The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-27
I'VE TOPICS AMOUR roWN.

possession OF large Interior court surrounded
by the wings OF the house. The great value OF
this plan lie. OF course. the success with which II
deals with the problem OF ventilation. Such
method OF building is not unknown In
New York. but the objections to 1t
are strong enough to limit the num-
per of houses x erected on ths pyEnGSpe
that the lack OF improvement in New York
apartment houses in other respects is due.
real estate agent said the other day that so far
as light and air were concerned. the average
New York apartment house OF to-day 10 no het-
hHp hos G g I'm
room" and 2y other dstSs the Inn mp1 6Ss
lighted or ventilated. His EXPLANATION Of this
was ingenious New Workers were preiudiced
were first introduced. and in order to make
them popular It was necessary to furnish
vided, For that reason space was sacrificed to
secure these advantages.
The inacoessibility OF celebrities has fire.
quently been attributed to egotism and absorp-
ton In themselves, but as matter Of fact they
frequently have far better reasons for keeping
Themselves in seclusion than most people be-
leve. 1t rarely happens that any courtesies
they may show are received in a spirit which
encourages them to continue gracious Ono
| example OF this was to be seen last week In the
experience OF popular singer who is Just now
In New York. She arrived in this country from
Europe and was absorbed In preparations for a
tour through the country which involved
the arrangement OF some forty trunks.
Among the letters she received was
one from young woman. who wrote that she
was interested in music and begged that she
might have tn. opportunity OF visiting the
singer and ENJOYING n personal meeting with
her. Generally such letters are thrown away.
| as they arrive in numbers so great that it
would he IusaiblA uoal with than bOt Dy
| chance this letter was favorablv answered,
ana an appoi9tment was made with the writer
| Tor certain day. The note was given to ono OF
| men in the hotel and presumably started the
| toward its destination. The day and the hour
woman This courtesy on the psrt Of the
singer meant that she had to ,[orego hsr daily
TO have the appointed hour pass without the
young womsn.s putting IN an appearance;
| then postal card. worded so abruptly as to be
| lmrertinnnt; was received On THIS the young
staIement that she had received I the note max
| Ing the appo, ntment the day after the date
fYed Eyldently the employee in the hotel to
| ing it, The result was Inconvenience to the
| woman who had made it point to be pote to
| and the natural desire to be agreeable. The
| impulse cost her an afternoon, freedom and an
impertinsnt postal card in addition. 1t is little
| 70 be wondered at. under the circumstances.
thst great msn rfs1s ana r1 men IN pTGH
whom they are not acquainted.
| The present crowded condition OF New York
hotels is due OF course to interest in the festiv-
| ities OF the week. but that cause alone could
| scarcely account for the prosperous season
| which hotel keepers are Just now promis ~
| themselves. Presumably they are looking f.
| ward to year that will bring an unprecedented
number Of guests to New York. This Is ev!-
| dent enough to persons endcavoring to make
| arrangements for the winter months at any Of
| the high-class houses. Guests who pay az
| much is three or four hundred dollars a week
| are treated with as much Indifference now-a-
| days as II they were to contribute one-tenth
that sum to the takings Of tho management
| This does not come from lack OF politeness, but
| the supreme confidence OF the employees in
| charge OF their ability certatnl ~ to rent the
rooms. One instance which, shows that this
a wealthy New Yorker. now abroad. en-
deayored to get the sort Of quarters he wanted
remain in Europe until the end OF the frst
| week in December and when he comes back
for the TsspfS Ave 81" mnnths e ne wanted
| large suite containing seven or eight rooms.
and price was n no particular Object , to him so
certain OUTLAWS he was unwilling 70 make.
whatever the ADVANTAGE might DO. He
| was averse, FOR instance. to paying the
Of N9yember' ana Ihat wa. 10 condition IL
| of the kind that he desired. from the irst Of
November Even for the high renta that he
listen to the propositions OF his agents that
9s he YOU'D ST as
| rental while they were unoccupIed 1t was en-
TREY nossIhte to let even such eIpen:Srt S
| proprietors seemed TO feel there was no risk
whatever in refusing the application.
| Nine Meba will. in all probability, make
her first appearance in Germany at one Of the
| Berlin Philharmonic concerts. under tho direc-
| ton OF Arthur Nikisoh and not in the opera. all
negotiations looking to any appearance there
| having come to an end. Prot Joachim. the
greatest OF German vonists is a friend OF
Nme. Melba and has been greatly interested
| in her German appearance. and the only time
| indeed that she has ever been heard in Ger
many, she sang at MUSICALE at his house. In
| spite OF Prof Joachims efforts to persuade the
direction OF the opera house that Lucia is
| one Of the greatest operas ever written. it 10
n2t to be sung at IN bhoEal, Opera by Nine
| there are given in the new Royal Opera House
there and few singers are ever allowed to
use the Italian text when the majority Of the
| performers sing in German. 1t is also probable
| that llms Nlelba will sing only in concert in
| Russia also
| The late Chief Justice Charles p. DAILY was be-
| lieved to be the best Gaelic authority in this
| country. and he spent much time and money
| in securing for his library books bearing on
| his favorite studies. Not long before his death
| THE Sun told how he had secured an al
| most priceless complete edition OF the
| Seanchus Nor. book OF Brehon laws. and
| it is probably the only complete edition in
| this country. Justc" DAYS library, con
taips many more books equally valuable
| aud the hops has hson expressed that
| it might ultimately find its way to one OF the
| public libraries. Justice Dnly not only kept a
| sharp Lookout for rare books when he went
| abroad. but he employed agents to keep him
informed Of such books az he might want
| which came into the market, He had all the
delight Of nm enthusiastic collector in running
| down rare book and securing il at allow price.
| An old man was knocked down by n bicycist
| on Saturday in front Of a large uptown bank.
| and the crowd which collected gave rise to
| the rumor that the bank had been robbed.
| Fortunately for the bank. there was nothing in
| the rumor which started any run on it. Such
accidents in the neIGhhorhood Of banks have
| frequently involved the banks good name
| A lew years ago Grand street bank which
| is the depository for many ~ the small trades
| in nat nni Nh rl,,,, y ian mad