Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 18, 1874, Page 10

i i ! i i 3 i 3 i 10 THE CHICAGO . DATLY TRIBUNE:-SUNDAY. JANUARY. 18,1874 " "= 7 NEW CHICACO. A British Review of the Lakeside’s* Fire-Anniversary Number. Qur City Pronounced “ The Concentrated Essence of Americanism.” And Our People Declared to Be * Not Less Clever and Decided tlian the Builders of Mod- . ern Paris,”? From the London Saturday Review. The second auniversary of the great Chicago confiagration has been celebrated by one of the local magazines, the Lakeside Monthly, in & spe- cial number containing seventeen . papers, every one of which bears g tizle of this kind: *‘The Chieago of the Educator,” * Tha Chicago of the Buainess Man,” * The Chicago of the Mannfac- turer,” and g0 on. In short, wo Liave seventeen speeisl Chicagos considered in a review of tho big genersl Chicago, whose name hus elresdy ‘been 50 widely “advertised” (as the inhabit- ants themselves say) by the remarkable rapidity of its growth and the suddenness of its destrue- tion. 3 . ‘What the United States aro to tho rest of the world, Chicago is to the United States. It is the . CONCENTRATED ESSENCE OF AMERICANISM. The peculiar siate or temper of the human mind in which material growth aod extension are its only objects, aud all its forces are concentrated with the utmost intensity on these, has mever been o perfectly developed as in the United 3tates; and if we were asked whatcity in that country shoned that temper in its most euer- getic form, we thight possibly thivk of Boston or New York, but should certainly relinquish them for Chicago. Just as the Uuited States are the newest of great nations, so Chica- go is tho. newest of great Ccities; and 28 the States look forward to sn almost indefinite increase of wealth and papulation in the fature, so Chicago expects in its own mind % become the BIGGDST AND RICHEST CITY ON EARTH. In this condition of temper and feeling, it is DOt surprising that we should hear a good deal of cxultation. A people very busy and prosper- cue, and just enough educated to ba capable of reading and writing incessantly about itsetf in & multitude of chesp periodicsl publications, is sureto develop a continual supply of brag. Such & people is very much in a condition that ie known to us by specimens inour own country, the condition of the clever and active Manches- ter or Bradford man who, beginning with noth- ng but native strength snd ability, and s very ittle elementary education, fights his way toa orillisnt material success, snd naturally looks back upon lus career with & self-complacency that expresscs itself in bousting. AMERICAN BRAG has been long quite familiar to us, and we imag- me that thero must be 2 use for it, that it must 2ave been ordained smnngst the inscrutable in- jentionsof natuze. Itacts no doubt as a stimulus, snd-keeps the Amenczns well up to their work. The Americans are liko very strong boys who are always wanting to show off theur strength, and who look upon every piece of physical labor %0 be done as nn cpportunity for athletic display. W really beliove that when Chicago was burned own the inhabitants inwardly chuckled over the salamity as the finest poasible opportunity for proving to the world the piuck and energy that was in them. The building of a new city wasa match agamst time. So they set to work as if shey had made bets with all other cities that they Fould rebuild Chicago in & couple of years, aud ihey Iabored all along with the ides that they rere watched by the whole world. ‘The Chicago papers of the ZLakeside Aonthly begin with & poem by Mr. B. F. Talor, imitated in some degree from Macaulay's manner, bat decidedly above the average of magazine verses, Mr. Taylor hisd rather a perilons kind of subject to deal with, for it is dificult to do the tremen- dons in poetry when thers is Lardly & refuge in anything else, and this writer, we dhould imagine Irom his graceful beginning, would bava done more justico to a quieter theme. Here is the CENTRAL PASSAGE OF THE POEX, In which the conflagration is doscribod bui ith rather incongruous imagery : Tha stately piles of polished stone were shattered into sand, And madiy drove the dread simoom, and snowed them on tkeland, And rained them till the sea was red, and scorched tho * winge of praser Lits thistie-down fen thousand homes went drifting through the air, And dumb Dismay walked bend in hand with frozen- eyed Despairl The ignnacr of the fiery surf rolled human sccents umb ‘The h;::mpek'l clangour died away a wild bees drowsy um, Aza breskéra beat the empty world that rubled likes rum. O cities of the silent 1and 1 0 Graceland and Rosehill, No tombs without their tenantry 7 the pale host aleep- 1ng still? Your marble thresholds dawning red with holocaustal glaro As if the waking Angel’s foot were set upon the stair] “There is & very sensiblo paper by Afr. John F. Biutkioy, called™* The Chicago of the Thinker," in which the writer roally does try to think out sertain interesting questious about Chicago ~hica suggest themselves to aun intellectual absbitant, He eays that “it is the prevalent oractice Lo aecribe the development of Chicago ‘0 the uncommon enterprise of spirit of its in- habitants,” and be then immediately inguires whether there is 2 constitutional difference of tharacter between tho Chicagozns and the in- habitants of smaller towns in_the Northwest equal to the difference in the size of the towns thevlive jn. The auswer is that * when 8 man is known to be from the Northwest, therois hi- ile about bim to show whether he lives in Chi- r elsewhere.” And then come some ob- ions about one point iv Chicago character which are : WELL WORTI QUOTIN® AT LEXGTH: . Perhaps if sny eharacterstic of Clicago is pereonal enoughs to strike stranger, it is ke ecttled mental habit of taking ulterior good for granted—a business optimisin in which solicitude s reserved for particu- ar expedients, and not indulged upon_comprehensiva 20unts, or the sometimes Etartling possibilities that generalizations forctell. Wete 2 Philadelphian to ex- perienca conviction that manufacturing wes to become unprofitable in Pecnsyivauis aud New Jersey, notbing souid rescué his peace of mind from destruction, But if a Chicagoan could ba couvinced of a time when grain and live-stock would no longer ecck his matket, { think Lie would sccept the event with compoéure, irusting, with tranquil confidence, that by the timo it ‘fiould come other aad better trade would occupy their ca. Mr, Binckley, however, is convinced that this 8 **s matter of superinduced babit, ot of tem- serament.” He coneiders this faith 1 a good lature as the result of an unexceptionably fa- vorable experience. 1t took some time to im- * bue the Chicago peoplo with this trnatfulness, It is trae that land was sold dear, or withbeld from sale when it would have fetched high Qrices, in the early period of the cily's pros- perity; but Mr. Binckley does not think that ‘tlus proved the foresight of the land- holders, only the disposition to make a8 much 88 possible out of what seemed to them ihe folly of eager enthusiasts. Eveu down to 1857 there remained something of the STOLIDITY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS. [he ground had been appropriated s carly as ihe beginning of this century, but the hydro- graphic schemes on which the future of the Slace depended do not seem to bave swakened da ioterest of the setilers. In 1830 an oflicial jame to lay out a town in the intetest if the capal, yet the cveut ‘‘seems o have made Do impression until immi- (rants came from the East, secking 50 romising a site.” From this year dates tho Seginning of specalation st Chicago, though not tet of any healthy trade : The rapid influx of emigrants, the Government work i the o, the tocation of & publc. and oice, ho srescneo of laborers on the harbor aud canal, and the mcursion from older ccmmu ftics of ucores f adven- ‘urers, awakened Dot & Spirit of enterprisc, but of jheer speculation, For yeais