The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-01
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

One OF The familiar faces long absent from the
Tenderon is to be seen there again SO little
changed that II ls readily recognizable In spite
OF the years that have interviewed since the
man left the region suddenly and with some
assistance in his flight The game he PLAYED
has become somewhat moro com picated than
1t was in the days Of his former prominence.
and 1t is little difficult now to see how any
body could have been taken in by such an
obvious fraud. But he was ono OF the most
successful confidence men that New York ever
knew. He is as thin. hungry and clerical look
ing as ever. and his same subdued taste Is
shown in the customary coat OF solem black
which he has worn since the day he first be-
came a, celebrity in his UNPLEASANT way. As
ternoon there was one notable, difference in
his dress. The bunch OF artificial yiolets that
buttonhole had DISAPPEARED. In other re-
speets he looked he ths has ne 81 f ia
6sn ho Sfo shansed mo @ Than looks
there might be the same chances Of success
open to him in The old ned But that +, looks 3s
than 1t used to be when this man was known
as one Of the very best in his line o! business
today I'd in that part Of town. il not everywhere
in town. and the countrymen taken In now by
this veteran will have to be very Groen indeed.
Many OF tho singers in the Maurice Grau
Opera Company are not at all pleased with tho
idea Of having to reach this country next sea-
son as early as the middle OF September.
Those with concert engagements will be COM
PEELED to be here at an even earlier date. Nine.
Sembrich sings in the Maine Festival and will
have to be here by the end OF the first week in
September. although Maurice Grau has ar
ranged that she shall not sing In San Fran
cisco until the second week OF the season
there. The manner OF showing their unwll-
ingness to return has taken rather charac-
teristc form in some cases. Those singers
under yearly contracts are not required 10 be-
gin work before the middle OF October IN.
one month earlier. Pol Plancon. who Is en-
gagged under such a contract, has decided that
the sorrow OF being compelled to part with
his relatives 50 much earlier than he expected
can he lightened only by much larger sal
der his contract. SO Maurice Grau may be
compelled to pay him the necessary advance
to lor ms from;
his chickens and cows. and he will certainly
expect Mr. Grau to assuage his grief in some
in the com pany who feel the same reluctance
t. such an early return and refuse to he com
torted by anything short OF an advanced sal
airy.
The convenience OF the new $1,000 and
$500 revenue stamps will be realized by law
yers and others who have recently been able
to find with difficulty on mortgages and CON
veyances sufficient space upon which to afllX
the stamps required by law when the $50
stamp was tho highest denomination availa-
Bile. In one transaction which took place In
the Office OF n New York firm the other day
| revenue stamps representing value OF $lS.-
! 900 had TO be put on mortgage. The dinl-
| Guilty OF finding room for them was finally met
| by putting around the edge OF every sheet OF
| paper in the document an edge OF revenue
stamps, thus framing every page. Even larger
| numbers OF stamps have been necessary at
spnes for them Nor vas the result so little
| damaging to the looks OF tho papers as 10 the
| case OF this device.
New York takes quickly to what pleases its
| fancy. A year ago the dwarf japanese trees
brought here to he sold at auction were shown
| to the public for tho first time. Even then
| they were seen only by that limited number
who seek ont such objects Of foreign art. for
! these plants are much more the result Of art
than nature. Until that time these plants
| had been seen only In japanese shop in
| Fifth avenue and there were only n few OF
| them. and by no means fine specimens to be
| found there. one or two more lots Of them
| we're brought here for sale and suddenly the
mon rs the chrysant hemum. The window OF
! nearly eyery'norist displays now some spec-
mems OF tins quaint form OF arhoriculture. II
| they continue to increase as they have during
the past few months. these results Of the jan
anesS gardeners skin vii! fail TO attract even
the casual attention 81 the passersOy beau
tltui and delicate as most Of the plants are.
| Equally fami lar are the ferns growing in tho
| forms OF birds and animals, with their roots
| trained to represent the creature desired,
| while the green leaves sprout in any drec-
| ton. Not many months ago hanging ball Of
| ferns was looked upon as novelty. Now IL
II possl BILE to get M eagle, monkey or nearly
any Other kind Of hyng creature which an
pealS most 10 the purchaser for such use. The
secret OF these Growths ia said TO be known
already To the American gardeners and they
than fewer No ingenuity OF Americans will
ever be able TO supply the lapse OF centuries
that gives some Of these plants their greatest
value.