Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-16
THE TOPICAL TALKER.

We Have the Flies still With us-Precau-
tIOu Against Them In New Houses
Popular Concerts a success Elsewhere.
CandOr ExempIIf1ed by Mathew Arnold.
The DenrIh of Good short Stories.
! ONE of the luxuries this winter has allowed
! us to enjoy is flies. Healthy bluebottles and
| lusty housefies make known their survival in
| familiar ways in every household. The few
brief hours of cold weather-interludes of
frigidity-have sent the buzzing nuisances into
retreat, but every time the succeeding warm
| spell has brought them out again.
A curious innovation in house building has
been brought about this winter by the plague
of flies, and by the activity of their fellow con-
spirators, the moths and millers. In two man
sions now in process of erection in the East
| End-the two finest houses of the year prob
ably-screens are to be put at once into the
windows and doors. 1t is deemed unsafe to put
off these defenses against flies ETC., till the
nominal time for warm weather arrives.
50
| ONE of the opponents of the scheme to give
popular summer concerts in the Pittsburg
Exposition building says that it is impossible to
hire great artists to sing at them-that the ex-
pense would be too great. The plan OF the pop
uIar concerts proposed properly contemplates
the hiring of frst-class orchestra only. But
it is thought by Mr.. Johnston that Vocalists of
the first rank could be secured also. There are
plenty of precedents supporting this view. At
popular concerts in many cities during the
summer months artists of the highesE rank
have sung for moderate compensation. 1t is
after the close of the regular season, and the
high salaries are marked down.
swN0 oVfc fNf
this sort is the series of Promenade Concerts
given every year at the Covent Garden Theater
in London. The admission price charged is
shilling, that is % cents, the figure proposed
for Pittsburg. The concerts are tremendously
popular. At them the very best orchestra in
England is always engaged, and the soloists
have included MN Albani, Miss Emma Juch,
Minnie Hauck, Sims Reeves, Edward Santley-
in short artists of worldwide reputation
So
TTes heresy in Pittsburg, of course, to say
that one does not care brass farthing for
iron works, or glass houses, or gas wells, or any
other material evidences of natures bounty to
man and mans Skill yet, when young college
man who dropped in to see me week or two
ago, made such q confession when l proposed
to take him out to see the lions it seemed
rather refreshing CRndor Is admirable al
ways.
Mathew Arnold could not be insincere if he
tried. He spoke the truth always; even when
it knocked down politeness and shattered the
proprieties.
The great English philosopher was here
about a year before he died. He was the
guest of Mr.. Carnegie, and it was only natural
that his host should wish him to see the great
works at Braddock. do not know whether
MIR. Carnegie personally conducted Mr.. Ar
mold to the mills or not. All know is, that
when Mr.. Arnold got there, one of the first
men he met and was introduced to, was an
Englishman in charge of an important depart
ment. With this gentleman Mr.. Arnold began
a conversation which interested them both.
Mr.. Arnold was reminded that the works still
remained to be seen.
"The truth is" said Mr.. Arnold, "that l
don't care to see machinery and furnaces and
the other things. L prefer to stay here with
Mr.. - and talk"
And stay he did for full hour.
RsK
TT would be interesting to know why the short
stories in HGrper"S, ScrfbneT's and the
Century magazines have been. as a rule, SO out
rageously bad for the last three months. The
cheapest kind of sensationalism or the dead
liest of commonplace seems to be all these
publications can get. There Is a frightful ex-
ample of the condensed penny dreadful in
the January CentUry-a story of Southern
tigress in human shape, who explodes with
jealousy. rage and meanness one minute and
sacrifices her life to save her rivals the next.
Last month RGrper's had several thousand
words Of similar rubbish. What is the matter?
Are all the clever story writers trying their
hands at grander work. or are the editors losing
their dtscernment2
In delightful contrast to these cheap and
-
sketches of New England life which Sarah
Orne Jewett is drawing in the atlantic
Monthly. She has deliciously humorous,
quaint and uncommon study of life in this
months Atlantic called THE Quest of Mr..
Teaby" You ought to read it.