Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-07
TATTLE OF A BIG TOWN.

"A philosopher on q Bicycle-PittsburY
Looks Blue At Disfanoe--A Reculiar
Commerciai sCombination-The Spring
Bonnet Already in Blossom. z sE y
fFRok A srArF CORRESPONDENT
NEW YORK CRY, Feb. 6--Henry George
may not be able to convert all the world to
| his radical views as to land and taxes, but
he is having great success as an advocate
OF the bicycle as remedv for many or the
most serious ills humanity is heir to. saw
MIN to-day on Broadway, and he certainly
looked wonderfully hearty for man who
not very long ago was considered to have
one foot in the grave. A very warm ana
close friend OF Mr.. George tells me that the
philosopher practically owes his life to the
bicycle.
little more than year ago his
stomach went back upon him. The doctors
called it nervous prostration and prescribed
rest and restorative medicines. But
brilliant young Journalist of this city, who
was deeply attached to Georges theories
and George himself, came to the rescue. He
took the philosopher off to Bermuda and
taught him how to ride bicycle. The
climate and the exercise put new life into
Mr.. George, and he returned to this country
IN better health than he'd been for years
He not only rides the bicycle still whenever
he can, but in his conversation he keeps
upon the wheel and never tires of sounding
its praises. In politics Mr.. George is always
against the machine but in all things else
he is for it, and the bicycle manufacturers
can thank their stars that so eloquent a
tongue is enlisted in their cause.
Not Like Her Novels at All.
Mr. Charles Rohlfs, who is stopping
here, told me to-day that his wife, Anna
Katherine Greene, as she is better known, is
still planning new novels. 1 suppose most
of the people who have read "The Leaven-
worth Case" have the same sort of general
conception of the authors personality that
had till met her last summer. The woman
who could weave such weird story OF crime
and mystery, thought must be tall dark
eyed and heavy-browed brunette, whose
whole being should speak of potent imag-
ination. Now wouldn't you think so? But
the truth is otherwise. Mrs. Charles Rohlfs
is a very amiable and excessively retiring
little woman with no very marked features
at ALL who presides over a nursery with ma
ternal pride.
1t takes q good deal OF conversation to un-
earth Mrs. Rohlfs' literary resources; she is
not ready to show off at all, although she
has an acquaintance with good looks which
makes her critical views valuable. The
Rohlfs live quietly in Buffalo. Family cares
have monopolized her time of late, but
new novel from her pen is likely to appear
during the present year.
Pittsburg Painted Tco Blue.
The proudest Pittsburger is willing 10
confess that his city is not overwhelmed
with amusements but the recent antics Of
the Law and Order people have spread the
idea that Pittsburg is place where it is
misdemeanor to smile and a capital crime to
laugh. Half a dozen times in the last week
New Yorkers have asked me for particulars
of what they assumed to be the final en-
balmment OF Pittsburg in prohibitory woe.
have done my best to explain that things
are not so bad in Pittsburg as the outside
damaged considerably by the reports Of
Law and Order prosecutions, the attacks on
Sunday newspapers, etc.
The Danger of Being Too Good.
-Leander Richardson, the aggressive
editor of two dramatic papers, voiced the
multitude here when he said to me last
night: $50 Pittsburg isn't moral enough
yet? What's the matter with the townf
They're frightening lots of money away
from the place and making themselves q
laughing stock before the whole country. /
believe that no big city can afford to be run
like seminary for young ladies. Captain
Williams our grert policeman, told me once
that If New York were entirely under his
coutrol he would take q certain district of
the city and permit it to run wide open,
night and day. But the limits of this safety
valve should be plainly marked, and the
man who went into it would know exactly
what to expect. An advantage, to the Cap
tain's mind. also would be the collection of
all the crooks into a fewacres. where the po-
lice could readily lay hands upon them
when wanted. Captain Williams says, and
believe he's right, that the big city is over
governed and where moral restrictions are
severely enforced loses an immense amount
OF trade. Merchants when they go to buy
seasons stock generally prefer the city
which offers them a good time incidentally.
am sure Pittsburg is injuring herself Sc
riously by assuming that 'unco guid' style.
and trying to make everyone's life within
her gates of a dark drab pattern with blue
trimmings"
Piety After Champagne
Talking Of high piety as commercial
commodity heard a good and true story
yesterday about celebrated New York
firms use of it in business. In a certain de-
partment there are two men of equal
authority. To one is delegated the work
of drumming up trade and his gifts are con-
spicuously bonhomie and an ability to drink |
the average customer under the table.
When he has watered the ground so to |
speak with champagne and warmed it with
his conviviality, the other man steps in and
concludes the transaction by methods ex- |
actly opposite. The second man is a pillar |
of his church and a shining light in the |
Sunday school; he is sober, careful and cold. |
He nails down the customers whom his |
predecessor has entangled with jollity. |
They say that this division of labor and |
diversity of conduct work like a charm.
Flowers That Bloom in the Spring.
The luxuriant brilliancy of the bonnets |
the women are wearing here upon the |
streets in the first week in February is |
surprise to the visitors eye, and a pleasant |
one, too The weather has been simply |
suDerb since Tuesday, though the mercury |
kept up till to-day. Probably fine skies are |
for these fine feminine feathers. |
But there's trouble ahead for poor, dear, |
delightful woman in this early emulation of |
the dove. What will the adorable creatures |
do when Easter demands another advance
in millinery magnifcence? They have all |
the flowers that bloom in the spring on
their bonnets now; the rainbow is pale and
played-out compared to some of the COM
binations of color to be seen here in women's !
headgear.
New Use for Old Buses.
Those awful and happily obsolete en-
gines of torture, the Fifth avenue 'busses,
are being used for the dainty work of, con-
yeying theater parties now. There were
three 'busloads at "The Lion Tanner" Fran
els Wilson'S new comic opera, on Wednesday |
night. HEPBURN JOHNS.
San Domingo Offers p Monument Site.
Boston, Feb, ,6.-Thomas II. Cummings, on
behalf of the committee, has just received