The sun., 1896-10-16
LIVE zoPIcs ABoUr ToWY.

owner OF the Washington Irving place, Sun
nyside, between Tarrytown and Irvington,
had heen compelled to enclose the old house
with wire fences TO put stop TO tho depreda-
tiUns of bicyclsts. The damage MT first was
confined 10 scattering papers and BIKES over
the lawn. but after.a while tho anxiety Of the
visitors to secure relics of the place threat
oned its actual existence. Since the two maiden
nieces OF the author sold the pace.and removed
to New York it has been tenantod only by two
old servants Of the family, and they were en-
tlrey unable to keep Off the blcyclsts who
came in increasing numbers. The climax was
reached last Decoration Day, and Mr.. Irving
then decided that II anything OF the old house
was to be preserved II would be necessary to
take decisive measures to keep the public
away from it. The house is in wro ched
condition OF repair. and IL is the intention Of
the pl esent owner TO commence within a short
time a complete restoration OF the decaying
old building. The two nieces to whom WASH
ington Irving left the place were forbidden by
q provision In his Will from selling 1t to any
body not a member of tho family, and as they
were in moderate circumstances the work OF
repair was more than they could undertake;
BY clause In the Will un, or which they held
the property, IL was to escheat % the state In
case it was sold during their lives to any one
not a member OF their family. Alexander ID.
Irving. tner cousin. finally bought the prop
erty from them and they were able to leave
the old house. which had practically become
unfit tor occupation even during the few
pied it. Mr.. Irving has adopted measures to
keep the public away from Sunnyside, be-
cause II anything OF the old place Is to be left'
such a step was imperative.
Walter Damrosch brings over IA substitute
for Frau Klafsky n German prima donna
whose fame had not reached this country.
Both Klafsky and Terning were well known
by reput alton before they sang here, but OF
Frau Mohor- -Ravenstein nothing has hereto
Il. L. t,
retirement for some time. and as the little
opera house at Mannheim was the scene Of her
previous triumphs. New York may be par
doned for not having made n point of learning
something about her. Mime. Nordica's mana
ger announced only yesterday that she would
under no circumstances sing ut the Metro
politan Opera House this season, and it Is to be
hoped thai Frau Mohor- Ravens'ein. or who
ever takes her place in the Abbey Grau
forces, will be equal to npholding the stand
ard of the projected Wagner performances.
Last year the weaknesses in the casts made the
though there could be no such result this sea-
in view of tie artists engaged. The per,
formances OF Die WalkNre' and "Sicgtred"
with the De ResIkes, Eames, Melha, and Nor
dicu. promi sed to be excepti"nally fine. but tho
withdrawal Of Nine. Nordica. with 40 adrduate
substitute, weakens this programme at the out:
set in an important respect. In the case Of
Tristan and Isolde" her Absence VIII be felt
to even a greater degree, and il Walter Dam
rosch adheres 10 the discrimination 10 retain
the services OF Frau Lii Lehman exclusive
ly for his own organization. II Is not quite evi'
dent who will satisfactorily replace FRAU hlat'
sky and Nine. Nordica.
lLee ect of u substitute not up to the high
standard OF the other singers in these produc-
tlons will DE TO subject them In measure to
the same danger which overwhe lined last
years German season. 1t IS to TO hoped that
Frau Mohor- -Ravensten. II she Is to be associ-
ated with the distinguished artists who are TO
be the Interpreters OF the Wagner operas at
the METROPOLITAN tnis season. Will prove quite
lllmrDSch
gaertner say she is. Nine. Fam IS is busy
now in London in the preparation OF S',glInht.
and at the Loera II stage manager Is begin
ing to make ready for use some OF the theo-
rics Of Wagnerian stage manascment which
tions ae that the performances will be the
finest that cou be given In any opcra house
in the world. p!rovGsd tlat capable SUBS IT,
RHDsky. The task =, i'll be a difficult one.
There are no Young singers in Germanv quail;
he'd to participate in such performances. aud
the better known prina donnas would never
do. Frau Sucher is anxious to hay" another
opportunity here. as she was In III heath DUR
ing the whole OF her engagement Win the Dam
rosch company two years ago. But 1t is not
likely that she will return. Fraulc'n Matten OF
Dresden. for many years n welI-known Wng'
merriam singer. has ne.cr teen heard here She
ig said however. TO have accumulated 100
much avoirduuois. and lost 100 ihuSn ~ Ne, mer
voice within recent years TO be possibility
here.
The actress who has comm uricated from
the antipodes the interesting news that she is
to marry a millionaire has always been most
notable here for what she did outside the thea
tres and on the ded yrdtl OF a society that used
to meet opposite the theatre in which she first
became known to fame. That organization,
which named itself the Numidian Club, was
peculiarly supposed to be made up OF IA num-
b.r of confirmed and hardened FOUNDERS. who
dissipated nightly in manner which had
never been eQuallrd since the historic de-
bauches of the Roman days, AS a matter Of
fact. these gatherings were made up OF II few pal-
lid young men. one or two actors. and severa
Germans who boa-trd ''yons" and other titles
which in the good feeling that pervHded tine
meetings were never subjected to cNamina-
tion After this band had smoked all the ci-
Qarcttes IL was equal TO. and dropped out of tho
view OF the people who sometimes went down
10 the cafe to look at it, the young woman he
gan to attract midnight attention as tie AMI
anced OF pugilist They were supposed To
be engaged for several nths. mt he trrri-
mated this tender relation by blacktng his be-
trOthed- eyes in "A restaurant. May the pros
pective AustraliOn husband show more sclt.re-