Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-03-30
NEW YORK LETTER.

NEW YORK LETTER.
SPECIAL C0RRESPONDENCE.
II the voluptuous old Doges OF
Venice or tine luxurious old Roman
who flOurished at the time Of the down
fall OF their empire could come down
from the heavens above, and live in
New York for even twenty-four hours
Mt nStretch, they would see sights they
ne'er dared dream of IN their widest
days of eXtraya9ant recklessness. For
downright lNyishness and prodigiOus
prodigality when it comes TO spending
money, American millionaires from
Portland, Me-, to Portland, Ore, are
Il race unto themselves. Those of
Gotham possess these peculiarites to
BuperIatlvc degree, and where all this
sort Of thing will end, goodness only
knows. Just think Of it, cake 80
inches in diameter and II iLches in
height and costing 81, 100 cut up at q
birthday party OF Miss ConsucIo Van
derbilt. Just think of it, that indi.
geStible mass Of flour, raisins, candied
fruits and frOsting, interlNrded with
diamond rings for the Young ladies to
bite their pearly teeth into. just
think of it, the cXtravngant habits and
customs we are being led into if we
attempt to remain in the realm of
fashion. DO not think now of giving
birthday party unless you are able to
pnt diamond rings in the cake.
Sure Y the millennium is near at hand,
especially for the ladies, when they are
to he relieved of that great drawback
to domestic harmony, marital happi-
ness and ntnl serenity of being able
to get good servant girl and one
who will not undertake to dictate to
the mistress of the household. The
Utopian idea emanatcs from the brain
of Rev. DR.. Greer, formerly of the
town where the people are said to eat
nothing but beans and brown bread
Boston, winch probably accounts for
his phlIanthropic and very practical
move. 1t is nothing more than plan
to supply ladies' with household SER
wants. He has organized st. Bar
tholomew's Employment Bureau. Re-
Gently he sent ont 10000 cards to
ladies' who have district messenger
calls in their houses. The cards read:
To be hung near your call box-when |
YOU want cook, butler or other ser
want, male or female, call messenger
md send telegram to st. Bartholo- .
news Employment Bureau.
1t reads like dream, doesn't it? No .
more chasing about from one agency
to another, from one house to another.
Just touch your bell, and along comes
your chef or English butler who used
to live with Ne Lady 'Arboro.' If
this schem2 succeeds, it will do more
to produce that peace of mind which
passeth all understanding than many
church services and much pulpit ex-
hortation.
, + it succeeds. the twenty thousand
l"oieS or New York will arise as h uni.
and call 'D.. o.v,t Uivooru: Ia ;t
doesn't succeed wretched thought
it will only be because no human
agency, even though sanctifed by the
church, can successfully deal with the
servant problem.
1t will be no fault of modern scientists
if they do not succeed in soaring the
people half to death with their new
tangled notions regarding molecules,
9lobules, microbes and bacteria. We
nre taught to believe that these deadly
microbes fairly swarm in everything
about us in the very air we breathe,
the food we eat and water we drink,
and we virtually breathe, eat and sleep
ut our peril. And now comes the cry
that all paper money contains these
awful microbes of disease, and that
we must refuse even to take money if
We want to avoid many human ills.
But then everything is microbic.
Even that swcetly pretty girl you sit
beside in the street car is merely
rillion of germs, but that fact has
never deferred anybody from kissing
in public conveyance dear,
no! but when occasion permitted.
No, it won't do to be too nasty partic-
llar with mere scientific, micro.
'copic "organism, " if it is seen crawl
ng and wriggling across dollar bill.
The new republican Legislature of
,he state of New York has been
checked in its course of running
through bill establishing the whip
ping post for the punishment of con-
icts in that state. The Senate passed
he bill, but it was stopped in the
House.
1t is stigma upon Delaware
hat this degrading form of punish
nent still exists in that state. 1t
would be blot upon the fair fame OF }
New York if the whipping post were
% be set up here. There are some
classes of misdemeanor for which no l
punishment is too shameful. Whip
,ing, indeed, is too good for them.
But the effect upon the public as we'll
Is upon the criminals to be regarded, ..
md the hardening, demoralizing in.
iuence of this punishment is notori. =
,us. 1t has no place in civilized ..
,ode. ;;
The New York charities conference,
leld some days ago, has resulted in
he appointment of committee to a
perfect plan of allowing the poor OF '
he city to use vacant lots for farming a
purposes. Land for the purpose has t
,een offered in the suburbs, and the
of the plan hope to pro-
'ide small plots for cultivation for
!, 600 or 1000 of the city's most de- c