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10 THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUN’E: SUNDAY. JANUARY 3, 1875.-SIXTEEN PAGES. CAPITAL GOSSIP. Kecrolozy of the Past_ Year---The Late Morgan L. Smith, The President's New Year's Day Not an Enviable One. The Germans to Be Given New Year’s Eve. A Japanese Minister ‘Who Understands English, and His Little Wifs - ‘Who Doesn't. Prom Our Own Correspondent. ' TIE OLD YEAR LIES A-DYING.” Waservgrox, D. C., Dec. 29, 1874.—Just ont- sido tke {ast-opening portals of the new year, 1374, with its failing eyesight, strives to look fostly back upon the mounds of great men which Lave thickly, studded the graveyard of & century gone by, “and strives to count, with feeble breath and slow, tho names of those which he has added to the number still so f:c<h and green it the memories of those left ind to mourn. There, at besutiful AMonnt Auburn, sleeps the grand Charles Sumner ; at tie place which guve him birth, lies ail that is mortal of Millard Fillmore ; Southern soil hides witliio ber bosom the lifeless body of her son, Senator Wigfatl ; Justices Perley snd Thompson Eave been summoned before that tribunal where Jastice, tempered with wmercy, is meted qut to wll humanity alike. Magyor Havemeyer; ihe brave, handsome Gen. Jobn G. Foster,—whose pame will always flcat in the breeze which plays about the momory of Fori Bamter, and the brave duede Liere done ; Admirs! Buchanan ; Eider nspp; Dr. Kirk; Judge Edmonds, of New York; Cbaries Asfor Bristed; and last night Gen. Morgan L. Smith,—~men vemerenting vith honor their various callings in civil, martial, or literary Life —all theso, with many others, have received their summons t2 joi the innumerable caravan which cessaleasiy oves toward that mystezions resin whers each must take his cham- ber 1o the and shode of death. I% THS MIDET OF LIFE WE ARE IX DEATE. Last ovening the news of Gen. AMorgan L. Smith's death was telegraphed to our city. 1lle died suddenly st Jerscy City, although his helth was perfectly good when bo scuted on his business trip. His wife was at the theatre «wlien the telegram arrived, and the shock almost proved fatal 1o her. Gen. Smith's brother, Giles, wasatone time Postmaster-General bere, and Morgan L. bea ever sinca been connected wit mail sgencies, ete. His record for the War was an un- tarnisiied one, and Gen. Sherman—a warm per- bravery during eonal friend—has often declared him one of ti:¢ bravest mea tae War produced. Ger. Bmith was one of the kundest-hearted mea 1 ever met, his compassion was boundless, aud bis geoerosity withont limit. Iis manners were crude and tupolisted, bat he bad the ten~ derness of & womau towards ¢huldren. His own two htile guls be fairly worshiped. s re- cembianee to Gen. Graat—with whom be was always a favoriie—was very strikivg. Howasa 1 liked by men, and bsd considerable political uiluerce here. 1ie was just lavicg su clegant new houss built o Maesachusetts avenue, near Fourtoenth etrect, which wae to have been ready for oscu- pancr the firat of the year, and he had ordered fcr it the most elegant fuiture. Gov. E. M. Mctook hae gons for the body, which will be buried with mditary bonors. SICK AND YE VISITED XX. When Gen. E. M. McCook was Minister to the Eandwich Islauds Morgan L.Smith was sent tlhoro 28 United States Consul, and a friendship Taturally sprang up between the two famwilies, isulated” from therr own couniry, which was never broken ; and when Mre. McCook lay * sick tnto death ™ ay Wallard's Hotol, the Lindly arme of Mrs. 8mith boro the beautiful woman to her ovn house, and ministered to every want unul deaih sealed the exquisite blué eyes and laid his Land upon the fair young head, crowned with its gom:Ln glory, but left on the lips the smile of an azg WHAT TAX PRESIDENT MUST ENDURE AT THL RANDS OF THE FEOFLE. The westher bas been above criticism,—no suow, hardly s silvering of frost, only & few rain showera havo mterfered with the long record “of almost Indian summer dars, wluch bLave lingercred with us until afier Chrstmas. If it would only in patience posaees its soul until aftor New Year's Day, what gorReousnoss of “unifornis and coart costames might not then shimmer and sparkie in all their &bsudon in open carrisges! Tirst i imporience on the list of recsptions cowes the President’a. At 11s, m. be wil ro- cerve the Cabinet snd Foreign MMinisters, the lntter in the pomp and heraldry of costumes worn at their varions cowts in their respective countries. At 11:30 appear tho Judges of the United Ststes Sopreme Court, in all the imposing digrty of their gowns and ermiue; Senators aud Lepresentatives, Commissioners and Judges of the District Supremo Court sud Court of Cisims. At 120o'clock the ofiicers of the Army und Nave io foll uoiform. At 12:30 the Asmistant Secretaries and Postmasters, So- licitor-General and Assistant Attorneys-General, aad heads of various Departments. Then the seatiering handfnl of soldiers still living to tell how fielcs were won in 1812; then the aseociated veterans of 184G, and that ominently-respectable and fast-decreasing body of “Oldest Inhabit- an:e.” The reception of citizens will commonce at 10o'clock, lasting one hour. THINE OF IT, THEN, IF YOU CiN! Don't you ity the President who has to stand zud ehake the band of every paseing individaal ? ink of Lim after the bell strikes one, forthen tie ‘*dear public,” washed and unwasbed, black znd white, with children and babics, and wives and wwesthearts, will sgrge, and crowd, and push, just to get a glimpse of His Excellencs’s immovable countenanse and touch palms with a lu’rmidum and a conquering hero of many bat~ les. & TARD TO BELTEVE, BUT TRUE. . Atter the President's leves, which no doubt he Yeartdy thaoks the godsis of ro longar dura. uon, the varions ‘Cabinet officers ani di gished pereonages wiil receive the homage to which their positions entitle them. N‘;t nfre- jueutly, Iadies sccompany their liege flords in aisking oflicial calls (the forcign ladierf almost tlwars do), and queer stories are sometines told »f the ravages made in the calinary dejlartment velow by hands encased iu_delicate gioves, while ibeir bettor-halves are wishing the complinents »1 the 6e2s0u to the emiling hostess sbove. . TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION. A lady in position told me that she had to is- sue strict orders to her servants to allow no iadiea to enter ber doors on New-Year’s Da, for tiesaid: “TLast year myiable was laid in the ning-room, ou the first oor, my parlars being ‘sbove, Ladies dressed in elezant silis, wit] baskets bidden under their wraps or shawls, would remain in the refreshment-room and xctually fill their baciets with articles of food from my table. and then depart with the geutlo- men whom they zccompanted withant 80 much a8 saying *hond'ye’ tome. You maythinkthis & grosa exapgeration, bat I.assure you thatmy servants saw them, in more than oue instance, in tbe very act of taking things with the intention of carrnng them home.” This story seems too fearful to believe, but when one thinks of the vast army of adventur- esses and advencurers which crowd the city duing the winier season, it is not impoesible to believe worse stories than the ons GEAVE TO GAY. The “all-night™ bop which I wrote yon was 10 have taken place Clristmas eve was indefi- nitely postooned on accouut of the sudden death of Midshipmsn Wallace, from Freepori, Wash- ington Terntors. Hs was only 18 vears of age, and died from consumption. -He was a favorite m his ciass, s0d his loss is keeuly felt. New Year's evening Miss Annie Rodgers, the pretty, eweet-faced daughter of the Admiral in ckarge st Anaspolis, .will give & German {o the midshipmen and many Washington frends. 