Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-02-04
ROUND ABOUT GOTHAM
Timely Items OF Personal ossiJ
From the Metropolis.
Ward McAilister Has No Rival-The Quiet
Life of Mrs. GcuerRl Grant-Morsaa
dix and His Work Cleveland
n IRwyP-,
coPYRIoHr 1880.

coPYHIoHr 1880
That nothing succeeds like success
is shown in the case Of Ward McAllis.
ter. The Now Year Ball, the echoes OF
which are still reverberating in Muir
ray Hill parlors, has M ade him the mos,
talked about of all the social leaders, ani
has given him q prestige and an infu
ence SO far above his fellows that hi
has not even q rival, much less ar
equal. McAllister's life is pretty well
known. He has had his ups and downs
He is one of the most remarkable men
in this country. He is a shrswd dnan
cler, and SO good Judge of the value
OF money that he manages on an income
OF perhaps $40, 900 year to live as well
as some OF his neighbors who spend
tn rec times that amount. He is an ex.
pert in the art Of dinner-givtng, and he
Is one of the best cooks in this country,
be can make salad as we'll as did
Sam Ward, that prince of good fellows.
In his palmiest days. He is q story
teller. the equal of Gen. Horace Porter
OF Chauncey NJ. Depew. and he is more
than either of those gentlemen-he is q
connoisseur of wines. 1t is no secret in
the wine trade that not one man out
OF hundred knows the difference be-
tween a fairly good sherry and one that
Is worth its weight in gold. You win
see men at the various clubs holding up
their glasses to the light and proclaim
ing that this burgundy or that cham
payne has no superior or equal, when,
as matter of fact, after they have
passed the dead level cot good
wine the judges are so few
that it Is easy to impose on
almost any one. McAllister is not one
Of these. He has o wine cellar collect
ed at great expense from all quarters OF
the globe, and while he is not drink
ing man at all, except that he likes
wine for dinner, he can tell. without
seeing bottle, the age, richness, and
value of the article.
When he selected the wines for the
great New Year ball supper he showed
his good judgment. although he was
severely criticised for departing from
the usual custom of taking what the
caterer said was tho best. Since that
time he has been the recipient from
wine merchants and dealers all over the
country OF sample bottles of their
goods, for which they hope to get fav-
orable word from him. for it is known
now that If McAllister says his wine is
good or bad, the sentence will fly from
one club to another. and from one din
ing-room to another along Fifth Ave-
nue., until the fame and fortune Of the
wine has been made or it has been is-
ANONYMOUSLY turned out of good society
So with the florists. They are SO
eager to serve him now and through him
gain trade. that there is hardly . day on
which he does not receive q sufficient
assortment of cut flowers to keep his
parlors looking like conservatory. 1t
is 80 in other matters; and those who
have dined around his hospitable board
say that he gets the best joints, the
best game, as we'll as the freshest and
most delicious vegetables of any m an in
New York; not that he pays more for
them than does his neighbor, but be-
cause he is Ward McAllister, and can
make any wine merch ant. florist,
caterer, or butcher independent for life
by saying the word.
A well-eqipped brougham dashed
through Central Park the other after
noon. The driver was in deep mourn
ing, and the sole occupant Of the back
seat was conspicuous for her pale face
and widows weeds. 1t was Julia Dent
Grant, widow of General Grant She
was out for her afternoon airing
through the Park. There was a stream
Of carriages and horseback riders, but
not one person OF that fashionable
cavalcade knew the distinguished wo-
man. Mrs. Grant looked what she
really is-far from we'll. She has been
ailing for long time, and is very sell
dom seen in society. Her eyesight Is
very poor. She attends church regu-
larly when her health permits, drives
out because her doctor insists on it,
and lives = quiet. peaceful life among
her own circle Of friends. One Of her
most frequent callers is General Sher-
man. He often dimes at Mrs Grants
house, and is on the most intimate
terms Of friendship with her coterie of
friends. Whom General Grant was
alive all the big and little men of the
country who visited New York paid
their respects to the hero Of Appomat-
tox. but they have forgotten his widow,
and now she Is seldom troubled except
perhaps when some old soldier whom
her husband befriended comes to in
quire after her health. or some Of the
dead Generals most intimate friends
pay what may DO called duty calls"
1t may not be generally known
that Mrs. Grant has large number
Of the private papers Of her late hus-
band which IL not Of extreme value,
would maize entertaining reading. She
has under advisement the proposition
from leading book-publishing house
to write = book. 1t is not likely she |
will do SO. however. for her means are
ample and her health will hardly per-
init OF the work. Her main object in |
life now is to see that her husbsno's |
last resting place Is marked by q suit. |
able monument She Is bending every |
energy in that direction. Every once !
in while an effort is made to induce
her to have the Generals remains take |
to some other city, but this she will
never consent to. George W. Childs 10 |
still her business adviser and coufiden