Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21

MAS DISPLAY or The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
DRAMA-rHE CONVICTION OF RAMsoAR-coS-
DRESS AS VIEWED FROM NEW YORK.
Correspondents Of TIE EVENING sr,a.
NEW YORK. December 20.
Our Psn-American guests had o royal well
come. even the sun at last coming ont TO do
them honor, though at almost the eleventh
hour. Their entertainment was in the hands
OF committee representing the city's best
element of culture and hospitality. and they
were feted with discrimination as well as cordi-
aiity. What few Of the great eity's sights they
had time 10 see were judiciously chosen. and il
is seldom that an entertainment has been given
which would compare in spleudor with the
reception for them at the Union League. The
arrangements we're so magnificent in character
and so perfect in detail as to render the occa-
sion unique. On Wednesday the visitors had an
Indulgence more unusual and one would fancy
more welcome than any number of dinners. re-
cepuons or instructive sights-they were given
half-holiday. The weather since Sunday had
been OF that unique and obnoxious variety pc
cullar TO New York after a snow storm. The
streets had been officially declared by the MAYOR
TO nave reached climax OF filth and discom-
fort never before attained. Ankle-deep slush
ana slime. dingy snow. fog and rain all con-
splred TO show these travellers from the sunny
tropics what possi abilities there were in the
weather. For some time they we're driven
about through the steaming. oozing streets TO
one an another of the sights but on WedneS-
day the Fog thlckened and the rain fell so i'm
piscabiy that Chairman Cornelius " Bliss of
the reception committee announced that the
proposed excursion TO the islands in the Eas;
river would be abandoned and the visitors
would be allowed haif-holiday. But even
then, so hardened have they become in their
sightseeing habits many of them skirmished
around and hunted up the Barge exhibition and
other minor sights for themselves, and the La
dies, 1t Is said, to a woman, went shopping.
CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS.
The shops are. indeed, Just now one Of the
sights OF the town and the hideous weather has
a. least one advantage those who braved
1t could entertain some hone of being attended
to. Never has the display, both in the shop,
and In their great windows, been so SUMPTION.
and varied, and the most experienced shopper
is soon dazzled and bewldered. But in spite
OF their brave display many merchants are feel
ing pretty blue this winter. There has scarcely
been a week of winter weather and this ethereal
mlldness, following upon a season of exactly
the same sort last year. has been disastrous &c
dealers IN cold weather supplies. Several large
coal dealers have already failed, the wooden
merchants ere looking very gloomy, and the
magnificent furs Of which one sees such a
lavish display are drug on the hands of then
despairing owners.
AT THE THEATERs.
There is an unusually brilliant display at the
theaters this week, and it cannot be complained
that the immortal bard is neglected while his
plays are drawing crowds at three houses.
Mansfield is playing Richard III, Miss Vain
right is giving Twelfth Night" and DAILY is
producing in his usual dazzling manner AZ
You Like tt Besides these renditions of the
classics there are two exceptionally giddy spec
tacles running. and it is announced that Harri.
gan, who had sold his theater. shaken the mud
OF New York from his feet and gone west, has
decided to return to the metropolis, which has
never ceased to miss him and TO mourn his alb
sence.
TEE ELECTRIc-LIGHT WIRES.
In five days of vigorous work 90 miles o.
electrc-light wire have been cut down and fol
five nights much Of the city has been in tota
darkness. Where there are gas lamps they seen
feeble and Intellectual, especially on the recent
foggy nights, and crossing at the busy corners
OF Broadway and Fifth avenue is an enterprise
traught with considerable peril After O'Clock
when darkness has settled down and the streets
are still damned with every kind of conveyance
as well as with the throngs of people goIng
home from Offices, shopping, &C., it is reall,
difficult to get about. Already in the darkes
parts of the city there have been assaults OF
unwary passers, and no doubt the thieves al
over town will hasten to improve this golder
opportunity.
RAMscAR.
1t is with a sensation of gratitude that tn
city hears that the redoubtable Ramscar is ono
more convicted, this time for clubbing the un
sectarian old gentlemen in the home he q
benevolently conducts for their benefit. 1t i
difficult to believe that this eminent philan
thropist really exists outside of the pages O
Dickens, he is such an incredibly greedy, bruta
and Transparent humbug. He affords on,
more evidence of the well-known fact tina
hypocrisy is the tribute that vice paws {,
virtue, for though he has been much ieered a
by the papers as reverend" end has AWAY
appeared scrupulously attired in the garb o
an Episcopal clergyman, it comes out on hi
trial that he is not and never has been
preacher, though faithfully clinging to his cos
tune through all his varied experiences as
peddler, a junk shop keeper, and persecutol
of old men and children.
! CONGRESS FROM NEW YORK POINT OF VIEW
New York, so far as it concerns itself with
Congress at all, is much gratifed at the way il
which both parties have got to work. For the
moment the chief interest which the city feel.
in pending legislation concerns the choice OF
the site for the worlds fair. Reports from the
seat of war are of hopeful tenor. but great
uncertainty seems to involve the whole pro-
| ject. Another more conventional subject il
| which New York is taking keen interest this
winter concerns the silver policy. There will
undoubtedly be some very active work done IL
this field by New York before fly time. As q
rule New York business men shrink from an.
other agitation of the tariff. although this is a
tariff reform town. some ''tinkering" is looked
upon, however, as inevitable, and that being SC
1t Is solace TO most people here that the WAYS
and means committee is 30 strong and calm.
WALL STREET SCHEMES.
In the Christmas hubbub the ordinary tur.
moil If Wall street is forgotten. Nevertheless
there are some important schemes maturing
there. The great trusts are taking vigorous
action to get in out of the wet before the de-
luge fairly comes There has been a good
deal Of shower already. Itappears that these
corporations had provided themselves with a
harbor of refuge in case of need in the shape
of innocent-looking charters, which they had
manipulated through the New Jersey and Con-
necticut legislatures, and of which they will
avail themselves as a last resort; all Of which
shows that a corporation is considerably harder
to kill than pusley.
STATEN ISLANDS PERIODIC BOOM.
Staten Island is enjoying another of its
periodical galvanizings into an artificial SEM
blance of life. Possibly this time the vitality
will prove to be genuine. Staten Island is a
strange place. Like the well-known Columbia
or Britannia, as the nationality of the singer
happens to be, it Is the gem of the ocean II
would be difficult to find more charming spot
along the coast, yet il seems TO be under a yeri-
table curse. With its lovely slopes, its magnif-
cent views seward, its water front, it's accessi-
bility to the two largest cities in the United
States, one might easily imagine il the chosen
home of wealth, fashion and intelligence But