notling was produced ‘or sale ; aud supplies from the Esst. even including {our, were paid for out of ihe pro-eeds of extortion 1pon strangers, or with money and goods unconscion ibly got from the Indians on & asion of their recel: ngf annpuities o i trattic, More tusn cnre legislitive Dterference was Tequisite for moderating hutel arges snd the like. Tho inhabitsants Leld Tatare of their own tovn in such contempt that ‘he: wharf rights and school lands, worth 100,000,000 io-dsy, were sold and bouglit for ‘o few mominal Ibousinds, the former as late s 1835, and probably never paid for at tbat; thesurposed Decessity con- Siating of tbe cqually significant fact that tho town, then with a population of 4,000, and no considerstla =unicipal debt, had not & publls crodit for §2,003, ) m{‘;’m of Buffalo rocoived 1,250,000 bushels of wheat, ficluding 1,000 brcught from a petty town Sez-es tha lake {n Alichigen ; -aud yeb even tho experl- ‘mént.of & few-bags- by lake to Bafalo - was not ven- tured o for two years later, -withont which tho Chica- g0 business mind could not comprehend the opportu- nity. To be sure the next year (189) witnoased that the ‘experiment warranted the trade, if it did mot amaze the experimenters, and it went on until lsat year it was nearly 100,000,000 bushels of grain. Even in 1851, when tho population was already 80,000, Chicago supplied beruelf with water by means of an engine of twenty-five horse-power, and the contractor. was to receive na profit for ten years but the oxcoss power of. that engine Nobody had the least confidenca in the future, and the people would not listen to projects which were based upon sn anticipated increase of population. In 1849 there 3 'WAS KO GAS IN THE PLACB. Mr. Binckley affrms that “a less enterprising population have seldom been found in America than that of Chicago, until a series of the most unique and inesistible constraints that ever flat- tered an undeserving people had made the cit great.” It was a people “dull unspintual, and stroog, conditioned g0 as to bo necessitafed to execute the idess snd participato the hopes of a more fertilo, polished, and luminous people.” There oc- curred **a kind of translation of one man's 1deas into another man's motives.” This re- sulted from *‘the extraordinary fact that the policy of Enstern enterprise involved ag an in- cident, at- national expense, the creation of & Larbor, the digging of a canal, and the endow- ment of & great railrosd, and the building of vast ploxus of railroads by private enterprise, all tributary to s place haying not_tho least. as" piration for greatness.” . Mr. Binckloy has some exceedingly interesting_observations on the in- fluenca of the first inhabitants of Chicago, show- ing bow it has maintaied itself to this day in varions pabits and customs which, being already establishedinthe httle town that was called Chi~ cago, have perpetuated themselves in the great city. We are glad to observe that be sees TWOW NECESSARY CULTURE 13 to the lifo of euch a city as Chicago is now rap- idly becoming. Perbaps he is even too severe uponits present deficiencies in this respect. European experienca proves two tlings which ought to be a consolation fer every inhabitant of Chicago who has aspirations in this Girection: It proves that cultute doos not establish itself firmly just st fisstin an enterprising trading community, and it proves also that any town that is very rich and populous, and inhapited by men of European blood. is eure to_bava a cul- tivated society in it before long. The misfor- tune is that the coluvated class should be so much apart and have so little infinence on the gencral publio of the place, especially on the weaithiest trders. We do not douot that Chicago is sure to become, in the course of » generation or two, 88 cultivated & place g6 Maochester is now; that. is to say, thero will exist some cultivated groups of citi: zens in tho place, and & fow publio buildings for the three grout divisions of culture—s library for literatare, s museum for science, anda gal- lery for art, BUT THE BULK OF THE COMMUNITY «vill resist culturo there as it dogs in Manchester. The merchonts and manufacturers .and_their wives may bave s kindly feeling towarda culture axd bo wiling to do something for it (an even this is . hoping a good deal, for thero is ant to_be some jealousy of cultivated people) ; but they are not likely to seo culturo otberwiso than from the ontside, or to have that perfect and trua sympathy with it which is_ouly ossible for thoge who really have a share in it. No onocan bave a ehare in culture without long-sustained intellectual labor, and it is difii- calt for men who ara occupied io trado, and for women who are occupied in the duties or ple ures of & vulgar existence, to set fo work strenu- ously for tbe improvement of their minds Even in grest capitals, although the socicty there has the advantage of external poligh aud refinement from the presence during & part of the year of the national aristocracy, tho 1eally cultivated people are a few little groups who have uot vory much. infiuence on tho general ‘mas8 uf tho inbabitants. We havo all possible means of culture in London, yet how many well- to-do Londoners live without” making the loast uso of them ! Thoro is a paper in this series by Dr. Powers, the well-known Episcopalisn clergymsn, in which he expresses i ASIMILAR DESIRE FOR CULTURE, ‘more especially of an axtistic kind :— While the Teconstruction of Chicsgo is such a marvel, it cannot be denied that its esthetic uspect i dispiriting. The city, 15 a city, does not wear the crown that hier position and resources would seem to entitlo her to, Noous can view her magnitude and business, or read the fruthful descriptions of her ‘material greatness given in the present numter of the Lakeside, without s sense of incongruity and dispro- portion, She does not lack brain, but symme.ry. She 18 brawny, ill-balanced, almost grotesque, with all her splendor.” The city does not suggest cultisation aud refinement ; but immense material energy. Whilst fully ebaring the desiro which Dr. Powers expresses for a better esthetic cujture in Chicago, we think that he caonot reasonably expect much more for the present than what the place haa slready attained to. Ho says that *: the idea of art, of & great multitnde, scems to be hmited to fine tatloring, upholsiery, and crockery.” All this is_very natural; it isvot quite satisfactory, but it is quite 1 accordauce with the usual hibits and tendencies of human nature. A proeperous business community likes tailoring, upholstery, and crockery, and likes to gee its wealth reflected in theso things. Even when it begins to buy pictuzes and engravings it likes to SEE SOMETHING FOR ITS MONEY, Tho art that it most enjoys is highly finished handicraft, such es the gilding and painting on » pretty dinner-gervice, or the clever painting of & fine carriage. Wa think that Dr. Powers gives an example of good taste to his fellow-citizens when he objecte to the modern American cus- tom of arrabging sbops and counting-houses in such enormous palatial blocks. They have con- siderable grandeur, uo doubt, but, 83 Dr. Pow- ers judiciously observes, they interfere with tho effect of the real public buildings, which are dwarfed by them. Thero is scarcely & church in Europe which would not be either dwarfed or at least considerably ipjured by the immedisto _meighborkood of a block like the pew Sherman Iouse of Chicago. It would do harm even to the loftiest cathodral. THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS in the paper on education by Mr. Leandor Stone. The value of echool bnildings and their farni- ture is nearly. §1,300,000. There aro fifty-ono buildings, and between 500 and G600 teachers, with au sctual attendsace of 35,000 pupils. Tho Bible has been 1cmoved from the public schools of Cincinnati and St. Louis, but is still read in those of Clicago, the teachers being **careful to sclect such portions aa are not controverted by