The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-11-28

rooms or expensive restaurants in the
region Of Twenty-third street between
half-past six and half-past seven in the
evening, or after the theaters have
emptied their multitudes. There are
hundreds of public dinners given here
in the course of month, and hundreds
of private dinner parties every even
ing, which cost from ten to twenty
fve dollars per cover.
And mentioning the theaters re-
minds me that there are over thirty
play houses in New York now and
more in process of construction.
Fifth avenue, and its contingent
streets are dotted with wealthy clubs
athletic clubs, political clubs. artistic
clubs,ian clubs that are so exclusive
that when a male heir is born to .
man he puts the child's name on the
list that he may be voted upon and
elected by the time he comes to the ago
of manhood. Club lite in New York
has outorown even the proportion Of
the club life in London. Any man
who desires to be considered at all In
the swim belongs to at least one club
and perhaps .half-a-dozen. A great
many men find 1t . pleasure to live at
their clubs, for the table Is good and
the service excellent, and life is quite
agreeable. There is large class of
club men in New York who do not do
any business at all except to drive fast
horses, look after their investments,
dawdIe about society and otherwise
try to kill time.
In the matter of mans apparel, and
woman's. too, the taste for luxury has
grown very much within the past few
years. In the old days men most
treasured what they were pleased to
term Sunday suit" Nowadays .
mans wardrobe is so well stocked that
he can afford to wear a different suit
Of clothes almost every day in the
week, and, besides, his linen is unap-
proachable. his underwear Of silk. and
his jewelry and other articles OF per-
sonal adornment the best that good
taste and money can get. The wealthy
women of New York; wear more dia-
monds and jewelry and more expen-
sive wraps and gowns than ever be-
fore; and even the little children Of
well-to-do families are arrayed in pur-
pie and fine linen and have their own
maids, governesses and instructors.
There seems to be no end to the money
here now. and those who are the for
tunate possessors of big bank accounts
are not a bit backward in spending it
freely. 1t Is the age of gold, high liv-
ing. and nervous activity.
New York is a glorious city TO live In
II you have a bank account l have
not drawn for your inspection the re-
verse of this picture. l believe. how
ever, that the poor are no poorer than
they were ten years ago. II anything,
I think they are somewhat better off.
Yet there arc misery and suffering un-
told in the great tenement districts on
the east and west sides of this rich city,
and men and women often tire Of the
struggle for life and find rest beneath
the waters Of tho East and North
rivers.
Still. the police authorities tell mo
that crime is on the decrease, and the
charitable organizations report that
there is money enough for all who are
deserving Of help. The dives do not
flourish as they did in years gone by.
although the astonishing state men.
was made the other day that there
are 10000 fallen women in this big
city.
Perhaps DR.. Parkhurst and his allies
have rot begun any too soon to wipe
out the crime of this sybaritic age.
FOSTER COATES :