million. That's thu
way we do things here. II was a distin
guished company. Miss Rose Elizabeth
Cleveland, the Presidents sister. and for O
time the first lady in the land, being the
observed of all observers Everybody who
is anybody was there; in the course of the
afternoon not less thanltwo thousand guest.
partaking of the widows hospitality, and
to her credit be it recorded, that notwiIh
standing the tremendous draft on her lar
der, when the last guest had retired there
was enough left to fill seven baskets
Our operate affairs are in a bad way
1t is pretty evident II people want that kind
Of amusement they must pay for it, anC
that heavily. The trustees of the Metro
politan Opera House are determined to tr,
German opera another pull, sink or swim
though it is evident that every box will b,
assessed from $500 to 81, 900 for the sea
son. The American opera, whose mlsfor
tunes are now historical, after sinkinG
half million got another black eye IL
Brooklyn. The Germans of our sister cit,
not caring 10 come to New York for theil
Wagner and Gounod any longer, resolved
to have an opera house of their own, and
they did. Lock was engaged with the
American opera company. or the frag
ments of it which remain. On the second
night the affair collapsed; everything wa,
attached, scenery and dresses were thrown
into the street, and now Lock swears that
the Germans have damaged him 500, ,OOO
1t may be possible that for time at least
we may have to forego the expensive lux u,
ry of German and Italian opera and come