Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-14
Correspondence of THE EVENING star.

correspondence OF THE EVENING star,
NEW York, December Is
Imet Mr.. George KEENAN, day or two ago
looking rather tired and gray. Lecturing is
hard work, not, perhaps, as hard Is exploring
the prisons at Kara, but quite wearing, and Mr.
KEENAN, nowadays has all he can possibly &C.
cept of this work. There is perfect furore to
hear and see him, and he would be the social
hon of the season if he did not refuse SO point
blank to be lionized. He declines all social in
yitations on principle and confines himself
strictly to business. He could lecture In a
dozen places night all winter if he had enough
astral bodies, and if he had as many arms as a
Hindoo god he could not write fast enough to
keep up with tine demands of the publishers.
Latterly he has tasted the bitterness of Ameri-
can literary fame in finding his works shame
iessly plrated all over Europe. except, of
course, in Russia, where, it is needless to say,
they are not published in cheap editions and
where their circulation is exclusively among
officials and censors. Nor is Russia content TO
combat him merely on the defensive. His
steps are logged by Russian agents wherever
he goes. One Of these emissaries has been
staying at his hotel in New York and the two
gentlemen are on very affable personal terms.
MIR. KEENAN, tells me that he expects to spend
the holidays in Washington with his wife, and
no doubt he will be very cordially welcomed
by his many friends at the capital.
MRS. cLEvELAND's CHURCH.
Mrs. Cleveland has engaged a pew in the
Central Presbyterian church, on 57th street near
Broadway. and intends to unite with that church
and make it her future religious home Both
ex-Presldent and Mrs. Cleveland are regular i'll
their attendance at church, as they were in
Washington. The Cleveland house is near the
corner OF 6Sth street and Madison avenue, and
hence is nearly mile distant from their chosen
WOrShIn ia hva N
OF the fashionable churches of the city. But
Mrs. Cleveland explains that she knows and
likes the new pastor, the Rev. William Merle
Smith, who, by the way, is the noted Prince
ton athlete, and she says that it is within walk
ing distance IN fair weather and accessible by
horse cars when it is unpleasant In this demo-
cratic and sensible view of the situation Mrs
Cleveland reveals again those pleasant quail
ties which invested her Washington life with
such grace: But if she adopts the democratic
horse cars l hope she will not often have to
stand as the Sun few days ago said she was
recently Obliged to for long distance in a
Madison avenue car which was filled with men.
STREET CAR INCIDENT.
But we male worms will turn some time at
this everlasting abuse of our sex by the women
for our street car rudeness True, the New
York species of the male worm is grossly rude
to women in street conveyances but he is not
quite so mean to women rs the women are to
one another. few days ago witnessed an
instance OF woman's inhumanity to woman
which made my blood boil l was hanging to
strap in a crowded Broadway car in which
all the seats that were at all accessible from
the rear platform were occupied by women
The car stopped and there entered two more
women, one evidently blind and the other sup
porting and guiding her. There they stood in
the aisle while the car rolled rapidly along
swaying and jostling them, in the most pathetic
discomfort, and yet not a woman offered the
blind lady seat or made any effort to assist
her. think that goes a little beyond male
rudeness even in New York.
THE STEWART ESTATE.
As it is understood that there is still quite n
little sum left OF the Stewart estate, the report
that the heirs had agreed upon division of
the property struck every one here as intrins-
cally improbable. number of the largest
law offices in the city are supporting them
selves comfortably off this litigation and it
seemed incredible that these learned brethren
should advise their respective clients to stop
their lighting and divide the spoils while
yet there were any spoils left for the lawyers
themselves to divide. Hence. it occasioned no
surprise when the rumor of a compromise was
quickly and officially denied. How much
OF the property remains no layman, whether
an heir otherwise, can tell. Some assert
that the estate ID practically looted already.
Others more hopeful think that q half or a
third OF 1T still remains. Whatever the situa-
ton is it is doubtful If the litigation ends much
sooner than the famous case of Jarndyce vs..
Jarndyce In "Bleak House, (which, as everybody
knows, only came to an end with the estate it.
self.
THE FUTURE OF AFRICA.
Yesterday happened to meet in Harper's
Prof. Harrison, their geographer, who has, of
course, watched the recent explorations and
political maneuvering in Africa with special in
terest. He said that few realized the Importance
OF recent events in the heart of the dark CONT
nent. Both England and Germany, which were
today the two great colonizing empires, had
made bold dash to secure the very key Of the
continent. These nations had established
strong colonies on the healthy and fertile table
land at the very heart Of Africa, controlling on
the one side the Nile and On the other the
Congo. There could be but little doubt that
the subsequent history of Africa would repeat
that OF Asia, only on an even grander scale. 1t
Will be remembered that the early rivals for
Asia were the English and French. Will the
future OF Africa develop Lord Give to defeat
the German aspirations in Africa? In answer
to this query Prof. Harrison said in fight the
advantage would lie with England, because she
knows how. The colonial impulse in Germany
Is very recent, dating back only about five
years, whereas Great Britain has been at it
long time and understands the business.
THE LEDERER-NEwooMBE FARCE.
The town is laughing at the ridiculous ter
mination Of the Lederer- Newcombe divorce
case. 1t has been pretty hard to treat this
matter seriously at any stage, and now, to cap
the climax, after the prosecution has col
lapsed owing to the alleged first wife skipping
the town between two days after confess
ing she was paid to act her part, Lederer, the
spotless, innocent and shrinking violet, comes
forward with threatened suit for $500, 600
against Newcombe for illegal arrest and de-
famation of character. Why Lederer didn't
make it a round million Is one of those legal
technicalities which minds less severely logical
than his will not attempt to unravel
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.
The annual exhibition Of Christmas shopping
has opened here, and never before on such
splendid scale. Surely one need not go to Paris
or hold a worlds fair to witness the finest
triumphs Of art and science as applied to civil
lied life. 1t would be impossible to hold a
grander vanity fair than now appeals to the
immense crowds which choke the sidewalks
along Broadway and in the more famous of the
cross-town trading streets. Within few years
the new art of window dressing has been devel-
oped until now the streets are long bazaars A
recent feature Of interest is the display of
articles Of elegance that gained prizes at Paris
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