any tody of Christian people; sud up to the presenc timo no serious oojection has been raised to this courzo.” Besides the children in tho public schools, there are more than 14,000 in privato educational ivstitutions. Then' there aro medical echools, a law school, and a university. Notwithstanding all this rich provision for education, there would still, how- ever, be room for the sction of a School Bomd, 88 28,000 children ought to be in school, and are not. ’ **But this,” ssys Mr. Stone, * {hough a Inrgo number, should be_considered in conneo- tion with tho fact tbat, in the bustlo and whirl of our great commercial actisity, very many children aro Temoved from school and put to work as 800D as they obtain a knowledge of the most elementary, branches.” Mr. Stone tells as that all tho places of wor- ship, without exception, that wero destroved by the great fire have been rebuilt, or are in pro- cess of rebuilding, in 8 manner very superior to their former style. This is what al- ways happens after destruction by firo, when & community is wealthy enough to seize tho oc- casion. Men seek in the improvemont 2 sort of COMPENSATION FOB TIEIR LOSS, and find satisfaction in roflecting that, if & grent misfortuno has deprived_them of ‘what they had before, st least they have improved their condition by erecting in_ it placo s struc- ture either more useful and commodious or ejse more in accordance with their ideal. It is natu- ral that when all the * business_Llocks " are ro- erected on s scale of unprecodented maenifi- cence, the churches must be larger sud hand- somer than thev were before. For reasons al- ready given, all public buildinga in 2 city liko Chicago, where tho “*business blocks" aro B0 imposing, have s dificult part to sustain, and need both sizo and besu- ty, but sizo especially. Different writors agree in'telling us that there is an unusnal degree of mutual respect and forbearance among tho sects of Chicago. Itis said *that Chicago contains the most iberal orthodox and the most ortho- dox liberal clergy and people to be found any- where in the world.” ‘Under the head **THE CHICAGO OF THE BUSINESS-MAN," Mr. Bheahan tells us that there is & Clearing~ House to which _go daily the checks given in tl:0 ccurse of ordinary business, and whilst they do not represent the entire expenditnre in buy- ing and eelling, any increase or decreago i this volume indicates taejincrease and decrease of the general buying and eeiling in_tle daily trade of Chicago. Comparing a period in 1874—namely, from the week ending May 5, to the week end- ing Sept. 20, inclusively—with the correspond- ing period in 1873, we Lave the followicg fignres, which are intercating as evidence, in o very compressed form, of the amount of businesa done and the propostionate increase 249,704,339 505,308,388 Chicago is & great centre of __ PERIODICAL LITERATURE. Tt supplies 700 diferent vountry editors with newspapers ‘printed ‘on_one #idé, leaving the other blank for the local news. ' Thirty monthly magazines are published in Chicago, and the daily papers appear -also in other forms, three times a week or weekly. There are very e morning snd evening' journals, with ver long tolographic dispatchas, and the wonder is Low the Americans absorb such s hnge supply of pe- riodical literature of all kinds. Another Ameri- can peculiarity is the great amonnt of good Liotal accommodation. There are forty of what are called * principsl” hotels (w6 know not bow many others), and these forty offar more than 5,006? TOOmS AMODEA% them. = Wearesorry we have not space formora details about Chicago, its tunnels far out under the lake t0 got puro water, its vast systew of sewers, its river whose current was sctually reversed and ‘made to flow from the_ lake instead of into it for sanitary reasons, ita great number of rail- ways, its docks, wide strets, good lighting, smooth pavements, tramwsys, manufactures, In all the practical setting-up of s great modern city, the Chicagoans have proved themselves NOT LESS CLEVER AND DECIDED than thq builders of modern Paris. Wo can readily excase a little boasting, which is natural under the circumstances, whilat it does nobody any barm. aud we beartily wish the peopla of Chicago a long enjoyment of the fine new build- ings they have djuflt erected, and prosparity the future to add indefinitely to their num] THE SERVANT QUESTION. Letter from a ¢ Girly?? To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune: Szt The writer of & communication in last Sunday's TRIDUNE Was very wroth becanse the wages of some women's husBands are insuflicient to pay the common wages girls are_gotting now. But how in the world can the girls holp that? It & woman of the class spoken of can't afford to keep & gitl, sho must, in spite of her high feel- ings, awkwardness, Iaziness, or whatover it is, get along without, just as weil asshe must do without a sealskin cloak, silk dross, or snything else, high out of ber reach, that Ler poetical soul might suggest. It canaot bo deniod that the writer seems to bo somowhat selfish, and surely a little bit of » ty. rapt. Sho appears to think that the gicls ought to do the dirty kitchen-work that more highly- cultivated tastes and inherited projudices nat- urally shrimk from. No one can doubt, after hearing this, thst sho cobsiders the emploger as » highor bewng, one of & superior raca, who has arignt to bave a servant whose ducy itis to serve her and do ber bidding with the greatest alacrity sud obedience, ouly for the bonor and leasure of sorving her. 1t is a beautiful dream, ut it won’t work io real life. But, aftor ull, the writer says that, with mod- em improvements, bLousckeoping is not ver Dard. Why don't poor bonseiecpers, then, knock all such bigh-flown uotious out of ' their Leads, replace them with common sense, roll up their sleeves, go 11ght to work, earu the wages and freedom they.cuvy the laboror, and get tho beae- fit of the fresh air and cxercise they allow Lhe girl in running to and fro from the grocer's? It wWould do them good and cost nothing, sud they would, at the samo tune, show the world that they were not as lazy as thoy have been taken to in er. be, and, lList and best, that they stil loved their busbands, and bad not for- gotten their marnagevow, to take those husbapds for Letier or worse, and help them to carry tho Leavy burdeus they aro stag- goring under., . "I'he only sound point in the article is where it speuke about the girls-aping their mistresses’ at- tire. Shame, s.ume, gitls! why don't youlet your misiress wash aod turn her alpaca aad Koep her other fashiouable nveutions for hersolf 2 Ste can’t afford to tuko out & patent. It is a shametul and. uncalled-for infringement when you can buy dresses, of tie lutest aris fashion, in every store in the cit At last, I will tzke the liberty to tell the writer why girlssometimes hira out, but don't come back: It is Lecauso they aro 8o kecu-sighted that they will take in the situation at a glance; aud their Golden Rulo is, ** It you have to work, work for those whoLave plenty, and not for gilded pover- ty. The latter will cheat you out of your wages, and give you poor and_insuflicient food.” I am, with tho greatest rospect, your obedien gervaut, Cmieaco, Jan. 9, Anotier. To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune : Ste: The author of an article in last Sun- day's TRioNE tells us that s men with a mod- erate income, sy 1,000 or- $1,200 & Tear, can- not support a family and paya servant such high wages. 