The sun., 1919-11-02

luded to them as "the lads of Kill
kenny" One OF their favorite resorts
was the Coclsloft Hall Of the "Salma-
gundi" papers, on the banks of the
Passaic, about a mile from Newark.
The place, which incidentally sur
vived till about 1850, was in charge
Of an old man, his wife and a negro
boy, who were its sole occupants ex-
cept when "the nine" would sally
forth from New York and, over q road
that at that time was called by wag-
gish travellers the road to Venice"
there were so many bridges to cross
and mires and pools TO sink into, make
their way to the hall to enliven its
solitude with their madcap pranks
and juvenile orgies. In town a rendez-
vous of "the nine" was Dydes, a pub
lie house in Park row near the Park
Row Theatre, where they held con-
vivial suppers and entertained friends
from neighboring cities. There is
rhyme of "Salmagundi":
To riot at Dyde's on imperial champagne
And then scour our city-the peacs TO
maintain.
In November. 1906, Irving was ad-
mitted to the bar, End shared with his
brother John an office at 3 Wall street.
With another brother. Eben, he was
living at 8 Bridge street Paulding
was living just around the corner, and
the two began the publication of the
"Salmagundi" papers, the first number
OF which appeared January "a. 1907.
Romance in Irving's Life.
1t was the spring time of Irving's
life, and one side of his existence
turned in a natural channel. In a
mouse that then stood at the corner of
| broadway and Leonard street lived
Matilda Hoffman, and there Irving
visited her and courted her There,
too, he met Matilda's close friend and
devoted attendant. the Jewess, Rebecca
Gratz, of whom he told Scott at Alb
botsford in later years. with the re-
| suit that Scott created the Rebecca
| Of "Ivanhoe." There Matilda Hoff-
man wasted and faded, and there she
died. on April s, 1909, at the age of IS,
| and Irving mourned her for ever more
and remained a bachelor to the end of
his days. He never alluded to this
part OF his history or mentioned the
name OF Matilda even to his most in
Innate friends, but after his death
there was found a sealed package, and
in the package was q miniature of
great beauty. enclosed in a case, and
in 1t braid of fair hair and a slip of
paper on which was written In his
own handwriting Matilda Hoffman. 4"
Nearly thirty years later. IN the
same Leonard street house, Matilda s
father, Mr.. Hoffman, CHANGED upon a
piece of embroidery in a drawer.
Washington" he said, picking up the
faded relic. this is a piece OF poor
Matilda's workmanship" The effect
was electric. Irving had been con-
versing in the sprightliest mood. The
pail of utter silence fell upon him and
in few minutes he rose and left the
house OF all the love stories of
Americas men Of letters, that OF
Washington Irving is by far the most
pathetic and beautiful.
Tho Rip Van Wrinkle Country.
It was on the 25th of May, 1915, that
Irving started again for Europe, there
to remain 30 many years. The jour
ney was brought about by an invita-
ton from Commodore Decatur, who
asked Irving to accompany him on the
Guerrero In a punitive expedition to
the Mediterranean for the purpose of
bringing the piratical Dey OF Algiers
to his senses. Irving's trunks were