The sun., 1897-05-17
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.


self to tho novelty of tho horseless carriage,
there is said to have commenced in London n de-
mand for tho sedan chair as a vehicle Of fashion
able travel. One firm, according to newspaper
paragraph, is busy In the manufacture OF these
relics, which Of recent years have proved useful
only ornaments or on the stage. The new
chairs not to be decorated as Of old with
paintings or gided mouldings. but the colors
popular for the decoration OF ordinary vehicles
will be used. They will be painted black, dark
green, blue. maroon, with light yellow. green.
and red for trimmings The chairs will BIO very
light, and the promoters Of tho scheme are said
10 expect their profit from the use OF the vehicles
for evening parties, dinners, or other gatherings
where the distance to be travelled is not great.
Other passengers Will not bo carried, and the
interior OF the chairs will in this way be kept
perfectly clean, and wraps or dresses Of light
guests at the bradley Martin bali last winter
was very anxious to go from her home to the
hotel in sedan chair on the ground that sueh
appropriate TO the character she portrayed. But
her family and friends persuaded her that, in
Journey down Fifth avenue would necessarily
have to be undertaken under such strong police
protection that the plan would lose its effect.
Evidently in London no such curiosity exists.
The new horseless carriage attracts nearly as
much af re She bees m sne
ably attracts as many spectators as torchllght
parade.
Mime. Nordica's reported decision to cancel
her contract at the Opera in Paris before she has
sung Tdlentine in Les Hugucnots" will strike
most persons familiar with her ambitions and
character as rather surprising. Whether or not
It was connected with the comparative coolness
which prevailed in the Paris press after her ap-
pearance 1t is not possible to say. although it is
true that patient watching probably disclosed
no signs Of any speedy confagration of the Seine.
!. D,tt, cab ,f h.r
ances by the newspapers seems curious In view
Of her reputation and the fact that she had sung
at Baireuth, which would now be little likely TO
Mme. Nordica is not the sort of a woman to beat
II retreat after such slight struggle unless she
make make it tin impossible @ for her to gain recognition.
This is Nine. Sordica's first appearance in
Europe in opera since the quarrel that took
erclse its influence until the company dis
banded here. 1t would be interesting to know
her Paris season TO the results OF that quarrel
That its influence was far-reaching Is shown by
ro% hs Place e
Hotel In Chicago. There Mile. Calve is said to
have refused to take room In the hotel be-
cause IL had previously been occupied by Nine.
Nordica. She is very superstltous woman
whose eccentricitics have greatly increased dur:
her vagaries while the company was on tour
were indeed remarkable. Her question, " What
my haTe nI OF
personal feeling and not founded on the fear
that possibly she might 90 criticised by her
associates for occupying the same suite OF
apartments that had once been Mime. Nordica's.
The REMEMBERING of West End avenue has
been done on tho installment plan and in such
an irregular manner that the residents OF that
street have had many awkward experiences
1t was at first assumed that 100 was to be added
10 each number, and such has been the change
on many Of the houses. In other cases more
than 100 has been added, and as a result mail
and express packages have been chasing up and
they are addressed. woman who lives on
W est End avenue fell under suspicion in one OF
dered some articles and told the saleswoman to
send them that afternoon c. Q; d.
Bank hs faes
nue. replied the woman giving % her old address.
n.ReS nsf The hGe 6 pS ho Way
sfeam9a ths q l03hs 10
saleswoman, changing the number NOW that
think OF II. my number hasn't been changed. as
at ha
as il speculating as TO why she should not know
her own house address. and then she consulted
was sure that the last address WAS correct and
then she explained why there might be some
confusion about IT.
From Paris comes the news that the owner of
the Chat Noir. that much advertised restaurant
which has achieved international fame. is dead,
and that the building has been pulled down.
This will be unwecome news for the many
imitntors OF the Chat Noir all over tho country.
Hardly u town In this country that is large
enough to support a table d'hote restaurant but
has its Chat Soir where the self-admitted local
wits gather and tell stories about their achieve:
attract an Interesting crowd OF artists. singers
and writers Of various degrees OF fame. and 1t
ss Of as Fhs to Of the So s sw wy
the a%s Shat SolS; seysEsl Years . ssS = = i.tIs
public it inappreciative % decided that they would
style OF the Chat Noir, and a restaurant not far
from Fourteenth street was selected as meet
E T. ana "Hd eSre opes
of tho wit that sparkled around these tables
od Nth ss" S %th the
were looked upon as probable victims. Then these
at time, on successive evenings. The new. men
found very thirsty crowd that assumed large
numbers ba drS nw wss ana
at his expense. In return the new, member
might listen TO the good stories told by men
who knew n man who shook the hand OF Sulli-
van or some other celebrity. Tho "cult" took
itself seriously, and just as II was proposing to
ssr he RSSSr Of tSs Chat or R PARIS s
list OF available men for membership gave out,
wit nor anything else flowed, and the "cult"
went out OF business.
Tho old st. Johns Church at Fort Hamilton
that has just been torn down to make room for
II new one dated back TO 1884, when the fort
was OF more importance as a military centre
than IL 10 now. The Rev. Jamos Dixon Carder
was its hrst rector, and at that time Brooklyn
regularly chartered city. The wardens and
yestrymen OF the new congregation were drawn
from the garrison. The ch hurch records show that
Major Thomas Jefferson jackson was baptized
there In l949, and that Gen. Robert Il. Lee,
Rear Admiral clitz, Gen. Henry Stanton. and
bors OF the congregation. A modern stone
building Il To be erected ON the Blto OF the old