1 agree with her on that point, nor isitto be expected that Charles or Augustus, whois & bookkeeper in s dry-goods or other store, or follows some eimilas occupation, shall ape the atylo of his employers by huving ser- ~vants to wait on himself and wife. If a woman cannot afford this luxury out of her hasbaud's income, then why insist on playiog tire grand madame? It costs her 8182 a yesr, aud she is forced tolive on a great deal lower figure. Is tnis servant to blame for this lamentable folly ? Her labor jnstly entitles ber to whateveramount sbe cau sell it for ; and eometimes it is cheap at any price, when she is subjected to the caprices and arrogance of upstart masters and mistres.cs. 1f the wife of & poor man wants to remedy her fivnncial offairs, why mot rewench and save that 152, do her owm work attend {o her bousehold, and devote her time to ber family interests; aod not waste tho precious moments in a crusado against the servant-girl. But ehe will ssy: *Wo are not all house- keepers born. It takes time to become perfect in the art of housekeoping. It would take an eteruity for some of us to leain to tolorate its disgusting details: bandling raw meas, dabbling 10 greasy dish-water, putting out hands to an unclesu Hoor, or serubbing soiled linen.” Yet she ‘wanis lier servauta to do this, sod for & miser- able pittance. Has the servant no refined feel- ngs ¢ Does the necessity of Ler labor for a live- litiood take away_ber repugnance 1o unpleasant orders or filthy "dish-water, Are all her eenses to be absorbed in the one themo of anothers louseboid 7 Is she Lut to be the scaveuger of auother’s faniity 7 Yes, it is expectod that she ill do all this, and for s misoruble remunera- on, and that is too much. Burely, the lsvorer is worthy of bis hiro. But it i said that tho maid fares better than the mistress. At £3.50 a weok—a most oxorbi- tant salary—the maid bus at the end of the year 2182 for clothivg, pleasuro, or to do as she pleases with. 1ias ehe not earned it bonestly ? Is it not the just reward of her labors? And yot fauit is found, and it is said that the mis- tress should have at lesst an equal amount sliowed her for the same purposes of comfort aud eujoyment. It is also remarked that it ia oatural to’ suppose that the mistress may have certain’ expensca in 1epard to ber outer adornment which the maid i8 not obligod to copy, snd which sometimes sho burlesques. It would scom from the tone of this that the servant must not adorn hor perscn ; she must bave uo taste iu the choica of her wararote ; she must wear the badgs of servitudo. ‘Lhat’ sbe performs her various di ties is not suflicient ; there must Lo some bar- rier, some distinguisbing liue, drawn Letween mustress aod maid, . wheu often the latter is tho superior of the tormer both in person and man- neis. Now, if certsin housekeepers have to undergo all this insufferatle agony and toil of making over, washing, aud trimming their old_alpaca dresses, remudelnz their last winter's bounet, aud reuovating their husband’s threadbare over- coate, I will oifer & bulm to heal their wounded spiits. Let them have nothing more to do with those horid servant~girla; lot them do their own wotk, 88 their mothers, in many cases, nsed to do, and avoid imuating the style of theirmoro fortuuate neighbors; and the time may come when, with an inciease of ealary and good sense, thoy may be placed 1n position to dous tuil jus tics, A BERVANT-GIRL. Cincaco, Jan. 7. g And Sull Anether. To the Editor of The Chtcago Tribune: ~ Stm: There are peoplo who try to put on airs, call their help gervants, etc., sud bave nothing todo it with. If thoy think it ie not very hard to wush and iron, scrub floors, clean pots, and worst of all, bo considered inferior simply be- cause of doing such labor. just let them try it themselves after they get home from their day’s labor of measuring off three-quarters of & yard of mblou and 5 cents' worth of tape, etc., etc., work ihat belonga entrcly to girls. Let'men ge: wouk it for thom, You'ro noue too: good 1o take care of the children, put them to bed, clean up your kitchen one evening, do your jroning the next, and make yourself geuerally useful, as you are too pour to Eive a girl the usual wages, - There it talk abont men haviog » wife and four or five children, who have notling to wear, a8 if the poor girls wero to blame for it, an consoqueatly ought to work for less wages. Now. I'm & country-girl, brought up where folks don’t live for the 8ako of putting on airs, with nothing to do iton. Thersare s greatmany good 3::1: ‘who are unfortunste, or else prefer to earn their own living, and it is their privilege to £0 whese they can do the best. As far a8 my observation goes, girls stay where they get pleas- ant places, As regards people who change girls every week or g0, I gonerally think theroiss ecrew loose somewhere. - In reference to the statements about daye gona by, when there were less convenicnces, allow me to famply say that girls work just as hard now as they ever did; so dohonsekeepers themaelves,— in s different way, of course. Thero is more nilo to koop up,—more changes to make. I hava scen the wealthiest families, but havenever secn any ono who was idle; they all have their work to-do. The Americans are not an idle peo- ple by any meaus. Thank God! this is s free country, and we are a1l at liberty to-do as we please, or, 1n other words, do the best we can. ~ My moito is, “‘ Live and let live.” ‘CouNTRY GmRE. Cr1046G, Jan. 8, FLOTOW. A Talk with the Composer of & flars tha.” From the Berlin Tribune, No opera bas ever been more popular than Flotow’s ** Martha.” Bince 1849, when it firat appeared, it has been performed uopward of 1,000 times, at nll' the great theatres of the world ; and it still is a perfect gold mine for its composer, who derives from it alone, aside from his other operas, an income of at least 20,000 floring & year. . Frederick von Flotow has always been a favor- ite child of fortune. Althongh nothing more than an amateur io 1845, and, in effect, & mero stripling, his first operatio venturo, * Alessandro Stradells,” proved so thorougha success that his name was at once ranked among the foremost operatic composers of Europe. At theago of 23, he was hailed as & peer by Moyerbeer. Auber, and Rossini” and his beautiful opera rapidly made the tour of the world. His next composition, ** Martha.” made him the most popularof his brethron amoug the operatic composers of Enrope. It had 200 suc- cessive Tepresontations at the Opers Comique, in Paris, and soon became a favorite with the opera-goers of all civilized pations. The young- or 50p of & Mecklenburg nobleman, whoee patri- mony consisted of & few storile acres, saw sud- denly flowing into his coffers tantiemes such as had ot been even paid to the renowned com- poser of ‘‘Robert lo Diable” and * William Tell,” Airs from * Martha” wero played st overy concert ; they were drummed and sang by young boarding-school misses, and whistled by the srreet-boys in all great citics of the world. 1 remember seeing Flotow, at the first per- formance of * Martha,” in his uative city of TRostock, in Mecklenburg-Schwenn. Ho wos thon & handsome - youth, looking younger, in- deed, than he really was. The applause bestow- ed upon him by bia feflow-citizens evideatly ae- lighted bim beyond messure. He blustied to the roota of bis hair when the euthusiastic sudience called bim, at the cod of the perform- ance, before the curtain. * A fow days sgo 1saw him sgain. It was in his beautiful chatesu Prienitz, near Lioz, in Austris. 1 was startled at the change which twenty-fonr years bsd produced in i appear- auce, He looked like an old, bioken-down man, althongh ho is but little over 50. His hair was entirely whito, and ho was bent down like an octogenarian. Hae recognized me by my Mecklenburg dialect, and, 85 8000 as I had seated myself by his side, told mo that ho regretted nothing 80 much a8 that be hLad left his dear native country and scttled among strangers. “\Why do you not_retnrn to Mecklenburg?” 