3lies Annie is one of the daintiest Lttle beauties among the bevy of dcbuianies 5o toasted ar.d flattered this season. She is s fragile-laok- ing litcle srl, with soft, dark, shy eves, looking dreamily out upon the warld, transparent ekin, &6 wlute as & Lls. and ouly reliorad from pallor _ by her sweet scarlet lips aud the golder bar which frames ber face. . ON WITH THE DANCE. . Anotber New Year's German will be givan by, . Miss Lens Porter (snother debuante), danghter of the Admiral. Her elder sisters Mias Lizzie, }ias withdrawn from society this winter, Javing tost & nesr and dear friend, for whom ahe mourns ontwardly in sombrest colored raiment, and in heart by refasing to be comforied. The Misaes Beale gave tho first of & series of entertainments at their residence, on Lafaveite place. Three years sgo, Gov. Fitzgerald Licala ‘purchased, for §50.000, the house mado historic by its baving once belonged to the young, aod brave, and gallant Commodore Decatur, and within whoss walls be breathed hia last, sent to his early death by Comrmodore Barron's fatal bullet. "The house has been somewbat- remod- eled, but not 8o mansarded, or stuccoed, or'or- namented, that its orizinal foundation has be- come unrecognizstle. The parlors are magnificent in their roominess, and the { Washington paseion for dsncing csn ba liberally induiged in, with no fear of lbowing the_adjoining couple, or haviog one's pot toos trodden upon. The daughters, Mizes Maimio aud Emily, are very popular youug ladies, especially with the foréigners, who aro atiracted Dot ouly by the vivacity and entertaining powers of the young ladies, bat who like the glint of the silver and gold as it shines through the meahes of, their purses. Misa Emily, wib is the taller and prettior of ihe two, haa & huge Rus- sian grayhoand, which follows her as religionsly 84 did Mary's little lacb after Mary, THE STRANGERS WITHIN OUE GATES. The Jspaneso Minister has brought with him his wife, and intends giving fine entertainments here tus winter. He says the Japanese Em- bassy has hitherto medo itsel very inconspicu- ous, and he intends raising it out of tho depths of-hnmility into which it bas fallen. His wife is the tiniest pioce of womsnhood in existence outside the Liliputian kingdom, perbaps, meaa- uring ocly 4 feet 8 or 9 inches, ller face is not pretty at all, but her figuro is round and sym- metrical, and her hands and fect are marvels of liftloness. Sho attended the reception given King Ealakaus, in the costume wornin her country by a lady of rank, and of course the petite fady was gazed at and stared at and talked at, till ghe feit anything but comfortable. Her husband 18 desirous that she snould be clothed like fes Uelles Americancs, and has ongaged n modiste, 3me. Soule by name, to manufacture an outfit for Lis lady fashionable and becoming. The Madame spesks only Japanese, aod declares she cannot and will not learn English, where- upon her husbavd, understanding woman na- ture sufliciently not to urge the point at presen receives her guests with all tho affability imag- inable, spesking Enghish_with ease, while his wife amiles and nods, and snuggles up to the ladies in the most confidential and imploring maoner, One day her husband cawe rush- ing down iuio the parlor in the most excited ‘manner, holding the unfinished waist of one of his wife's dresses aloft over his head. Tunoing to one of the ladies present, he exclaimed: **Sce! tho dresswoman has spoiled this waist., See! she bas cut these crooked lines in it (pointing to the darts). Come up, please, and teil her what todo. She is cutting everythmg into riobons; and all because we are strangers, aod know no better.” The lady comforted him by telling him that the * crooked lines” were necessary to tha proper &t of the waist, and the ribbous woro to be transfigured into beautifal flonnces, and that the dressmaker was very rehable, and knew what ehe was sbout. What will the hitle lady do when 2l the mysteries of a civilized woman's toilet are displayed to her astonished vision? A PHODIGY. A little Japaneso yirl'of 8 vears of age, at school in Georgstown, i8 a marvel of rapidity in every study sho undertakos. She draws wonder- fully. reads Enghich and French, playatho piano, and can repeat whole pages of postry, history, aud rhetoric by heart. ‘Thess dark-skinned chil- dren of the Onent are vory quick students in the waya of civilization. Their iutuitions scom to be kesner, their comprehensive powers more acute, - than their brothersof a colder clime. They soem to slide gracefully ioto the groove vf E:ognan. and easily keep pace with' those who e had many a century’s start of them. Ourser. —_——— MR. BEECHER’S EXPERIENCES. What the Great Puipit.Orator’s Year’s Lessons kave ‘Taught [itm. - From-the New York Sun, Dec. 31, 3r. Béecherin his lecture-room talk lest night said :_** As regards the last vear in my own bis- tory, I can say that it has been a very prosperons one with me.” God bas rolled off msny great burdeus {rom mo, and I bave had more rest in my soul. It has plezsed God té give me for Him 20d for the world & larger sense of cousectation, not as by technics in vows and covenants, for I am not given to such consecration, but -ali the stream of my patire goes to Him, and to make the world ‘sttonger aud better. In many respects I am weaned from tho world in those -particulars wo all have to guard sgaiost. (Here Mr. Beecher stopped for a minute, and his voice trembled as ho continued.) Ibave learned patience. But the thisg I am mont grateful for is that in thoso thinga which lead to biterness and anger, I have had no such fecling. God is my witness that I am sweet- hearted. Theroisno one in the world toward whom I am not eweet at heart, and it is a bless- ing to mo Lbay I have gons through trials that might ba filled with provacations, and have come out s wholesome Joving Christiss map, 31 am. And I can say that this lagt year has been & very prosperous one to me~a perfect harvest year, and 1 sball, in time to come, Jook back upon'it a8 the storeliouse of God’s mercy tome. No one has been placed 28 I have to watch the growth of this church and ita interior development. I have never spoken much about it, for mo privacy bos been allowed to us, and it has pot seemed good taste or good manners to boast. If there is any church where thero are many noble men and noblo women, where there is such a unity of feeling, where there are €0 menywho aro lsying their lives down for the good of the race—why I fail to koown of it. While the name of Plymonth Church is danciog upand down in the nowspa- pers, it isnot of your domg. It is a fame given tous by others.” Those who know this church only throughh the newspapers do not know it at all. [Applause.] Tuere 18 avolume of experi- ence hera which does not go abroad. God uever brought together in this world 80 many Chris- tian brethren who:live in barmony aud love and unity, and are kept there with such a constant growih. Ilove 3ou bs L love my omn Lfe, and ‘when { go out of this church, there is no other place for me to go