The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-03
ROUND ABOUTIN GOTHAM
WONDERS AND WANDERING IN
THE GREAT METROPOLIS.

ure Found-W ehaWken's Elysium-A
Case Of Vivisection-Crew and Mis-
sionary.
(Copyiohtl
NEW YORK, Aug. 2.-In the midst of
dinnner We are in danger; or, as the under
takers much prefer TO phrase it, in the
midst of life we are in death. Might have
been in at the death, anyway, if not our
own, as the bullets whizzed around our car
cases, Just comfortei by a snug little dinner
near Union Square This is one Of the
sweet charms Of dear life in Gotham; you
never know when you may leave it for the
skies. A tragedy! Well, perhaps not, but
the intent was good. A scrimnage on the
sidewalk, q woman's shTieks, a mans muf-
fed curses, then a cracking volley of pistol
shots at a flying target among
scattering crowd. He caught the bullets
in his back; she intended them for
his breast. She was whirled like magic
into street car, where she historically
proclaimed her woes for the delectation of
her alarmed fellow-passengers, who paled
as she wiped the blood from her neck,
which he had tried to cut, shoot or some
way main. The old familiar story; a
stupid marriage between an actress and
stage workman, who had posed to her as an
few out Of the window. Quarrels, separa-
ton, jealousy, powder and shot, remorse
and wretchedness unspeakabe. Tragic
comedy too, for the shot-carrying L0thario
retired on the triumphant arm OF Belinda
number two; but an entertainment not to
be recommended as the best aid to digestion
when witnessed suddenly.
Pass we now on to the farcicaL Would
you expect to find it In churchi Scarcely.
In church 1t was, nevertheless. Picture a
solemn edifice, half lit with the fitting dim
religious light" the organ breathing forth
the most ethereal strains, everything sub
dued, gloomy, yet withal genteel For this
was a Presbyterian church in Madison ave-
nue., its preacher one of the cleverest half
dozen of Gothams dlvines, DR.. Thompson.
formerly OF Kansas City. Topic, "Ath-
letics and Goodness =" happily chosen to suit
the tastes of those whom the late Lawrence
Oliphant described as the worldly holy
and the wholly worldly. The preacher
took text, of course, for how could
there be a sermon without one, but there
was a lecture-room twang about it that
was rather puZzling until, in an evil mo-
ment of mind-wandering, the speaker slid
into the secular manner by addressing us as
"ladies and gentlemen" The shock was as
welcome as an ice cream, and about as de-
licious. If any of the dear sisters or breth
rem tainted away when they reached home
on bordering over this terrible innovation,
they probably soon recovered. Il only goes
to show how sadly the overworked clergy
men of fashionable churches need three
months vacation every year TO revive their
wits and reduce their surpluses. Also, that
old week day lectures can be cooked up into
Sunday sermons.
Talking of preachers and their enviable
vacations reminds me of rising young
pulpit orator who has struck a new thing III
vacations. The Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr
la. haar Clf for he Nh,
hall of the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton, his own church being unable to hold
the crowds that come to hear his earnest
orations be is now enjoying his holiday
enjoyment ought to be the word-seeing
that he is preaching to an uptown congre-
CATION every Sunday while his own down
town people are putting up with substitutes
Preaching may be made profitable for all
things, and sometimes Is great gain for
saints as well as sinners.
Have you ever seen crew Of colored
sailors at their Sabbath evening devotions
On the forward deck of a ship with the
East Indian name Indramayo, lying in the
inner bay, were gathered about a score of
sturdy fellows, whether negroes or lascars
we were not near enough to distinguish
They stood in a ring, like children playing
ring-a-ring-o-roses. their hands seemed to
be holding rope on the sail-sheet, and they
capered about with all the agility and
son garden ballet. At a signal from the
master of ceremonies the dance changed
into high leaping, the sheet seemed to be let
go, for an instant the circle broke, only to
come together Immediately in closer file,
much like the contrac ion of rubber ring
then there was chorus of hilarious whoops,
but just as the grand climax was coming
our vexatious boat shot us out of sight.
They must have been celebrating the holy
day by tossing their missionary passenger
in blanket.
Are you afflicted with an unmusical fineer9
Does your ring finger" fail to perform It's
mission on the piano keys with the fexibility
and strength the other digits possess Cur
leading professors, and more particularly
those in Boston and New York, have lately
discovered that nature arranges these things
somewhat clumsily, and they have devised
means to correct her shortcomings It's
the simplest thing in the world; you Just
get surgeon to sever the little tendon that
connects the third and fourth fingers Of the
hand Immediately back Of the knuckles-
and there you are. The odd little operation
Is becoming quite popular among budding
musicians here, and as many as 400 hands
principally those Of very young girls
have been operated upon this season.
l talked yesterday with a well-known
professional teacher on the subject and be
rather surprised me.
There are over l, POO yonng people, a
great majority being young ladies. who
have had the ring finger liberated said
he, land it bids fair to become almost
general In the case OF those who wish TO
acquire complete musical education. In
Boston Profs. Orth and Faction have
undergone the operation, together with the
daughters OF many families in society. In
shis city Mrs. Mann is the leading profess
sional whom recall as having submitted
to it, but there is host Of non
professionals, of course Personally |
was sceptical about the advantage
to be gained, but since such distinguished
musicians as s. B. Mills, the celebrated
pianist; Prof. Lambert of the New York
College OF Music, and Prof Agramonte, who
is now visiting in Michigan, have iuvesti-
gated and expressed their astonisnment at
the change produced by the little surgical
operation, have been compelled to fall
into line Even D'Albert, the primes of
pianists, has been convinced. He saw the
operation performed in San Francisco"
How did it first become known?'
by the merest accident. A physician of
New Yors attempted to operate on the ten
dons of musician whose third and fourth
fingers had become stiff and unresponsive
through an injury to the hand. At hrst he
inserted the instrument at the back of the
ha1d, little forward Of the wrist. Bv and
L.. l. al