The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-26
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

The discovery Of an artist among the
laborers Of the Park Department will recall
to some New Workers. recent departure
from this city. A few weeks ago there
sailed for France a man who had been. until
short time before, one Of the partners
in a prosperous Sixth avenue grocery
firm. He with his two brothers owned the
business. He was 40 when he sailed. andfor
twenty years it has been his ambition to
devote his time to painting. His pictures
have attracted the favorable attention OF
Judges and some of them have been bought
by wealthy patrons Of the grocery store.
| Most Of the regular customers had come
to know of his tastes ard had heard OF ms
ambitious. His brothers had small falth
in his ability, looked upon painting as rather
a poor sort of thing Anyway compared
with a prosperous grocery business. ana
would never allow their brother to sell his
share In their firm and retire. The ADVICE
of an artist who saw his work and urged nm
to 60 abroad to study was too much even
for the opposition Of his brothers. They
consented to allow him to go abroad for
two years, retaining his ir terest in the
firm durir that time so that he could de-
eide whether he desired to remain always
a painter. Then the happy man, who had
been selling groceries all his life arc PANT
ing only In his hours of leisure. called for
France. What he will accomplish there is
a matter that only the future can reveal
but his brothers are already convinced
1t will not be much.
Mile. Seygard. who arrived here on We'd
nesdsy, is the first of the grand opera singers
to reach this country, and comes TO sing
in concert before the more distinguished
members OF the organization occupy public
| attention. She has been in London and
carefully avoided Germany. where her.
| former husband, Emil Fischer, has been
spending the summer. Mile. Seygard will
occupy her leisure during the months
feminine roles In "Pi rsifal" and whatever
new opera MIR. Conried may give next
season. She already knows ell the old
operas and is prepared to perform in any
| OF them at an hours notice. But the new
| works are unfamiliGr to her, and she must
he ready to sing kundry. for instance,
when Sudden indisposition" intervenes
and requires her services.
In no previous summer were there ever
30 many private vehicles to be seen in the
city as are still visible in the afternoons.
The equipeges undoubtedly belong to
| their owners or are hired by them on long
terms, and are certainly not the ordinary
livery. They are numerous still on Fifth
avenue in the late afternoons. Yet there
are apparently no more New Workers. in
town than usual. Nearly as many houses
ere CLOSED as in previous years. Only one
difference seems notable. The habit Of
keeping houses open insteed Of closing
| them entirely, or handing them over to
caretakers, seems TO be somewhat more
prevalent than it was This change in the
| social Gust oms of New Workers. il s,id to be
I dino To bnb hal, Of visiting mir in.
stead Of stopping in one. An early spring
stay in Tuxedo il followed Ivy return to
! town, and the summer weeks are spent
i at the various summer resorts, with few
days in town in the intervals Keeping
ones own house open is pleasanter than
relying on a hotel, and for this reason
! there are seid to be more houses open
thGn ever, although their owners are not
| in them.
A fairly well-dressed man got on one of
! the open cars on the Third avenue elevated
| trains at Ninth street last night and stood
| in one of the rear seats As the train pulled
out of the station the guard told him that
| it was against the rules 10 stand, and that
he would have to find a seat or get off.
Not for me-" said the man. II paid
nv fare. I'll ride where | please"
The guard made the request again when
the train reached Fourteenth street. but
with no better result. Then he remem-
, bered the ticket chopper at Eighteenth
street. who stands 0 feet in his stockings
and weighs over 200 pounds. The guard
was little man.
You'll get of at Eighteenth street, all
right" said the guard,
The obstinate one only smoked his cigar
a little harder and smiled kindly at the
nfk 10 tnEn I nj
one or two of them As the train stopped !
at the next station he turned to the guard.
We'll, this is Eighteenth street, he said; |
what are you going to do about ~ Do !
| get oif?"
Just then the ticket chopper reached |
him. When the stranger had picked him
self up found his hat and got il back on |
His head, he turned to the carful of pas
sengers:
didn't have to get of. he said speaking
10 no one in particular This was my |
station, anyway"
One of the subscribers to a grand tier box |
in the Metropolitan Opera House paid for 1t |
last week with a check that came back !
marked N. g." Usually men who can
afford the luxury of an opera box are able to
pay for it without this embarrassing Incl |
dent. |
The purchaser of the box, who promptly |
made the check good is not a man of great |
wealth, but is known as an extravagant |
spender when it comes to gratifying his !
desires for entertainment. He lives in a |
handsome house in Fifth avenue, has a |
country place and lives in a style appro-
pirate 10 both. But he gave a phonv check |
for his opera box.
American Investments in Mexico.
From The Hcricon Herald
When United States Committeeman Rarlov