except to heaven. I know wo other field of work, aud I believe that we got the pearest to heaven in this church of any plice that I know of.” Tha tosts multiplied as Mr. Beecher wrouzht himself into eloquence over the church of his building. o wea about to ive ont his conclud- ag hymn, whon Brother Hill jumped to his feot and sai I waac to eav & word for the women of this ch , who are too timid to speak thewm- eslves. While some men have seen fit o go away from this body, not one woman hay lefs Plymouth Charch.”” [Applause.] i A very few have feis it their daty,” ssid Mr. Beecher, *‘to step into other commmunions. May be five or six, not more—" Mr. Shearman (Mr. Boecher's Iawser)—I beg pardon, There has been only one. [Mr. H. B, Fletcher,-a real estate ageot, of 26 Court stroot— s member of twenty years’ standing.] Mr. Beacher—Well; I don’t know exactly what to say, but 1 will say this, thoro who do g away from us wili not go outof our nympliy and canfidence. THE HMYSTIC’S SOLILOQUY. ’ This Thing doth hold thee in tho graceless power Of Wrang thou wilt arise, and from tils hour Be strong. Sobo thou trus, O Soul of mine, and bravel T swoar thou shalt no longer be the alavs, But share The mantls that doth deck the troly great Insoul; ignoring the false plea of Fate,"— o s ‘Whereon full many a gracions hope hath wreck: Anddied. The Sirigrowih, this rudely fhenk‘g’d. Must bide Too loag the clild of Shame. 8o mount, O Soul, And burn thy mem’ry's burden, asa scroll ; Nor turn No The bloodleas spectre of th? unosnny Past Ansar, to view onos more ; butquickly cast ear ; Ranew the Latds of existence, sud “Grow old in goodly doeds : joy to command Fino Drsuqur. ‘WALTER SPENCE PALMES, A Parisian Scandal. Paria Correspondence of the New York Gravhic, A grand scandal in high Life has just tormi- nated in a fashion that comes under the elastio cover of * mysterions dispensation,” etc. Tho aretty Baronois R——, whom réporiers never £ail to mention in thoir list of elegantes, was co- quettish aud furtish (¢he may bs yet). aud had two adorers, wnose viaits she managad 8o well that each was ignorant of the other's attentions, and the husband—3onsieur le *Baron—ignorant of both. But finally the tw6 men discovered that thoy were rivals, and the challenge for a duel ensued. Amoug the ssconds for one party was a National Deputy. The srms wers chogen, the ground—the gxact spot whers Paul de Cas- sagnac fonght his'last duel—reached, when, lo! who sbould come riding up and epring from hit carriage, waving hus arms_ and showing sigus of the intensest indignation, but the lady's husband. Before heconld uitera word Le fell dead on tho sround from s stroke of apoplacy. It is nsedless £ add that no duel took placs. The Baron's body was carried back to Paris to the honse of the ** coquettish " wife, A Green Bay gul shook &n old horas-pistol at her fatber ortil ba came down with §50 far a pew fur cloak, MODERN SPIR‘ITUALISM. The Usn. Isaac T, Redfield Declares It to Be an Insane Delusions - Mr. George H. Shufeldt, Ir., Argues that Such Is Not the Fact. Mr, Thomas Richmond on the Katie- King and Other Exposures. LRTTER FROM MRE. GEORGE H. SHUFELDT, J=. To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune: Cmrcago, Jan. 1.—fhe Hon. Isazc T. Red- field, & distinguished lawyer, & volumnious law- writer, and lately Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont, is the author of a book on the Law of Wills, which he has supplemented by & recent publication, entitled “Redfield’s Ameri- can Cases on the Law of Wills.,” This book con- tains & chapter on “Insane Ddusinna,v" and an essay on the “Effects of Modern Spiritualism npon Testamentary Capacity.™ Of course 8o conservative & manas Judge Red- fiold eets down all the phenomens of Spiritual- ism a8 tho results of fraud or trickery, aud. the leaders in them as insane enthusissts or dues; resching the conclusion that a person professing to believe in Spiritusl communications, and act- ing upon them;in the common matters of life, is the subjact of an insane delusion, snd, there- fore, INCAPACITATED TO MAKE A YALID WILL. The text for this discourde was furaishsd the Judge in an opinion delivered by tho Suprems Court of tho State of Maine, in the case of Rob- ,inson vs. ddams, in which it was held by that Court that & will made and execated by & woman ‘who believed she'had communications from her deceased husband was valid, aud that tho tes- tatrix was not the subject of an 1ueane delusion. The facts in this case were briefly as follows: Mary W. Greene, & widow, died, leaving a ill, by the provisions of which her property was placed in trust for the use of her dsughter and her children. The daughter, who had married a man named Robineon, was to receive $500 per annum during the life of her husband, and the residue of the income to be invested by Trustces. If the dsughter should survive the husband, then, after his decease, she was to bhave the whole income; and, after her death, the prop- erty to go to her children. These provisions virtually deprived Robinson nd bia wafe of tho use of the property quring their lives, and they O}POSED THE PRODATING OF THE WILL. Tn the trial which ensued, it was shown that Mrs. Greene, the testatrix, was a believer in Spiritual communicatiars ; that sho had received such communications from the spirit of her de- ceased husband ; and that some of these werein relation to tho disposition sho. should make of her property,—~advising her of the fact that Robinson, the dauchter's husband, was not a good man, and was controlled by evil influences ; that the property would not be gafe in his bands, eto. In making the will, Ars, Greene followed some of theso directi<ns, and others she.did not. Tt was conceded that, in all other respects, e: cept in that of this 8piritual “ delusion,” she wi sane and sonnd of mind. The question was squarely presented to the jury as to whother this belief of the testatrix ‘was an ““ insane delusion,” which rendered her incapable of making a will valid in law, and tho Jury decided that * + THE WILL WAS GOOD. Upon an tppeal to the Supreme Judicial Court, this findiug of the jury was reviowed, and, in an ablo and exhaustive opivion by Juduo Xent, indorsed by the whole court, the verdict was suetained. Upon this decizion Judge Red- field comments atter the following manver: The question fs, How far a wiil which is the direct and obvious offspTing of assimed Spirftual communi- catlous and influences, &nd is unjust tothe boirs and next of kin, can be Fustained in the courts. When the will s unjust and unreasanable o the Jast degren, end i tlie direct offspring of o balfef which has no'existence in fact, 5o fur a4 all kuman testimony 8, can it be maintuined T Aud he proceeda to argue that— ‘The opinions entertained by the tertateix, and upon ‘which slio confeasedly acted in making her will, are 2u clearly delusions, according to all Lunun fest'mony, 23 any which the inmates of Bodlam ever entertuin. ‘He thon demonstrates the fact that thosa are insane delusions, by the statemont— ‘That the opinjons entertained by the testatriz were the seme in kind as those entertained by Iunstics who conceive themselves 0 bo the Creator of the world or the final Judge of ali men, and such delcsions aro common. All opinions which are incredible in themselves, be- csuse contrary 1o the genoral courso of Lumsn ex- perience, and which, neverthelese, are