1 ventured to ask. ‘* I am surs overybody there will receive you with open arms.” *No. no," e replied, firmly; *vouda mot kmnow what might bappen. Look at this,” and he produced a ponderousjepistle. ** Thus is 8 latter from the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, Fred- ederick Francis, who withdraws from me the ap~ vointment of Grand Ducal matlre de chapelle, be- cause I warried the sister of my divorced wife ! Ofy, the hypoerisy of these fellows on their petty thrones 1" 9 1durst not say ansthing_on this painfal sb~ ject. For ten yoars past this unfoitunate event hiaa cast a glocm over Flotow’s Lfe. He hasbeen most soverely censured for his second marrisge, But what are the facts? When ecarcely old enough to know hig own mind, Frederick von Flotow was induced by his parents to marry a voung girl who was secretly aflianced to anotiier. Their wedded hife was wretched io the extreme, They parted by mutual consent. Flotow's pras- ent wife idolizes ber mfted husband, and he is bappy©with her. Nevertheless, ho is ostracized in aristocratic circles. He knit his massive brow as he continued complaining of how people had recently treated him. *‘Ihaveled,” e said, “my whola lifo long a most laborious existence. If I have won successey, they wero Guo sbove all things to liard work, to unremitting coil. The score of *Martha' Irewrote four times beforo I allowed it to be played ; and I have been still more pains- taking vith my subscquent opetas. And what has been the result ? Pecuniarily, I have no reason to complainj for, suzh I sm not rich, I am comfortably situated, aod cer- tainiy richer than any of my ancestors have been for many years past. But what a life or diesppointaients I have recently had to lead. Will you believe that the Parisians, who were onco my most ardent admirers, have completely ostracized me? I have my new opers, * Haida,” ready for tho stage. I am free to say it is quito equal to any of my provions productions. And vyet, not & manager in Patis dares to perform it, because I am & German. It is tabooed iz Berlin, because my Grand Duke of Mecklenburg bLates mo; and ib Viepus Lecause the Emperor of Germany will not permit its performznce in Berlin. Has any modern composer over been 8o unfortunate 7 . # Why not start your new opera in London ?” Iinterrupted. tNo, no, my friend.” 1cplied Herr von Flotow, *‘you don't understand that. A new opers, 'to eucceed in Londun, wmust firat have been given in ol Listen,” he ndded. going to the open pieno in bis room, *and tell mo what you think of these melodies.” Aad he began to run bis fingors over the ivory keya with wonderful mastership, playing now and delightful sirs. 4 Aro there melodies pretty 2" he asked. +t Protty 1" I replied, ** theéy are euchanting ! Belter than * Mariha.'" And yet e cannot get this opers performed ! Such are conventional and national prejudices. Herr von Flotow has three children . by his gecond wife, who herself is an cmincnt pianist. 1o leads at Pricmtz the life of a bermit, going but rarely to Vienna. His tenants are greatly attached to Lim, on sccount of Lis kinducss o them. During my long conversstion with him, I° Dbeard Herr von Flotow pass some curious opin- jons on the otber great composers of the day. “Megerbecr,” Lo enid, ** was iucompurably the greatest of them all. ‘Rosstoi ruived him- self by writing too much. Bellini was a musical counfectioner, producing exceilent sweetmeats. Danizett1 would have been very grest bad he not been an Italian, Wagner is grand, but often too terrible. Verdi was very promisiug, but had de- teriorntod of Jate, Ambroiso Thomas was an imitator of Adem. Gounod had made = great mistake to writo anytbing afier ‘Faust.' He should havo taken wacuing by Auber's exam- lo.” 3 All this was well eaid, extremely canstic, but pot alwavs just, IHerr von Flotow had evident- 1y been soured by what e copsiders bis bitter dissppointments. Ho is & spoiled child of Dame Fortune. The slightest mishaps make bim angry. Upon leaving the chatesu, I eaught s glimpso of Frau von ¥lotow. She is a portly, good- looking ladv of 40. Her serene faco does not indicato in any way that she is conscious of the trouble she has caused her illustrious husband. And yet he is smarting_ueder it, and tome it keema more than probable that his days aro pum- bered. e looks certainly very old and broken dowa. —_— The Conviction of a Commnnist. The Paris correspondent of the Boston Safur- day Evening Gazelte relates the following thrill- ingsceneat a recon trial: A womaa named Vreeq had been arrested for selling matches which had no stamp. She was about to be dis- cliarged, for the offense wss not grave, when the Iast witness was mtroduced. Bhe wag s womnn named Ledan. When she was told she was summoned Lo prove that Vreeq had sold o match-box which was not stamped, she st.q?ed baci, and. placiog ber bands akimbo. stared at Vrocq, and yelled : ** What! “tis only for selling matclies that I am summoned to give evidence against that womau! Selling matches! Why, don't you know who that woman is ? _Don’t you know that she is the potato-frier of Rue d' Alle- magne, who was titandiere of the 170th battalion of National Guards during La Commune, when she wore a Gen- eral's bat, coveredf witn fine feathers? ” Vreoq yelled: “Youarealiar!” “I'maliar? It is & lie that you were vivandiera? It is a lio that you burned all—ay, Madame, all—the houses of Rue Rosale?- It is & Lie that you," ‘with your revolver, shot down s gendarme, Who implored you to spare bis life for the sake of his wifo and children? It is & Le that you called him ¢ carrion,’ and shot him down, and that you wera covered_with his blood?,’ It is nolie, Modame, for I was there, and sa¥ you—saw you with thede two eyes—assasein, Communarde! ” Like s tiger bounding on his quarry, Vrecq leaped on Tedau; but the policemen had been watching the former, and they at once caught her. ‘Bl yelled, che raved, she writhod, Khe fonmed at the mouth. Al wa of ng avail; fhe policemcr bela her firmly, The archives of ihe police wers scarched, and her photograph, rep- resenting her in all the splendor of & Com- murard vivandiere, was soon found. Denial ¥as impossible. A LABOR-SAVING INVENTION. Monsienr Peque’s Patent Self-Raking, Stem - Winding, Brecch - Loading, Seven~Octive, Non-Explosive, Autos matic Urchin Chastiser and Com= bined Mair-Comb, Editorial Protects or, and Hash-Cutters G. W. Peque, in the L Crosss Lideral Demucrar. This is an age of invention, and there isno knowing what & day moy bring forth. Promi- nent educstors have for yeara racked their brains and consumed midnight oil to devise some mothod whereby the youtbful student, the urchin with thick-soled psataloons, could Db chastised as the gravity of his offense might demand, without inflicting a' more severe pun- ishment upon the lady teacher's hand than upon the child, Previcus to the invention of this machine, Principals of schools kave wept to see their assistants go around with their arma in a sling from the effects of punishing scholars.” In many iostances, excellent teachers, who loved their calling, have been compelled to resign their positions and got maried, because they had too much on their hands. ‘The matter has been discusded at the various institutes, and it had been almoet decided to adopt capital punish- ment instead of the time-honored taking across the knee, when the inventor of this machine stepped in, and by the eimple device above ilinstrated, he saved tue lives of many valuable young omes, Tho heart of the inventor was touched at seeing & frail school me’am with ber right hand swelled up to tho size of 3 canvas ham, from agitating a boy who had wick- edly placad a pieca of clapboard.inside of bis trouserloons, when he knew that the teacher was on the war-path after him. He was a bad boy, and will probebly fetch up in Congress. The toacher was weeping, and saying she would be cussed if ehe didn’t tun that boy througha shreshing-machine before she got through with bim. ‘Tuo idea at once struck tke inventor that » machine could be constructed that would tan the jacliet, as it were, of the young Modoc, and you oo the result of careful thought and study in tho machine before yon as a spanking-machine. What a change! Iustead of dieading the task of punishing scholars, and shivering at the pros- pect of blistered hands, the teacher can enjoy tho performance, and look forward to the hour for doing the day's spanking with a feeliog of pleasure