Evening star., 1901-12-12
GOSSIP FROM GOTHAM
Stir in the Ghetto Over a Coming
Jewish Festival.
JAPANESE STUDENTS FORM A CLUB
Demand for Newly Coined Money
to Make Presents.
BEGGARS ON FIFTH AVEN u E
Of The Evening Star.

NEW YORK, December IL, 1901.
Early winter brings to the market in
Hester street and the small shops of the
ghetto a special industry that for few
days at least, introduce new wares into
the stock of the peddler; that is, the selling
of hastily constructed candle holders for
the "Hannukah," the festival of lights.
These holders are fiimsy affairs, consisting
OF tin cross piece, on an uncertain stand,
bearing eight miniature holders in a row
and an additional little receptacle perched
on the handle of the instrument which is to
contain the ''shammus'' or sexton light.
To one of these candelabra supporting it's
regiment and captain of short hollow
bodies, must be added a package of long
wax tapers, and all is then provided for
the annual celebration of the eight nights
of illumination. The special event in jew
ism history commemorated by this particu-
lar holiday is comparatively modern, and
marks the miracle in the second temple
when. after the victories of Judas Macca-
beuS, the supply of unpolluted saccificial oil,
great enough to provide for one day s il
Elimination was by divine aid, made to last
for many as eight days
For eight nights. in order to revive in
the eyes of the little world in the ghetto
a living memory Of the blessed gOdsend Of
old, every home sends forth it's glmmer Of
holiday lights. On the first night one taper is
lit. on the second two. and on in increas-
ing progression until each of the small
holders contains its burden of smoking,
haring ta!low, and the full chorus of eight
tiny flames, with the sexton light melting
slowly before them like falling hero,
ushers out one of the happiest periods of
the Jewish year. From the flicker of the
first torch the opening night to the
final spluttering of the last light on the
closing evening, the week is regarded as d
period to be given up to joy and pleasure,
Japanese Students Club.
The score of Japanese students at CO.
lumbia University have organized the "Co-
lumba Club of japanese Students" whose
object will be not only to promote social
intercourse, but also to further the inter-
ests of the university in the far east. Most
of these students devote themselves to the
study of political science. Speaking in ref
erence to the formation of the new club
the secretary of the organization said: "Al-
though there are not yet many Columbia
graduates in Japan, her reputation as a
university is second to none in the minds
of Japanese students. 1t is safe to say that
the Japanese people nowadays recognize
Columbia University of the best
universities in America, if not in the
world
The new club will hold monthly meetings.
At the first meeting of the club Wasaku
Natori, graduate of keiogyika University
Toxic, was elected president and Yetono
KInosita secretary. With the sympathy
and encouragement of the Columbia alum
nj the members of the Japanese Club ex-
pect to organize in the near future CO.
lunbia Club in Toxic, Japan. The recent
visit of Prof. Bashford, dean of Columbia,
TO Japan, in order to pursue Investigations
there, is thought to have something to do
with the formation of the new club.
Newly Coined Money for Presents.
The growth of the custom of giving new
money as a present, and the present pros
porous condition of the country have made
the demand greater this year than pre-
viously, and it is probable that two millions
will not cover what in Wall street technical
terms is 1.-The movement of new money"
The subtreasury does not ask the Treasury
Department for the money until the re-
quests for 1t have aggregated sufficient
amount TO make a basis on which to form
an estimate of what the total amount
needed may be. The requests from insti-
tutions in the city carrying small accounts
and outside banks are already so great that
the total will probably go over two millions
AT least a million and half of this will
be in new gold coins and the rest will be
divided up between all the denominations
from new copper cent up to a $1,000 gold
certificate. This year there is a new $40
greenback, the engraving and design of
which is uncommonly attractive. The de-
sign is a tribute to Capts. Lewis and
great northwest many years ago. This bill
is in unusual demand are gold coins of
the So denomination.
BeGGars Fifth Avenue.
Fifth avenues crop of evening beggars is
larger than ever and its character is the
same as it has been in the past. Most of
the men are young, and in the majority of
cases their manner of approach is familiar
and airy rather than supplcating. AS in
the past, they most active between z
O'Clock and 10, and they have disappeared
before the later pedestrians are on the
street. Their particular prey is the men
who are on their way home to dinner or to
the theater, and for that reason are sup
posed to be in a particularly generous
frame of mind. These beggars are, as a
rule, comfortable in appearance and they
suggest in manner and looks the wreckage
of the race tracks near the city. The most
picturesque mendicant on the city streets
today is a woman who is a new arrival
She is as black and nearly shiny as coal
She seems from the vigor of her tread and
her rapid gait giant in strength. Her
dress Is an attempt at neatneSS, with the
verieSt rags as its foundation. She PAGES
the streets from morning until night, and
the expression of determination never leaves
here face. She is undoubtedly southern
negresS and her present wanderinSs sug-
gest a waste of culinary ability that is ap-
pailing in view of the present scarcity OF
cooks.
NINE. LeGrain Under Siege.
Perched high upon a rocky hill, like a
mediaeval castle, its weather-stained old
tower frownins above tightly -shuttered
windows and doors and ruined old porch
the house of Nine Legrain, at Mamora-
neck, has been in state of siege for days
Defending her castle against deputy
sheriffs with legal papers and those who,
she says, would take her home from her,
Nine. Legrain, who is nearly Seventy-fve
years old sits in the drawing room of the
old house surrounded by the relics of
DAY of wealth and society of the long ago
The daughter of a court chamberlain of
Louis Napoleon, a leader in Washington
society during the administrations of
Presidents Pierce and Buchanan Nine
Legrain, once a large property owner in
New York, the widow of wealthy French
man. and long a quaint resident of this
place, is forced, she declares to fight
for the possession of a home that is
tumbling down over her head. The old
yellow, weather-stained house. which
stands on a rocky spur that is almost a
cliff, the center of a little tract of the
stoniest land about the village, is hedged
about with legal tangle that is unusual
Check Stand for Baby Carriages.
baby carriage stand on 14th street be-