entertained and acted upon by any one in matters of importance, and in » menoer which the law will not countenance, when there s no evidencoof their Sorroctneas, and 0o argu- et will dispossesa such persons of them, must ba Tegarded as ineane delusions, Upon this postulate the Jgdgs's entire arga- ment against the velidiy of the will is based. The question now is, 18 1T TRUE ? If this assertion had fallen from the lips or n of an Inquisitorial oflicer of the Church of ome in the fourteenth cemtury, whon tho shadows of ignorance blocked up the paths of knowledge and covered the latent civilization of £he race 25 with the pall of death, it would not have been remarkable ; but, coming, 28 it does, frow the able Judge and profound lawyer who profosses to have received an education * gather- ed from tho advanced civilization of the piesent century, it is the most sstounding doctrine evell'dcamminad to the press ar published to the world. % Sir Jobn Herachell somewhers says: ** That Fou must keop your eyes open to thoss things which, in the ordinary courso of events, ought not to happen ; for they are the clews which lead to new discoveries.”" " Commending this ad- vw‘a‘ to the learned gentleman in queation, I pro- ceed. Tested by the rule Iaia dowa by the Judge, what becomes of the scientific progress of tag bumao race ? Sir lsaac Nowton an nouuced the theors of gravitation. itself, because contrary to the general course of buman experience.” The law did not counte- nance it ; there was no evidence of its correct- nesa ; and no argument could dispossess the celebrated philosopher of the ides thas his theory was trne. Ergo, it mnst hava been AN INSANE DELUSION. And, e to the general world, it was an insane delusion. There wero plenty of distinguisned men in that day, men of good ability ad pro- found learning, who prononnced Newton a fool and hia theory s fraud. The opposition was 8o bitter aud vindictive that Newton himself said that he belfeved it was better to ot the world re- maiu 1n ignorance than to announce a new prin- ciple, and then spend years of his life in defend. ing it from the attacks of prejudice and bigotry. For pearly fourteon centuries after the birth of Chrisr, the whole world beliaved the eartn to be a flat plain, stationary in the heavens; that the sun revolved aboutit; and thaut the srars wero sat in the sky 10 give light to the earth. Copernicus came and solved thb profound prob- lom of al) tho sges. Ho announced. the theory of the revolution of the earth sbou the sun, and tho nature of the planets and the stars. 'This theory was demonstrated by Galileo by means of the telescope. This wag TILE MOST STOPESDOUS FRAUD ever perpetrated on the credulity of the human race. Itwas jucredible in itself, because * con- trary o the ganeral course of 'human experi- ence.” Taere wasno ovidence of 1its correct- ness, and 0o arguments which could be brought to bear by the loarned and intelligent Judges of that period could disporsesa these fabatics of their wsane delusions. What! the earth round and in motion !—whea everybody conld see that it was flat and stationary?” Revolve about the sun.—when it was plaiuly to be seen that the sun went down behind one Lill every night, and 7086 from behind another every morning. What folly and nonsense! Itis & well-known fact in bistory that Galileo could not be sccused of thia deluuion until summoned before that gondle ju- dicial tribunal of the Cbristian Church called the Inquisition, and by it mildly remined that, if he did not retract bis falseboods, he would be gub~ Jocted to persunsions of the court. Under those circums:ances be is 8aid to_have abandoned his foolish notions, and to hava STOPPED THE MOTION OF THE RARTH. There was avother man, whose name is for- gotten on account of the insignificance of the event, wiio 18 sad to have inveuted a machine by which the thoughts and writings of men could be impressed upon paper and duplicated in unlimited nnmbers. The wise met of the day il agreed that such s thing as this macnine was ineredible, ' because contrary to human experi- ance™; that it could not be proven in court; snd, because the inventor could not be dispos- sessed of the idea that he had such & machine, he was with i * Thia was incredible in baing ix leagus with the | eazried an influsnce that brake up devil, and with Isboring under an insane defa- sion. Passing for the moment these victims of insane delusions who livedin the dark sges of the world's history, let us note a modern instance of folly and madness, which comes most cleatly within the Judge's rule of law. About filty vyeass 8go, s man named Morse conceived the ridiculons ides that Le could travsmit thoughts by means of electricity, through a wire, over any given space or distanco. Wo all knew that ho was crazy ; but somebow or snotber he did it, and succeeded in getting his machine in successtul operation. Aiter s little, the king of all fools eame along and claimed that he could Iay & wire cable on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and tranamit messages from Amerfea to Europe. Everybody knew that this couldnot bo done, it was so *‘contrary to the conrse of all human experience”; the low did not countenance any such folly as this; the cor- rectuess of it could not be proved by anybody ; Do argument_could dispossess the mind of this man of his defusion, and Cyrus V. Field was SDMPLY A LUNATIO. If not out and out crazy, his mind was mo possensod of this vagary that the law would pronounce him non compos and incapable &f doing a legal act. 1 have mentioned these cases of folly ana de- lusion msml{ in illustration of the absurdity of the propouition iaid down by Judge Redfeld. These men were only the martyrs to scientific ideas,—the victims of harmless delusions in tho pbysical world: they had po Spiritusl communi- cations, and cannot be chiargeablo with nsanity produced by causes which concern the Spiritnal lifo alone. ~But what can be said if 1t be shown that the whole scheme of the Chrigtian religion falls flatly and squsrely within tho rule laid down by the author of the Law of Wiifs? The basic fact upon which 250,000,000 of people found their hopes for salvation in a lifo to come is the statement, : MADE BY 34N, 3 that God, in the pesicn of Christ, was born into the world through tho procesa of an immaculnte conception : thus took upon Himself the human form, aud died hn izoominious death, that man might live. No such birth ever took place be- fore, and wo are quite certain that none haa oc~ currad since, though it is said that Alexan- der the Great and Xomulus wero both " indebted for their paternity to spiritual beings ; but, being merely buman, it is but rizat to say that the stories are not believed. This fact ia “ contrary to all human experience”; * it can= nos bo proved by anybody inany shapeor form “; *snd no argument will dispossess the mind of the beliover of the delusion.” - Judge Redfield himself, no doubt, believes and cherishes it as the most sacred truth of human lifs ; and yet, within the torms of his own rule, 1t is plainly an insane delusion, and nothing eise. Nature has established a law under wbich human beiags are born into the world, and, so far s human ex- perienco goes, thera is not the slightest particls of evidence to show that that law has ever been violated, and, if any magician, or wise men, or Spiritual mediums, should ‘to-day announce the birch_of 2 man-child without a father, they would lawfully aud rightfully be chargable with ono of Judgo Redfield’s delasions, aud should properly be COMMITTED TO THE INSANE ASTLUM. If w are not to believe auything because it is contrary to human exporieuce, aud caunot be mathematically demonstiated to the common mind, or because the discoverer of & new princi- ple or idea caunat be dispossessed of it, what is 10 become of tho bossted advaucing civilization of thoraco, the progress of men tonards higher and better things? Darwin may as well bury his theory of Evoiution beneath the Pyramids of Egypt; and Husley, and Crooks, sud Wallace, aud [’i‘yxxdlfl, and alf others engaged in tho solus tion of the ever-varied problems of an Infinie Universe, mav ceaso their profiuless labore, and relspso into the stagration of o conservatism so well re;.reaented by tne author of Lhis hook. It willbe observed that Judge Redfield does Dot place his objections to this will on tue groand that tho spirit of Mrs, Greene’s husband exef- cised v AN UNDUZ INFLUENCE over her in tae disposttion of the property, ‘or in any o'ber way; but colely on the ground that Mrs. Greena believed in the exidteuce of spinits, and 1u tha power of theas eplrits to mako communicaiions with porxons still liviog; snd that such belief was on insono delusion, which rexdered Lior incompetoat to mako a valid lefal ipstrument. 1f the Judge had claimed that an undue _influ- eoce, 1n its Iegal souso, bad been exercisgd over the muud of Mra. Greevo, by which a fraud or wroug bad been perpetrated, and that the instru- meut signed was not hor will, then, if the ioflu- caca was exerted by a persos in tho_flesh or by 2 apirit, there would be no differenco, and, a8 & legal proposition, it wouid be trae. But, under the rulo which Judge Redficldno:y seeks to establish, uo person car mahe a valid will unless such porson haa a belief which conforms to orthodox standards, and does not entertain views which are contrary to the commou experience of man- kmd. This doctrive, 1f enforced in the cours, would speedily reducq the numbera of eane per- sons capablo of exccuting legal instraments to those who accepted some orthodox standard of fuith, like the Westminster Confession or the “Thirty-vine Articles, 3 In the llfiht of these suggestions, I submit tha Judge Redfield has faied to reverso tho jndg~ ment of the Buprems Judicial Court of Maine in the case in question. GEo. A. Bnurerpy, JR. LETTER FROM MR. T. RICHMOND. To the Editor of ThelChicago Tridune: CrICAGO, Jan. L.—Tne TemUNE of the 25th ult. contained & very severe editorial criticism of Spiritualism, and a sharp reflection upon thoss who are investigating it witl) & view to discover ita relinbility. I trust that yon will extead to me the courtesy that you have so liberally done to all persons who have desired to reply to atrictares made by ‘Tue TRIBUNE in regard to themselves or their favorite sentiments, Believing that you will do this, I send the following reply, which I ask you to publish in your paper: - A fow days mince, Tuz TRIBUNE contained AN EXPOSURE OF A FRAUD 3 practiced in Philadelphia by pretended Spiritual medinms,—s Mr. Holmes and wife,—who were pretonding to produce & muterialized spirit, called Katie King. They succeedéd for a time even in deceiving two of the older and most ad- vanced Spirituslists in tho country,—Robert Dalo Owen and Dr. Childe, who came ont frank- 1y and exposed and denounced the fraud, like hopest men, but still declared their beliof in spirit-manifestations unshaken. Having, years ago, examined and tested them thoroughly, being convinced of their truth, and nosuspecting of fraud or humbug in the Holmeses, they sc- cepted the genuinenees of tho manifestations, uncil discoveries were made of the fraud by others who were akeptical and criticsl, and ex- poed it. i There was & genuine Katio King spirit materi- elized ii England, upon wiich Profs. Crookes, Vander, and Douglass bad made most rigid sci- entific exporiments, and gave their testimony to the genuinenoss of spirit-materialization. But for thia certified genuine exlibition, conceded by solence, thero would have boen no attempt to counterfeit and bumhug Philadelphians with & falso onc. A counterfeit alwsys proves a gonu- ina previously existiog. In reply to this, I can show to Tae TRIBUNE B TWENTZ-FOUR CHEISTS, ‘besides the Nazarene, the son of Mary,—the names, the countries, and the date of their ad- vents and amonnt of their pretensions. Call them humbugs if you pleaso. Do thoss protend~ era prove Jesus Christ a bumbug or charlatan, and invalidate His worth, His Divinity, or His misgion ? Ono of theso Christs, or Mpssiahs, was Mahomet. Does the fact that AMahomet, born 571 yesrs after the sdvent of Jesus Chist, having now threo times the number of followers and beliovers that Ortbodox Christianity can number, invalidate the truths which Christ taught ‘and aro recorded in_our Gospels? So much for the Philadelphis and Holmes humbug. Tuz TRIBUNE occupies two and a baif columna of fine print, copying from tho New York Her- aldan anonymous correspondent’s account of & visit to the three mediums, Mr. Manefield, Mr. Foster, and Mr. Slade, wherein be pretends to confound them all ; ‘!nlgu_. be can do all that either claims to do, and fnvites persons to hia room to prove it,—without naming the ci street, number of his rosidence, or giving his name. I assure THE TRIBUNE that thisis - NO EXPOSUBE 0F RUMBUGOERY on the part of tho mediums,—say more than if & man goesio the telegraph-office to transmit a messsge, and the telegrapher roplies, I can't do it ; there is somae derangement in conditions.” Orif e goesto the photographer to sit for & likeness, and the man tells him, “I can’t do it n0w ; the atmosphere is not night, or my camera is ot of conastion.”” 4 1f that relation of the visit be true (which 1 doubt), suy expenenced, intalligent Spiritualist would understand the matter at once in this way: Either the controlling spirits of esch of these medinms, discovering in the visitora want of integrity of purpose an ity in hus vis- iting tbe medinms, returned to bim w) he sought for; and, sa he went to humbug, ha got what ho went for. Or the man withont name had #o low and gross & spiriz himself, and was 80 surrounded by those of his kin‘s..fiul they conditions for true apirits to work in. Now, ifs iman went therd at all, #nd the relation is trus, one of the above causes prevented tha ususl control and result. - Jesus Christ was DEPENDENT UPOX CONDITIONS. In a certain place it is eaid of Him in the Gos- pels, **Ho could not do many mighty works, bo- cause of their unbelief.” Again, when the unbe- lievers were testing Him by asking for a sign from Heaven, He sbsolutely refnsed togive one. Does this refusal prove that Ha counld not_give & sign, and that he was & pretender or a hum- bug, or that ho understood their insincerity and malicions motive, and that He wonld not gratify such mockery? I think it ia the latter; and is it unworthy in modern medums to follow the example of tho Great Teacher ? Again, Tre TeisuNe has a column from the Boston Globe, of anotner_ character, about a youug man who went to s dark seance st drs. Hardy's, saw what transpired, with no objeotion toit, went home, and claims be can duin the light what is done in the dark at Airs, Hardy's, and pretends to do it. TRIS 18 TOO THIN AXD WEAK to reply to or criticise. It is only the grossest ipmorance of all Spiritual manifestations or in~ tolligence that can give any weight to this pre- tondsd exposuro. 