Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-26
A TRIP TO NEW YORK
ON BOARD THE OLD OOMlNlON-OOD
REFLECTIONS-RANDOM NOTES.
Sea-Sickness -Prcscrvers Things
in Norfolk-A Peep nj Marie Bash
kirtsefY's Diary.
Correspondence Of tho Richmond Dispesch.l


STEAMSHIP OLD DOMINION, July II, 1890.
One of my good neighbors has amocking-
bird believe the song says this bird sings
"all the day." The amiable party who wrote
this song must have known more about
music than birds-at least. he did mot
know nv neighbor's bird, which sings ali
the day and oil the night. too. This bird.
combined with the heat and the opportu-
nifty, and as potent as either, IS responsible
for my being on the "ocean blue" scrio-
bling these few short lines" to the Ds'
patch. ~,
We've a goodly crowd on board. The,
weather II calm and clear and
everybody seems satisfied. few
familiar faces are present; among
them Mr. Strause. OF Broad street,
MIR. Sands. the lawyer, and Monsieur Splro
Zetello, the latter looking pretty much the
same a when Jimmy Cowardin fooled nun
with the cast-lron frog.
If you would like TO hear Monsleur's fami-
liar tones again call on Bob Ralston. ser
Ceaut-at-arms of the Council. aud he will
render them as faithfully as aphonograph.
Bob rs a minnie is winning some reputa-
ton. but am inclined To think that be
succeeds best IN being his own genial self.
Though. as | said. the weather ~ perfect
and every one seems pleased. there are at
least few who are not wholly happy,
These unreasonable beings have expressed
a desire to have u small blow before
the trip concludes. So they can have some
fun" as they express 1t. Needless 70 say
that they are seasoned mariners and the
fun is TO be furnished by those who are not.
These inhuman wretches actually relish
seeing their fellow-beings in the throws OF
misery and NAL de Her-two "a perfect
svnonymes as the language affords. Iye
" been there.
Al this point | was interrupted by q
weakened hunchback. about Tour ieet tlll,
with whom | got on speaklng terms
awhile ago. who asked me If | didn't want
" a life-preserver." What sort of one ~
asked. Strong. with ice IN IT, no an
swered. declined. rs although we are on
the ocean. the perspration Is on my brow
already. Nv apt interrogatory. WAS IN
spired BY the candid remark of. my de-
formed acquaintance this morning, that
he got a. full as goat " in Norfolk yes
terday, and was not due 70 any superior
power of diyiuatlOn possessed by me.
POINTED NOTES ABOUT NORFOLK.
Speaking Of Norfolk. are many Rich
mond people aware that it Is the llyellest
town in Virginia. comparatively speakingI
Main street from the Purcell House 20 the
post-ofice, looks TO me Just like a slice out
of New YORK. | veribly believe that the
street-cars do a better business chan those
of Richmond. The stores have more
metropOlitan look somehow than ours;
The people move along more btishiy ana
seem 10 have more business on mana than
we do Another feature OF RESEMBLANCE 20
the metropolis Is the diIt. Between Akln
anI tho CprfAIliN
equal TO anything that New York can
show in the way OF iiltmuess and mai
odor. There il still acother feature IN
which | think II even surpasses Gotham,
and this disgraces one OF the most ire
ouentiy travelled cross streets of the city,
which leads directly 20 the main steamboat
wharf As | passed along 1t Yesterday TINS
feature was particularly prominent and IN
efTably disgusting. Ladies and children
were passing at the same time, and DO pass
there constantly. am afraid that Brother
Jones left good deal Of work undone at
the close of his recent labors with our
Norfolk friends. The city does mighty
well in many respects, but in this partlcu-
lar feature there is large room for improve
ment.
NORFOLK AND RICHMOND GIRLS
What makes the Norfolk girls so pretty. ?
They live in "A hot, fiat town, with salt
breezes to fan and tan their cheeks, and yet
they are exceeding fair and lovely. | reckon
it's because they live IN old Virginia. aud
therefore can't help being pretty. They
don't come up TO our Richmond brand -
that il. of course, mpossible-but, as TAR
as appearances go, they are certainly SUI
perior article. On the occasion OF the uu-
yelling heard visitor exclalm on Fran K
lin street 81 used 10 think that our At
lauta girls were pretty. but these Rich
mond glrls-whaw Language evidently
failed him in which 10 do the subject JUS;
tlce. and no wonder. Edgar \. Poe used
10 maintain that language was capable oi
expressing any thought of the human
BRAN. He had not attempted % describe
our modern illchmond girls.
on THE OCEAN WAVE.
How lazy people look on a steamboat.
Here they are around mo reclining, reading
sleeping. very few talking. all apparently m
the last extreme of weariness and eRnui. II
| didn't know better | should think them
all seasick For myself, never could read
while travelling. except IN the most cur
sorry manner. | have IN my pocket now a
most interesting account ot th"t rather r.,
markable female. Marie Bashkirsteh, but
would much prefer looking at and Listen
ing to the sad sea waves" 10 reading OF
even this strange personality, which IS
pow the talk of the literary world, ana the
matter Of supremest interest, except dress,
10 informed temininity eyerywhere.
Another interruption A young lady has
Just rushed violently pass me. and ~ now
earnestly contemplating the sea, her whoie
frame being violently shaken 10y the 5u-
blime. profound emotion, which the mighty
spectacle inspires. At least, suppose
that II IT, But no. n familiar sound comes
to NV ears. and something parts violently
from her and falls with splash upon the
deck. She is now leaning her head against
a yentiator. and looking a though lie
were burden and hope but name, The
phouls before referred TO look happy.
AoURIoUs COMPOUND.
Speaking Of Marie Bashkir.sen- from the
little know Of this young lady | should
iudpe her 10 have been the competest COM
pound Of vanity and seltishness the world
knows OF. and her mother and aunt, Nine.
Romanoif, the biggest fools. Think Of CIV
ing a girl in her early teens, extremely
precOcious. unlimited money. UNRESTRICTED
liberty. and never spanking No wonder
she developed into n spoilt vixen at home
and mental monstrosity abroad. desplsed
domestic constraint and associated with
blaze young artists and selfish old sdrdils,
falling in love with the former and drink
ing IN WOriuiN experience hIt iOiS ~ i'tii si'
latter. IL is to her credit that she pre-
served her purity as far as Is known,
al least. but u il mystery how she
did il. Her complete self-deyotion is per
haps the explanation. Perfectly selfish
people are not as a rule apt to experience
any very profound affection for another;
they can never forget themselves sufficient
ly. Marie was bound up wholly in herself.
As she herself expressed il. at three
years of age I longed for Indescribable
erandeurs.n (She says she was not wean-
ed until she was three and half years
oldD Her greatest delight was 10 spend
her time admiring her nude form IN q
mirror. Her physical self was the god VI
her ldolatry. She was constantly COM
pairing her own considerable personal
charms with those of other girls and
thanking God that hers were superior.
FKLL IN LOVE.
She adored beauty in every relation. and
vet finally fell in love--ss far as she could
fall-that is. with a little dried-up. inslg-
nificant artist The condolences that she
committed to her diary would-many of
them-have done credit to de Stael or an
Eliot, and yet she was simpleton enough
seriously to consider herself. at ten years
of age. as great philosopher as Aristotle:
This diary reminds me that | said
awhile ago that her mother and aunt were
two big fools. IL any doubt on this