sud gladness, and the frown formerly stereotyped on the face of the average school- ma'am gives placo to an angelic smile. Sho seats horself at the instrument, with a dime novel in her band, after placing the condemped urchins 1n 8 row witbin reach of-the bhoisting apparatas, or ice-tongs ; sho smiles, touches tho snatch-brake with hor foot, and the doomed urchin is launched into—if not into eternity, ho will think 8o before that hand lots up on him. With a smile playne over ber features she works her tiny koof, and the avenging hand deacends, the boy uays lus-**Now I loy me" and the old machine works as though endowed with life, liberty, and the pursnit of happiness. (Care should be taken not to work the machine too rapid at first, as it may make it hot for the boy. Or it might telescope his spinal, meninmtis, with fatal rcsults. Any teicher can work it all right after perchance killing a few scholara of the cheaper kind.) It will only take a moment of treading to make auy boy sorry e enlisted,when he czn Le dropped, and the next can bo satched. A whole school can be spanked up in fifrcen 'minutes, if the teacher is anything of a tresder. ‘Wo make different sized machines, suirable for tne primary department, the intermediate, the high school, snd _mechanics are at work con- stracting one of huge proportions for -the Chairman of the Republican State Central Com- mittee, to be used on maruly members of that party. The esso with which this machine can be changed from one thing to another will conyince the reader that it is almost human. It will re- miad oo of & politician every timo it changes. T'o chango it from s spanking-machino to s self- raker. all you have to dois to unscrew tho “hond,” remova it, and screw on & fine comb, change hands with the boy, and proceed to search for thiugs that live and move, aud ava 3 being, and bite boys' heads. This_ will tend to relieve mothers of much searching investigation, a8 the echool-teacher can, by simply moving ber feet, keep the heads of all the children free from tho festive bug that at times makes life a burdan. Dou’t you geo 7, Every editor in the land will thank us on his bended knees for the invention, s it solves a problem that had disturbed the minds of the Kuights of tho scissors for many generations, viz.: How to exterminate the exchauge fiend, the man who steals excbanges when you are busy writing. The editor can bave a machine sitting in Lis oftice. In place of the hand of Providenco, we scrow on o cast-iron fist weigh- ing 700 pounds. If you desire to simply maim the fiend for life, you work the treadlo mildly, and merely mash his eye_out, and italicize his noso, and break Lis jaw-bone, Butif be is au old offender, and you want_to make sn exam- ple of bim, you keep ireading, and the pile- asiver will come down on him like s President on & Liberal Postmaster, aud break every bona in his body, and flatten lum as thin ss one of Colfax's vindications, "To transform the machine into a hash-catter is is only necessary to unjoint the band snd put in it placo ao ordivary chopping-knife, and set the machine to running. (Of course it is nnder~ stood that the boy sbould bo removed anda pieco of beef hoisted in his place, unless you ara fond of boy hm!h.g Wo _bave testimouials from some of tho best fiotels in tho State, whero our machino bas beén used ag a bash-cutter, and they ull uvite in proncuncing it tho most successful aid to the dissemiuation of meat that has lost its charm for Loarders that they ever’ #aw. Only one accident has oceurred thus far, At s Madison botel tho proprietor *had been chiastising one of the dining-room girls with the muchine, and stepped out o seo a man, leaviy, the girl hoisted on tho ice-tongs. Lhe cook tool the machine to cut some mest for hash, and for- ot to take the girl down, and sbe wes cut finer than mustard-sced. Ona of the_boarders was tho firat to discover the tragedy. Ho got a picco of earring on his plate, and immediately gave the slarm, but it was_too late. Tha funeral was Iargely attended. These accidents need .not occur it ‘the manipulator of the nfachino uses or- dipary csution ‘I':ero is no end to the different uses to which the machine can be put. * Avything that re- quires a strog Lorizoutal motion can be done bevter by macbinery, and this machine wall fill a want long folt. ~Butitisas ao urchin-chas- tiser that ifs principal merit lies, and in which its owners expect to amass & fortune. It is ot only in the echool-room that tho mackine can be tilized, but in the family. Any family that has thirty-five or forty children’ can make = machine pay for itself in 3 year, and the_work can be doue much more satisfactorily. ~Whers familics are smatlor soveral can club togethier and own ono in partnership, aud one can bo ap- Pu\nlud to chastise a whole peighborhood. The nvention of this machine opens & ficla for the uoemployed by which they can make & good b~ ing. Those femalo book ageuts can buya ma- cline and mount it ou a wheelbarrow, and go about from house to house, doing jobs that any mother would be glad to pay & quarter to get off her baunds. As Mr. A. Johnson said of the Conatitation, we leave the machino in vour haude, and individ- gnll]‘ and collectivaly wish you a Lappy New Vear. * HUMOR. The Weatern girl who is said to have spelled euchre * you-cur,” ,was evidently thinking of the Low-wow-exs.. . —By shooting & wood-pile_thief with salt & isconsin woman preserved her wood and pat the thief in a frightful picklo. —Seotch keeper (to young sportsman)—** Ye hso shot a boy.” = Young Sportsman—¢ Good heavens! Isitpossibie? -What shall I do?” Keeper (immovable)—** Gie him a shullin.” — Unicle James, won't you perform some of those juggling tricks for us to night tha: you tearned 10 Ciuna 7* ** No, my dear, I'm not in the vein.” * What veiu, uncle?” * Why, the juggler voin, of course.” —Absurd but Comwmon Advice—What is the use of saying : * Hit one of your own_sighs.” 1t is bad enough to have to heéave one, but you can't hit it. # —+ The bearer of an importsnt temperance communication to this paper yestorday,” says an exchange, * was industriousty chewing coffeo.” —Tne Philadelphia Star thinka that gennine love is played out. Humpl ! The “old - sinner ought to travel through Michigan and soe the Of the ayeé as two lovars hold the samae e e T e e peppermint lozenge between their teeth.—De- troit free Press. S . ~A young man out in gearch of his father’s Iost pi, oear Scranton, Pa,, secosted an Irishe man along the road with “ Have you seen a stray pig abomt hore?” * Faith.” eaid Pat, “and how could I tell & séray pig from an- other 2" —A boy was passing through the cars on the Erie Railroad tbe other morning with an ilius- of “ Nothing to Wear.” A lady re- 1 guppose that takes off the ladies 2" #+No,” 'esid a gentleman, it takos off their dressen.” *Then,” rejoined the ladv, “itis quite proper that a stripling should sell t.” —The Glasgow SK.?S) ‘Times is responsible for the following: * old_darkey waa ridioga blind horse, the other day, with wife behind him; & follow on the roadside sungont, Hallo, old fellow, I see you have got your aunty up.’ Yes, I've_done mor'n dat—TI've straddled lfiu blind, said the old sportsman, with a clever Bad' "to Worse—Blind Aan—“Ah! Mr Evins, I'ain’t heerd you pass this sum time—I fear'd yon was Inid up with your roomegtiz.” Mr. Evins—** Worse nor_that, John—wors<e nor that | The wifo went an’ faund me & job o' wark I" —A love-smiiten gentleman, after conversing awhile withs s_lady cn the subject of matrimony, conciuded at last with the emphatic question, “Will you have me 2" * I am very sorry to dis- sppoint you,” replied the lady, “and bops my refasal will not give you pain ; but I must an- swer ‘no.’” ¢ Well, well, that will do,” aid ber philosopliical lover; *and now suppose twe change the subject.” —lrs, Livermoro is now lecturing ngainst the evils of tight-lacing. She is quite xight, Ifa girl weats her waist squeozed she ought £o em- loy some_relisble young man for the purf.ose. ar experience is, that no. young man with auy protentions to reliability would, when thus em- ployed, for a eiL zle momont neglect his business. —JLouisville Courier-Journal. —Said a Professor in a college to a notorious Iaggard who was once, for a wonder, promptly in 18 place at morning prayers at the appoiuted time, ** I marked you, &ir, &3 puoctual tius moru- ning. What ia your oxcuse?” * S-g-sick, sir, and couldn’t sicep,” was the reply. —A missignary mong tho {recdmen in Ten- nessee, after relating o some little colored chil- dren the story of Auanias aud Sapphira, asked thom why God does not strike everybody dead that tolls & li, when one of tho least in the room quickly snswered, *“ Becauso there woulda't be auybody left.” —A man who had been married sbout six months was é&\sterdny finding fault-with the prices at the City Hall Market, saying that he Ccouldu't understand how it was. They nsed to fiquro, a8 he sat with his arm around hor waist of a Sunday night, thata pound of sngar, two ounces of tea, two pounds of meat, half a peck of potatoes, aud ten pounds of flour, represented by $2.50 cash, would run them a week, but the fact was he used up $15_per wesk, and was then hungry half tao time.—Detroit Free Press. —A man sauntered into one of onr spothecary shops the other morniug, aud after spending & few moments looking into the show-cases, aud turning a piece of tuvthpick several times in his mouth, startled the clerk with the question : “What's good to curo poisoning 7 * What kind of poisoning,” asked tha clerk. * Well, Iaudanum poisoning,” says the stranger, * You see the old woman took a couplo,of teaspoonfals of Isudanum, snd I kinder thought I'd better drop iu to a pill-uhop snd seo wiiut's good for ber” (all this i a drawling voice). * Hero, Jokn,” ehouted the clerk, - put up s strong cmetic 88 quick as you can, and you, sir, take it home, give it to your wifo, follow it up with strong coffes, and call a doctor.” “ A doctor ! * says the man. taking Lis medicino, ** she dou't wasto 0o money on_doctors, Dot if 1 know it."— Portland (Afe.) Adverliser. —A Newark (N. J.) busband brought home s hunk of molanscs candy for bhis wife the other evening. His wife wears falso teeth. The candy was of an aduesive nature. She helped herself to a genorous hunk, and planted both rows of teeth in it. There- they iemained. . Strenuous wero her efforts to release them, but shie was not successful. Sho wanted her mouth free thut she might #ay something to him. She wanted to say somotlung to him that_the candy not only prevented, but the tono of which, from its promivent quality, it debsuched. Bat sbe “could not get her jaws apart. Thon ehe went to the sink and dropped the wholo mass, teeth snd cendy, in s basin. Again sho looked at him as If sho were on the Point of eaying somethung he would be interest- edin, hut avery effort was brokon np and_do- stroyed by theorphaned jaws. Imagine a woman —a direct descendsnt of Evo—in ' such 8 fix. Think of tho mighty thoughts surging and bat- tling through her brain ; towk of tho torrent of eloguence bursting from her throat with a rosr and striking out 1to tho air & vapor ; think of the blazing eyes, tho disteuded nostrils, the trembling frame, the nervous hands. Picture Lier thuw, teaning the miserable candy from tho glistening teeth, and_comprehend if you can, O, wan! the velocity with which tho freed tee:h were slapped into their placs, 2nd with which that wrotched man subdued his merriment and .tore out of that house.—Danbury News. From Harper’s “Denver " for February. # Not far from this city,” writes & Cleveland correspondeat,-* lives a gentleman who is tho father of seven growu-up dsughters. They ara rather lively girls. The father 18 an admirer of Hawtborne, and be calls his house the *House of the Seven Gabblers,’ " —A Iawyer 1 Brcoklyn, N. Y., has little daughter, sged 4 years, that will be one of the petticoated diplomates of the future. Reccutly her mother, rcturning from chure, found ber marshaling' & long ariayof her brother's toy soldiers ou the nursery fivor. **Are you playing with soldiers on Sanday, Louise 7" s2id mamma, ‘0h, dese are de army of do Lord," was the quick response of their curly-headed commander. —One dey when the Rev. Mr. Harness was stayiog at a famons country-house, be found a geutleman pacing up and down the parlor in the ‘most distressing agitation of mind. “Is there suything the matter?” inquired Mr. Harness, snxiously, “Tho matter!” he repled; “I should think there was! Tbres of the worst things that ca possibly happen to s man: I'm in love, I'm in debt. and I'vo doubts about the, doctrines of the Trinity [" —At 8 recent session of the courlin Allen- town, Pu., jury rendered a verdict of $50 for the plantiff where he had claimed $800. ~ Coun- selor Stiles, for the plaintif, being slightly dis- gusted, staited burriedly for the sireet but bis progress was arrested at the door by a farge dog, which barked lustily at the learned geutieman, making further advancement dangerous. Mr. Stiles pansed for s momont, lookod kinaly at tho animal, aud in a low toue of voice said, in the hearing of tho jury, ““ Go away ; I am not one of the men that brought in that terdict " The dog was appeased, acd allowed Alr. Stiles’ egress froa tho temple of justice. MIGNON'S SONG. From the German of Goethe, L Enowest tho the bapps 1aud whero blooms tho citron * fair The golden orenge gleams through the dark-hued fo- liage there: Soft winds froia Hoavoa's blae heights upon it ever ow ; Thexe the gloomy myrtlo and the lofty laural grow, ‘That L, O, dost thou know Thither, Leloved, with thee would I go, I Enowest thon tho bouse 7 1ts roof on piflare strong Teclines ; Through the chambers shimmers light, and bright the great hall shines ; ‘There mazblo statues, standing, look down with pity MODERN ITALY. A Wrong Popular Idea Relativg to That Country. Its Respectable Position as Regards thy Practicalities of Life, 7o the Editor of The Chicago Tribuns : Bm: Anarticle in ycur last Sunday's issu, entitled; “ Salvini, the Act6r.” calls my attentioy to a misconception, almost s wide-spresd in Rurope as in Americs, as to the present stato of Italy, and leads ma to beg a spaceinthe columng of your liberal journal for a faw words wich ra. gard to it. The eminence of Italy in matters relating to the fine arts is universally conceded. All ny. tions appear to have agread, some time ago, to consider that province 88, her particala ‘sphere.” But, outside of them, the trpica Englivhman and tho representative Yankee bave generally regarded ber wita THE GOOD-NATURED CONTEMPT which farmers often express for ‘posts,.or) engi. neers for metaphysicians. ~I¢ it be & question of making statues or painting pictares, of writing ‘poems, or einging songs, or assuming & grand pose, the Italian, eays the representativa .of practical life, is your man; but, when it comes to building bridges, or running railrosds, o keoping hotels, ths descendants of the Ceasrs will please to stand out of the way. Au associated, though not quite identical, ides is, that the groatuessof Italy isa thing of thepast, Sbe was rather a grand affar in the times of the Roman Empiro; she came out ins blazo of glory in the sixteenth century; but she is now bes apostrophized as the Land of the Sunset, the Tomb of the Past. The Freach, though sa much nearer neighbors, have very generally hold this idea, which Lamartino expressedin posm called *La Terre des Morts,"—3 poem which avoked, inthe spirized roply of a young Italian poet, * La Terra dei Morti,” such & response as tombz do not often give forth. Italy 18 IN NO BENSE THE LAND OF THE DEAD. Her rosurrection began some time ago, and thost who have most carefally examioed her present feel sure that she will not have to say with thy poot: *Aly fature willnot mateh my past,” That there exists in her & vory degraded class, the product of years of foreign and eccle- siastical tyranny, is undeniable. But, so far from increasing, this class has boen steadily di. minishing since the campaign of 1859 gave her pational unity ; and he who would see the tradi- tional Iaszaroni of the old traveler musthurry over; for oven in Romo and Naples,—ther old strongholds,—they Lave begun to fold their teats like tho Arabs. Again: if one remarks the titled zames which, for the lost Lalf-century, bave distinguisied themselves by & pure devotion to_science, by discoverics in medicine, in electricity and me- chanics, by philantbropic exertious for the cause of humanity, and by an unsurpasscd de- votion to their vative land, ke will no be willing to admit that tibo Italian nobility are dependent solely wmpon their titles for the respect accorded them. In fact, one may search long smong the old pat recorde—among the Marcii and the Fabii of ancient Rome, or tha Colonnas, the Borgiss, or the Medici of » later dav—for a nume whick will not pale beside those of E COUNT CAYOUS AND MASSINO D'AZEGLIO. And agwn : is ehe, in-simple, practical matten of comfort and daily Living, 50 far bebiod the rest of_the world,~in botcls, and theatres, and ralroads ? 