1t ia lghter than s feather. Buppose he did do something iu the light simi~ larin the minds of upposers. Daes that prove . Herdy a bumbug or doceiver ? Does Tie TrinuNE recollect that Moses per- formed wonders, under Goa's direction and 8- sistance, before Pharaoh, King of Egypt; and tuat Pharaok’s magicinne and sorcerers did the game thing? When Moses made frogs come up, the magicians did the same lhimi: goof thelice; 80 of tho rod bocoming a scrpent : 8o of tarning water info blood.~ Dogs tlus prove Moses and Asron deceivers and Lumbugs? Is it not won- derfut that intellizent peoplo will strain at a gnat (spirit-manifestations of these days), and BWALLOW TUE CAMEL, in tho Bible wonders,—tne story of Samsop, of Jouab, of tho flood, of Elijah and Enoch, of Elisaa and the forzy bears ? Based uvon the two gnonymous srticles ro- ferred to, taken from the New York Herald and Boston Globe, Tus Trinuse containsan editorial of nearly o columo. The writer, asruming the trath of the articles, makes Spirituziiats, zud those seekisg for the truth, idiots znd fools. It 88382 8 In the light of guch revelstions as theso, it does not scem possible that any ona can be left gullible enough t0 bo taken in by them ; and vet scances of this de- scription are matters of daily and nightly occarence in Chicago and all over the country, and thero aro still left men, making pretensions to scientific knowl- auge and general culiure, who are ready to swallow the performances of thess meditima and accept them 23 unaccountable, if not as genuine Spiritual mani- festatious. Such testimony ought to be sufiicient to sink the wholo businces of Bpirituslism out of sight Such testimony ! What* sort of testimony is that of anonymous writers, who daro not give their names or residences 7 What 18 1t worth 7 Nothing but i THE PROFOUNDEST IGNORANCE of the Spirituai philosoply, backed by the dark- est prejudices, can_givo” crodit to such anony- mous testimouy, ayainst the tessimony of many of the best minds and wisest .pensons of this city, country, and Europe. of the presont day. I apprehend that Tite TRIBONE man has never inyestigated Spiritualism much ; and, if he bas, it was with "a spirit of prejudice, desiring to rove it false, and not honestly seeking truth. The Bible says, * Boek and ve shafl tind." Gen- erally, persons find what they seck for. Now, would it no b wiso to adopt the suszestion of one of thd_opposers’ of Paul * If ihis bo of God, it will stand; if xnot, it will fall to tho grouad #” T. RicE0ND. HUXOR. A regident of Bridgeport, Coun., is the owner of & G-year-old cheese. He says ** There's mill- ionsinit.” . “ Fanoy " writes to ask why it is that all the yonng men who bave donned “ new ™ overcoats this winter smell 80 of benzioe. Ezxact citizen remarka that, despite the color of fho stuffl in tho streets, you may know that it'a snow because ils sleigh-belled. A Colorado bar-keoper, who shot 3 man dead over the counter, pleads in extenuation thas an order for drinas was counter-man-doad. It must moke a man feel mean to pay an old debt because ho thinks he is going to die, and then have the doctor pull um throagh all right. A The Gardiner (Mo.) Journal” says thero is a store in that place in which askall is kept on tio counter, marked, *{This man was & Grommer. Bowars!" L ‘Thero is nothing balf so sa life as the spec- tacle of a1 auctioueer attempting to sell $15,000 worth of goods to an audience whoxo aygregate aud tangiblo assets foot up 30 cents. “ Why. Georgie, are you smoking ?" exclaimed an amazed mother, who came upon her littlo son as Lo was-pulfing away at & cigar, ** N—no, ma; Y'm only keeping it lighted for another boy.” . When = boy is sitting on the sunny side of & ‘Thorse-barn, waiting for hie father to come home and “hek™ bim, yon might talk astronomy to Lhim for four atraight hours and nok excite his ioterest. - It is goiog the paragraphic rounds that a vear- old baby hs been forwarded by express in New Hampsbire, which is not remarkable, as the baby bado’t lestned to talk, and, of courss, couldn’s exprees itself. Physics.—** Now, George, before you go and play, 500 aro quite sure you know the lesson Prof. Borax gave you fo learn?” O, yes, mamma.” “Well, now, what causes heat with- out light?” * Pickied peppers.” Going in for niceties.—Rising tobscconist (more in Eorrow than in muger)—-**'Arf - a Bouncel' That's rather strange gra in't it, Miss? I should eay * 'Arf a nounce, 2 young lady a-buying birdseye.™—Punch. ‘The profossion of dentistry is called odonto- logicsl, becsuse in the practice of it the patrons, a8 8000 a8 the operator begins to bore cold iroa down into his jaws, calls out, * Oh, don't.” This in the beginning of thetarm, and the rest of it is ological sequence. A quaint old gentleman, in speaking of the different allotmeuts of men, by which some be- come useful citizens and othera wortbless va- grants, by way of illustrition remarked, *So one lab of marbla becomes x usefal door-step, ‘whilo snother becomes a lying tombstone. A Sacramento lawyer remarked to the Court: ‘It is my candid opinion, Judge, that you are an old fool” Tho Judge allowed his mildly-pesm-~ ing eye to fall apen the lawyer a brief moment, then, in a voice husky with suppressed emotion, said : **It's my candid opinion that you &re fined $100.° Cross-examining & witness, a New York attor- ney asked, ** Wera you not, on the night on which you sy you wero robbed, in such & state of vinous excitement sa to preclude the possibility of your comprehension of your situation with that accaracy and precision necessary to delinaa- tion of truth 2" An Irish footman, having carried s basket of game from his master to » friend, waiting u con- siderable time for his customary fes, but finding no present appear, scratched his head and said : 4 Bir, if master eliould sy, ¢ Paddy, what did the gentleman give you ? * what wonld your hon- or have me tall him 2 ™ * Now, boys, suppose twelve men divide 48 bushels of corn equally, how many ia that for each " DBoldest boy : "** Please, mir, we've not goue that far.” * Your teacher told me you had learned all the first four rules.” Boy: “ Yes, ®ir ; but we have always done our sums in pota- toesi or turnips. Wo never bad any corn.” *¢ Oh, ma.” said 3Miss McStinger, rushing in to her ma—- ma, what a twelve-dozen creature onr washer-woman is!” ‘Indeed, is she? And what's that, my dear ?"quoth the admiring mam- ma. * Why dou't you know that twelve dozenis a groas,” replied the astonished miss, ** and gross is very coarse 2" Yes, of conrse. What & jovely thing educstion is, my child 1" A wee-bit girl jn Cusco, Wis., while at the breakfast-tablo, a few mornings since, made lond and repeated calls for buttered toast. After dis- posing of a liberal quantity of that nourishing article, she was told_that too much toast wonld mako ber sick. Looking wistfully at the dish for & momeut, ehe thought she saw a way out of ber difficalty, and exciaimed, “ Well, give me annzzer piece aud send for the doctor.” Amsn about two-thirds drunk was riding on s Fort sircet car yosterdsy, snd_he hadn't yet un- bosomed himself when' a nice-looking young mag, highly sconted, entered the car and fook a seat’ opposite tho inebriste, The perfume flosted over, and the man snuffed and tured his head this way and that. Ho finally got his oyes on the young man, and pointing hue finger at him inqaired: ** Y-young man—d-do your &.feet smell—smell that way all the t-time?" Theie was dead ailence in the car.