The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

LITE OPTICS ABOUT TOWN.
The sort Of Thanksgiving that New York ex-
perienced was not nearly so bad in It's effects
on the city rs persons might have expected.
1t kept a great many In town who would other
wise have spent their time as well as their
money at the suburban country clubs and
made New York amusements on that day
quite barren. The prevalence OF golf. following
the rage for the bicycle. has had the effect Of
draining New York on Sundays and holidays
OF its leisure class. IL this was true in the
early days Of the interest in wheeling, 1t is
twice as true now since golf has taken hold on
the interest OF the public. Fair weather on
Thursday would have nearly emptied New
York of the people who spend money on the
holiday. The neighboring golf courses would
have been crowded and none OF the visitors
| would haye returned to New York before dark.
the nou,S exodus Sdvs hos The Ses picture !, galleries gal which hch
been fair the matinees. that are not always we'll
attended on holidays. and the city restaurants
at midday enjoyed a PATRONAGE that would
weather was 30 bad. It was the weather. how
ever. that was responsible for this prosrerity.
YorSers are e. able to be truly thankful for bad
weather.
Some OF the uptown beggars may attract at
tention by waving stumps at spectators or
grinding wheezy organs. but the man who gets
the lions share OF charitable attention In the
shopping districts now Uses no such conven-
tional means OF gaining sympathy. He
sits in an invalid's chair. looks fairly veil
dressed for q beggar. and informs the public
OF his misfortunes only by means OF a neatly
printed card. The success OF his plan comes
from the dreadful COLLAPSE and detection which
his appearance expresses. His head falls for
- - IL A.
concealed from view. His beard sweeps his
breast and his hin hands are crossed on his
body. He is the picture OF physical weakness
combine 10 keep a crowd about him ali day.
No other mendicant in the region gets half so
much attention as this newcomer. Not alone
do the women. uptown stop to stare at him.
He was in Wall street the other day. and kept
the sized crowd standing about him.
The invalid chair Is propelled by an assistant
who ~retires from view as soon as the beggar
is anchored and reappears only to push him
along to some new field.
Marguerite Reid is another American singer
who Is waiting to earn her honors abroad be-
fore she comes here to take her chances with
the brilliant galaxy at the Metropolitan. She
has been successful at Covent Garden and
might have come here this winter had she not
preferred to remain abroad until q season in
which she would he likely to meet with less
TlNdlTy- lHlS WlulcT Sne Will SlnR dU LltRe,
which. next to the Theatre de la Monnaie, has
tho most important lyric theatre in Bel
GUM. Fanchon Thompson. who remained
abroad and gave up her engagement at the
Metropolitan. will sing at the Opera Comioue
in Paris this winter. There is the possibility
Of appearing there in roles which are
never intrusted to any singers at the Metro
politan except the great stars. and the result
ing restriction to nnimportant parts keeps the
new SINGER nrnntlnalY nnkn0wn Hara fhn
%pecuniary rewards are quite as great foothe
less important duties. even IT, the chances OF
gle. who is a native Of Chicago. sang there
only three times during the engagement of the
appearing in leading roles. and her return as
a prima donna was thus accomplished in a
friends. But she has waited for several seer
sons here to have such opportunities.
One fashion of English origin that has re-
Gently grown rapidly in popularity here is.
luckily, for men. and its general acceptance
need not be so much regretted as II it was a
mode in the dress OF women. Only q few
years ago the man who wore q mourning band
on his sleeve was the most conspicuous per-
son In view. and the unusual fashion was GER
tain to create comment wherever II was seen.
But nowadays it creates no unusual attention
and the band is not considered In the wrong
place II 1t happens to be about the sleeve and
not around the hat. Tho fashion is said to
have been introduced gradually through the
influence Of women who wore it regularly
long before IL had attained its present popu-
iarity among men. 10 was they, who prepared
enough on light .overcoats to be almost eX-
cuse enough. for the ate ption 1t attracted for
merly. So far 1t has been confined to the
tional touch OF mourning to the liGht.coiored
suit as we'll. That is an advance in the fashion
which may come later.
The rival restaurant stands ready TO open its
doors and admit that throng which is pre-
sumably anxious to show that broiled lob
sters and Welsh rabbits are not necessarily con-
fined to one place in the Tenderloin, IL music
and the finest decorations are to be found there.
But il the restaurant is ready. those who
are anxious to become its patrons can
only stand outside its closed doors and stare
into the interior. The reason for this is said
to he a dispute between the owner and the
lessee az to the terms on which the building
should be decorated. The lessee believes that
the decorations should be quite as elaborate as
but tho owner thinks that the proprietor him
SeIi should be willing to pay for this elegance.
place has not yet opened it's doors to receive tbat
thronR which has been threatening for a long
time to show what it will do. when there Is an
other restaurant in, the neiEhborhood. The
ielay Is probably only temporary. A building
so well, adapted to the purpose must ulti-
hihtoiJ 10 puL lnlO uSt.
Signor Tagliapietra. who is to marry Miss Mar
garet Townsend, was ono OF the four hus-
bands OF Nine. Teresa Carreno. the pianist.
who iseominE 10 play in this country again this
winter. siGnor Tagliapietra is handsome man,
and was at one time famous here as a bari
tone. During recent years his prosperity and
his voice have diminished. He was one OF the
first OF the Italian singers to go over to Eng
lish opera here. and later he sang in comic
opera. subsequently he was heard in the vau-
deVille theatres, and he retired several years
ago to devote himself to teaching. That has
been his profession ever since. Other emil
nent singers followed Signor TaEliapietra's eX-
ample and took to vaudeville a~fterward. but he
was the fret TO do IL and the step created com
ment at the time. Now with Camilla Urso in
the continuous. even greater musical names
have found their way TO the programmes.
The experiment has not yet been made by any
q themof returning, 70 their former places in
their professions, With the actors the scheme
has been found 70 work well, They have not
suffered troE. the change,