Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-28

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merchAirts. Speaking Of mysterious dissp-
pearances, I can recall one that think never
got into print, but which is quite sensational
rs most episodes OF the kind. Some weeks ago
an inmate OF one Of the public institutions for
the blind in this city attended church in COM
peny with guardian. After church the per-
son on some excuse lodged the guardian and
thon and there absolutely disappeared. One
or two vague and unreliable traces were found
of the wanderer. but to this day nothing is
known further. The locality was one of the
most crowded in New York, it was broad day
hight and the truant was person whose move
ments would Immediately attract attention.
so far as known the person had no money or
friends or evil propensities., The vacant lots
and byways were searched, . general alarm
was sent out through the police and innumera-
Die inquiries yere made in every direction, but
the ground seems to have opened and swal-
lowed up its prey.
NEW YoRK's KEW GARDENS.
1t astonishes most people to be told that the
geographical center of New York city lies along
125th street, but the incredulity ceases if such
person takes q train and rides to the northern
limits Of the city. For half an hour the trav-
eler flies northward, passing one suburb after
another, and presently stretches Of meadows
and forests. and still the policeman follows,
much in the villain-still-pursued-her style.
had occasion on Washington's birthday to go
to the extreme northern part of town and
gained fresh idea Of the enormous extent Of
the metropolis. Far away upon the upper
boundary lies the Bronx Park, which a hundred
years from now, or perhaps sooner, for the
world turns over pretty rapidly nowadays, will
be one of the great show gardens of the world.
1t has been pretty definitely settled that here
shall be the great botanical garden Of New York.
This movement is in the hands Of strong par
ties, who are not only lovers Of nature, but
solid business men, and they propose to back
up their taste by their purses and by their in
duence rs citizens, so that a. a result the city
may have q botanical garden that shall rank
with Kew or the Jardin des Plantes. There
was some talk OF having this domesticated, like
everything else, in Central Park. but that was
given up for considerations Of elbow room, and
now the purpose is to devote the Bronx Park
mainly to this object Several hundred acres are
available, and the landscape will be handled by
the finest experts to give the most pleasing re-
suits. 1t is not unlikely that the geological
gardens may be put in the same domain, or in
the movement to give the choicest part Of Cen
trail Park to the kangaroo and the hippopota-
mus has collapsed.
THE FAYERwEATHER MILLIONS.
The developments on Wednesday in the Fayer-
weather will case were on par with the extra
| ordinary features that preceded them. In tho
course Of the proceedings before the surrogate
it appeared that the three trustees, Q day or
two ago, made q covenant under which they
dispose of all the money that will come to them,
provided the will is probated. In word, the
by as much more than that % the property may
finally realize. The principal feature of inter-
eat, apart from the splendid endowments which
60 to the colleges and hospitals in this new gift
is the light it sheds on the plans Of the trustees
and on their very peculiar methods. We can
take either the charitable or the cynical view Of
their action. We may, perhaps, never know
which is more nearly correct the view which
claims that they were intending from the first
to turn over the entire property to public in
terests or the one that holds that they we're
shamed or scared into disgorging the plumber
which they had procured from a dying and I'M
conscious man. Whichever explanation we pre-
fer, the fact remains that their action goes very
far toward settling the contest. The widow has
already committed herself to the payment Of
the large requests in the will to the colleges in
case the will was broken, and now the trustees
have made public their scheme, by which they
as residuary legatees, will obtain nothing be-
yond their legal fees. They also say that they
hold in reserve the power to increase the fund
given to the widow, and in other ways suggest
terms OF compromise and settlement. It looks
very much, therefore. as if this memorable con-
test were to stop while yet the bulk of the prop
erty remains out of the reach of the lawyers,
and that the colleges and hospitals of the coun-
try would receive q shower of benefactions un-
parallelsd in American history. This will be a
happy termination to an extraordinary case.
THE NEW "rAD" IN ART.
Just now we are going in for sculpture. For
q long time painting had all its own way, but
within year or two the attention Of connois-
seurs and art patrons has shifted to the kin
dred art of sculpture. The Metropolitan
Museum of Art has already acquired u large
number Of piaster-of-paris casts and is Just
now making preparations for special fund of
100000. Of which $4,000 has already been
ros.a vrsxl xla int -
the income Of this fund a collection of casts
that shall compare with the best in the world
The museum has also acquired recently q
notable group of BEARS and Trainer" which
took the first prize for sculpture at the salon
last sumner. Again, we are to have an addi-
ton to the statuary in the park in the shape Of
a monument to Thorwaldsen. to DO presented
by the resident Danes of New York. The sculp-
tors-what few there are OF them-are 40 busy
us they can be, and your readers in Washing
ton will be gratified to learn that Mr.. French Is
full OF important work, which keeps him profit
ably employed.
ON THE TRIPOD.
A number of interesting items have turned
up in journalism during the week. The most
Important is the change at Harper's Weekly,
where Richard Harding Davis has succeeded
John Foord rs managing editor. Mr.. Foord is
now III Paris, acting Us private secretary to Mr..
Pulitzer. 1t il q curious example of the yicis-
sltuueB OF JOurnhllsln that JOnn tO0rQ, who, a
few years ago, was the editor of the Times,
while Mr.. Pulitzer was an obscure and strug-
Cling journalist, should now be q secretary for
a man whom recently he would not have
deigned to notice. Mr.. FoOrd's career has not
fulfilled the expectation OF his friends, and he
leaves Harper in q way to cause regret
Young Davis has drawn q prize in the lottery
and report speaks well OF him. He has already
earned his spurs by good work, and while
lacking in years and in knowledge of the
world he has given evidence OF abilities which
the Harpers, who are pretty shrewd Judges of
men, think will carry on their publication with
the accustomed strength. One OF the leading
subjects of talk in newspaper circles is the
conduct OF the two new dailies. As vet they
have not justified their existence, but ertainly
i'll the case OF the Recorder they have money
enough behind them to take them through the
pitfalls of the beginner and allow them to
strike their own gait Unless they manage to
do this they are bound to collapse as it is hope
less to butt against the existing papers in their
own field.
CHURCH DOORS THAT DON'T OPEN
The architectural door is q magnificent
structure, broad and high and 30 spacious that
on some OF the big ecclesiastical structures of
the city it looks as If q coach and four could
easily be driven through it. But it seems to be
by no means the intention that ANYTHING
should 60 through it, least of all the worship-
ers for whom the churches are supposed to Be
built. At the Cathedral, the vast church of the
Paulist Fathers ON 59th street, old Trinity and
n number Of 0thar uotahla xlso ~,