—Detroit Free Prees. “Hi' Samuel, has you moved yit?" inquired, ope colorod man of snother whom he mst at marke), yesterdsy. ‘‘No, I'so still in the oid place,” was the answer. “But 1war' told dat you war’ gwine to get out ob de neighborhood.” continaed the first. * Wail, I did make up my mind to, but you sas de family next door, and ds family on the corner, fanily 'cross de street, have loft, dere wood-piles ont doors, and I | docen’t desics £6 change.” - > To Mr. Edmund Yates weare indebted for tha followiug : Much clumsy wit has been laveled at aoctors in all times); but it was a doctor who far- nished the best anscdote of Lis profession. He Dbad just cut off » patient’s leg. A friend of the victim inquited” anxioasiv whether the doctor thought ke would soon get well. ** He?” re%licd the doctor ; * he never had a chance.” *Why, then, pat him to needless pain?” *Oh, you cannot tell o pationt the trath all at once ; you must first of il amuse bim a little.” A *trich " family in the North End tries to put, on lots of style on small sums, and yesterday a’ neighbor catled in upon the Iady of the house, and throngh the open’ door saw the youngest hopefal of the family snugly esconced under the Dbed-clothes, She asked why he was Iving in bed athat timo of tho day. **Oh, he likes to sleep in tho wmorning.” “That amt so, mother," yelled the lit:le wretch; ‘you know you're washing my breeehes. Can't I learn you to tell the truth, old gal!"—Terre Haute Express. ‘When mamother & father? When she's » sigher. ) A Lancaster 1ass set hor three lovers to play- ing'a game of cards to determine which should marry her. A Brooklyn man, with & ‘‘club foot,” was much comforted by a marriod man who admitted having & clubbed head. “Barzh was a good wife,” said a Georgian, eperking of his late wife, * but ahe could never do up & shirt real Dice,” Dr. Mary Walker's life is ons of continued struggles to keep her pants hitohed up without the aid of usponders. : A gaspiions Fort Wayne girlsad to hotlover: 1 have no doubt you peddie out my kisses among your other lady frionds.” Au Indianapolis women has sued for divorce because her husband mado her eat forher sapper a largo loaf of sonr bread she had set before Mrs. Jones recontly presented her spouse with twins. On the nursa showing them to the avxions father, “Am I to chooss?” he inno- cently inquired. A Keane, N. H., girl. only 16 “years old, gave birth to & 12-pound chuld, three “weoks sgo. and, last week, wax deliverer of another well-devel- oped and healthy baby. In Moutreal the other day a Scotch girl posi- tively rofused to have the ceremony performed, becauso tho man she was to marry was six min- uies late in arriving at the honso. Th following decision by an emment Judge Taakes a strong fenco of matrimony: ‘A wife cannot be convicted of receiving stolen goods when she receives them from her hasbsad.” A country girl coming froma morning walk was told that she looked as fresh as o daisy kiss- ed_by tho dew, to which sho junccently replied : £ Souvo got my aame right, Daisy ; but his isx't ew."” 1 Freochwomen are divided in opinion as tc the rovival of bonnet-strings, one party wishing to have tows under their chins, whils the others are :‘A:ntegud witn kesping- their beaux under their umbs, The women of Michigan all take an interest {n politics mow. The are divided 1nto two groat parties, the war-cry of one being : ** Women for -uflice-holders,” and that of the other, '* Women for baby-holdera.” « Everything goes wrong,” said a Kansas far- mer, wiping his eyes. ** Tl grasshoppers cum, the hired mon broke his leg, wife died, the barn buraed, and I'vo rid for three days and can't find a woman who wants to marry." A young lady of this city, with a bustle of startling proporiions, was very grievous shocked the other day at the nquiry of & am boy who wanted to know if she had sucha thivg as a Charlie Roas about her. The fact that thirfy-seven men are wanted by the San Francisco police for deserting their ‘Wwives indicutes a change of sentiment from the time when the firat whits woman wss received in California with a procession. Krom Alexandris comes the romantic story of 8 love-sick maiden who, because ber father *+for- Did the baaus,” put all her lover's lottera into & bushel basket, set fira to them,and then sat down in the tames with suicidal intentions. She was badly burned, but is hikely to recover. A North Carolina paper sars that *two negro girls in want of_a new bonnet placed obstric- tions_on - the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad, ncar Warsaw, the other day, as they say, for the purpose of killing some ladies on the trip, that they might securo the bopneta.” They have been seot to jail. They gave & Massachusetts woman a narcotic, and she did not wake until after the time in which bier dream had told her sho would dio had passed. Though she is now safe and thankful, thers is away down in her heart of hearts just a speck of disappointment that tho dream was not fulfilled; it would have crestsd such s stir among the neighbors. A Iady who was about to start for Quincy, the other day, stepped by mistake into the smoking- car, and, a8 she was beating a hasty retreat, was hailed by a gentleman in a flaonel shirt and o soedy silk hat with tho apt remark: * Sa-ay, ef you wanl ter bave a weed, there's plenty of room!” The noblest galliutry is sometimes concealed under a red-flannel bosom. Monday night s policemsn passing along Second stroet, discovered » ghostly object stand- ing by & gate, aud crossing over he found that it W28 3 man in his night-clothes. ** I didn't know bat that you were walking in your sleep,” said the oflicor. * No; I was standing out hers to wait tild tho old woman got over being mad and dropped to sicop ! ” quislly replied the citizen.— Detroit Free Press. A lesding Paris authority in fashionable mat- ters says there is nothing more difficult for a woman to do than to sit pracefully in a carriage. The Jorette lio down at full length ; the strong- minded woman crosses her legs; the bourgeoise sticks 2p her knee ; the waiting-maid leans over the aide ; and tha high-bred lady only holds her- 8elf as sho ought to do without either careless- ness or etiffness, and looking as though she had been born in & carrisge. g . There has heen a separation between an up- town lover and his ewcetheart. She sented him with hier photogragh, which be, on bis bend ed kmees, swore he would always wear nextto his heart. While making his last Sunday even- ing call, ho pulled oat his handkerchief from his back pants pocket, when, lo! the photograph fell &t his lady's feet. Bhe nays he is either & liar or elso his heart is not in the right place. A Hfrrigburg paper infos us that ‘“when a gentleman and lady are walking upon the street the lady should walk inside of tha geatleman.” We shall not discuss the practicability or imprac- ticability of this fest, but we may refer o tho theory as illustrating the general disposition of men to harass and opprees the gentlor sex. If the friends of Aliss Anthony do not desiro her to visit Harrisburg upon an errrand of war, they will keop this intelligence from her.