1 have beon 'in some of the best botels of ourown country, walked over their velvef carpets, looked into mirrars and ont of plate glass costing a hutle fortuge, rosted in their gorgeous eusy-chaits, and appreciated ther founrains of hot and cold water, fowing at 1 touch, and their summer temperature, raised or Jowered at pleasure. But I never know so much of what the English ca:l ** SOLID COMFORT " w1 ianholels. Irecatlthe *Hotel Vicforiaand Wash- ington,” at Leghorn. Its namo is of zu cclectia character, and its excellences azo dite te the samo feature extended to its arrangements. The floors were carpeted with English ingrain, d had a bomelike look. The walls, instead of being covered with paper, absorbing all odors and gases, were freshly whitewashed, and oma- mented wih wimple frescoes 1n delicate aad cheerful colars. I shall not scon forget its comfortable little Englivh dressing-tables, nox its ample easy chairs, covered with gay chintz, which was not too fine nor too frail for fraquent waching, audl was consequently fresh and clean. ‘Ihe large and airy dining-room ka2 s brond sire- place, in which gieat luga bluzed and cracled, sud threw out 3 pleasant perfume, 34 in old New Euglaod and Eeutucky farm-houses. The din- ner was, a8 I Lave intimated, eclectic; ths wine was Italian, and excellent; the soup, the bread, the tresh salad, aud the fine poultry wers French; the bam ond ‘the puddirg were Eue glish; the coufections and ices, Italian sgam, Or take thio Holel deTuaste, at Home, vith the cheerful fire which you -found gloming on your hearth when you arnved aad weutupio Your room at midnight on s damp night of Butumn; with its breskfast of delicious coles, French folls, and IS SUCH REEFOTEAE aswe had conceitedly supposed “valy Tllinoi could produce. (We ato uone Liko it in Paris, aud I think it cawe from Devon.) 1 Lave pleas- ant recollections, too, of the hotek in Florence, “wliose namo | have forgotten,—fso minuies walk from the great Cathedral ; where the care Pets were 80 faded, and the furniture o sbably, and the cooking aud the servics 60 excellent. At “Turin the botel wo bappened opon -was more golgeons in its fornislung ; thero weg a great glitter of chaudeliers ; but, a3 often bappens Tere, the dinuers were mora showy. than sube stantial. Tho hotel of *dhe Threo Swiss,”in Milan, is marked by Baedeker 88 second-class; Lut the Tooms wero very clean, with rolisbed floors, aud rugs instead of carpets ; the cooking wholly satisfactory, and the eervauia not only aututive, but kiud ; sud alf for $L6J per myj or $2 in the height of the season. Perhsps ought not to give as an ilinstration 3 TUE IOTEL AT SOLBENTO, where we picked our own oranges 1a the garden. and where was served to oue part”of the com pauy a French omelot and cuflee; to tho Englush, beefsteak and polatoes, wiich, they said, 1o minded them cf 'ome; sud to the Kentackink Iried Lacon and corubread of the most decided American character,—for Sorrento 18_enchanted ground, and one is not expected to bo cntirely free from illusious there. Lut with regard @ the zest of the hotels, if 1 am suspected of cesi ing over them the rose-light of travel and pless anz adventuro, it may also bo observed thst have sketched American Lotels in their perfec- tiou, and have kaid noihing of the angoancet and ‘inconyeniences which iy occasicnslly met with in the best regulatea botelsof Chicagd Saratoga, aud Now York. Dudiness in Floience, and Naples, st (east is 0T VERY DULL Ok SLOTIFTL, though, to one accustomed to the excited tont wad ropid fluctuation of Englsh and Americis mild 3 “Ah] what have they done to thee, thou poor, unbappy ehild? 7 That house, O, dost thou know? Thitler, protectar, with thes would T go, Enowest thou the mount, its paths olerhung with clouds so gray 7 There, amidst the fog, the mule purstes his darksome Wy There, 12 cavern-deptis, doth lark the dragon with Apddown tho rock doth topple, down rushes swift tho flood. Toat mount, O, dost thou know ¥ ‘Taither our way lies ; father, let us go. Toos. Cu, J. B, Kxrrx, A Vivid Hlustration. Judge Field tells an amusing stdry of Mrs. Pierce Butler (Fanuie Kemble) during her visit to Stockbridge, Mass., s few years gince. She was talking to the Rev. Dr. Parker and the Rev. Justin Field, bo'h clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Chuich, aud her subject was horses, of which ehe was passionately fond. Tho con- versation g0on passed t4 war, or cavalry horece. By the by,” she went on to gay. ** this reminds’ me that the last time I was in Eng'and I met Bir Harry Smith. He told me that he was a Captain of horse at Waterloo, but that his com- maud was not ealled into action daring the day. 1In the afternoon the Duke of Wellington, st the bead of bis gtaff.crode up to where he was, and called to Sir Harry to move his command. Now, the Colooel knew nothing of the fortunes of the day. 80, saluting the Iron Duke, he asied, ‘In which direction ?* * Forward, by God !' thunder- ed Wellngton.” And, ss she spoke, Fanny Eemblo arose with.toe dir of & tragedy gueen, and’ électrified -her reverend listeners by- ber words and action, then seated herwolf again and resumed the conversation. Lusineas life it may appear ¥o. It i3 not ehiedy in grain ond _machinery, aad so doct not so much affect aud crowd the sirests But, in silks whicl are not so new in design. wear better thau those of Pans; in gloves shick fit odmirably, and sre cheaper than iht French ; in books, and corals, and and mossicy and photographie,there is & very healthy acuviie But, also, if ous comes to larger matters, THE ITALIAN BAILWATS . have adopted in their mauagement the bet ‘American idcas, or some of them, and are 8GuM Baceessful un on of French caation as tom dent with American sbscnca of red tape. Th railroad through the Agennines, from Florenct northward, 18 a marvel of engincering skill, = Tields, in the magnitude of the undertaking s Bucceseful acccmplishment, to no eate® Prigo 1n modern tumes. WITH REOARD TO THEATRES, . . San Carlos i really immenso for anychiag bol great meurpolis, whichs Naples cortainly 18 3% but, with ite shite and gold decorsuions, [ crimson curtains, and briluant chandeliers : i crowd of well-aressed people, who made fi2 % the opers in the most amiable manuer m-s:hu ble,—it reminded mo less of a bsro -ty any otber place I over eaw. La smaM cortainly larger than MecVicker's, sad oft notso well filied ; bu the company and cens are generally excellent, and the ballet "’q“”m': As to the theatres in mauy of the smaller PIsC% the less eatd of them, perhaps, the bctteri % then how would it do to hold up the thea! i Milwaubee, Rochester, and Providence 1o ropean inspection 7 . s oo¢ be considered less geauine :,’,‘3 cans if we sometimes break a laace io, i of a people who, since their emancipation fhp: foreign contrl vatural glicd 1o Jowsis in any public honse elsewhete as in tha best Ttal. g