—Philadel phia Bulletin. The editor of the Rome (N. Y.) Senfinel has ‘been ahown ** a deeign for an_upholstered frons gate, whith seems destined to become very popu- lar. ' The fcot-board is cushioned, and thero is & warm soap-stone on each nide, the inside step being adjusiable, g0 that 8 short girl can bring er ligs to the line of any giten moustacha withont tronble. If the gate is occupied at 10:30 p. m., an iron hand extends from one gate-post, takes the young msn by the left ear, turna him ;round, and heis at once started home by s ateel oot.” Here is & specimen of the queries that the editors of ladies journals have to answer: “T. V. would be 80 thankful for M.'s d advice. Her dear father is lying at the point of desth. What wonld M. recommond for mourning > T. V. thought a aleeveiess crape tunic would look well for best dress, but does not know what ma- terial to have for drees; would she recommend Jaro'schord ? 8he is afraid paramatta is too exponsive. And what can sha have for her sec ond best dress, and how can she have it mada and trimmed? And what can she have for her shoulders that would do through the winter ? T. V. bas thres little girls ; what can she bave for them for their grandpa—dresses and mantlos, and hata?" GRAY HAIRS. Gray bairs, gray hairs, npon s mothar' krew, Tloved you in your darker hue,— 1 love you better now. You wisld more power than b to wham . Obasquious subjects bow. Gray hafra, gray bafrs, Tpon's mother’s brow, The proud, stern Roman could relse , To break his fatal vow.* His aweet wife weeps, the Fathers plead ; AR [ what can save Rowme now 7 Gray bairs, gray hairs, upon & mothar's krow, Yo threads of silver. from the loom 0Z time, on eldern row | ‘What is the holieat that Grey airs gray aisy, upen s motbars brow, *Cariolams. GOTHAM. Slushy Streets and Stroet.Oar Perils. King Kalalana and His Metropolitan Junketings, Laughable Incident---Pocket-Picking in Washington Market. Special Correspondence of The Chicaoe Tridune, Rew Yorx, Dec. 31.—Christmas.Day is over #od gone, and the New Year of 1875 comes so vory noac us that we canalmost hear his rustling footsteps. Just before Christmas-day, our first heayy snow-storm set in; but soon tha warm sun, and thousands of flyiog sleigks and heavy teams, turned the once *‘beantifal enow " into slush, and made walking and riding & perfect drudgery. THE STREET-CARS " doubled up their tesms, putting four horses on all their fearfully-loaded cars; and people held on, cluog on, and stuck on, as best they wero able. All tha weak tho daily papers have besn filled with letters bitterly denouncing thess Street-car companics for their compelling people- to either walk miles to their up-town homes, or clse ran the risk of robbery, rnd insult, and every kind of inconvenisace, to obtain even afoothold on the platform. Atsuch times as these, the pickpockets are especially busy, and resp arich harvest, ss nearly svery one goes down town with extrs money in bis purse for Christmas gifts; and the pickpockets bang onto the steps and platform of every hesvily-laden car. and gather 1in guito & crop of watches and purses. If the cars and stages wers managed 88 they aroin Paria or London, the 'vocation of theae pickpockets would not ba such a lncrative one; for there, all the passengers are comfortably seated, and not suother person iy allowed in the car wheu all the seats are filled. Dut, in this Loasted Jand of freedom, what a contrast! Not only are al the seats taken, but two rows of people, stand- ing up throngh the narrow sisles, tread mpon your feet, or tumble and bump againat you whey the cars are stopped; the ventilation is an- tirely shut off, snd the dsmp straw, bad breaths, and odors not of ‘‘a thousand flowers,” assal you on every sido. If you are standing, a fat coustryoman, on the one side, presses her huge bundle sgainst your back; and the greasy, oily specimen in frons of you falls back upon your toes with every jostle of thscars. If you are fortunate enough to be sittiug, yon find your arms pinicned close te, your sides, from your packed condition, and, wedged closer than sar dines in a box, you are nervously conscious thal YOUR WATCH 18 IN DANGER in your belt, or tnat your purse in your pockel can easily be gottan st and you be none the wiser. If you have & epark of that humanity whick Mr. Bergh bas 80 large a share of, you cannol but pity the poor littla_children, crowded dowa in the aisles, with towe1ing walls of broadeloth o1 velvet before and behind_ them.—hearing nothing, seeing nothing, aud the litcle, tired feet and half-smohered heads nnabla to better themselves in any way. And .the horses,—poor, dripping beasts,—vainly trying)to draw s load tbat would tax’ twice their number. With bloodshot eyes, staggering limbs, and straining sinews, they balt, and pull, and stop, and tari again, uneqnal to the nard task aliotted them. And then the steam dommil They get off the track, and get stuck in the snow, and stop lon Tino of card ; and couductors pulf, and lift, s swear, and drivers seam to abaolutaly enjoy the discomfiture of ths poor passengers. New York is a very fine city, and neopls thal are born and brought up here think thatit it mapaged by one of the most eificient publis corps 1n the world ; but to see the way tho snow accamalates, and lies round iv the gutters, sad impedes travel, forces one to admit thatons street-cleaning force is very remiss 1n its duty. THE WONDERFUL KING EALAKAUA, of the Sandwich Ialands, arrived safely hers, was offered the hospitality of the city, made the recipient,of much-adulation, and shown all tha wonders of Gotham. The King is large aod portly, and has kinky bar and thick lips. He ‘would ensily be taken for s good-looking, stylish mulatts, and clesely resembles wmany of the wall- dressed waiters at Baratogs, every sum- mer. Not *“every inch a King,” "hs har a severa cold, being entirely unosed to smow or our cbanging climate, and seemt bored at the unnecessary fuss made over him. Soma one of our pompons officials, in a conver- iou with the King, lamented *the alushy con- dition of oar city on account of the snow;” and the astonished King, who hsd never seen snow or ice before, was obliged to ask bim what he meant by the term “‘slush.” I think, as he has sinca driven about our streets, dirty and nneven a8 they are at present from the mazses of melt- ing snow, that he has by this tima found out the fall meaniog of the word. The King also ven- tured an inquiry as to the nationality of Yaukes Sullivan, of prize-fighting propensities. He wat taught to spar, whon very young, by this same individual, and was anxious to know whether he was a genuina Yankes.or a veritabla A gigsntio programmo _was cub out for the King. i:(o hss_been dined, wined, and fa’_fi ! I N e T — has geen the whole of ** The Black Crook ; has visited the Stock Board, theatres, prisa: and fashionable churches. With s distressing cold in his head, the programme must tedious one to his Royalty. Fifth avent bave invited bim to balls s * it is 80 nice to talk to a live King, even if he bo biack, you know. A LAUGHABLE INCIDENT occurred at one of our very fasbionable restst- rants. Christmad-Day. A young man, well-stti ed, was eating his Christmas dinaar, and, in dne conrso of time, came to his plom-pudding. s ate, and aie, a4 finally his spoon encountered 8 substance that was neither raisin, carrant, sueh citron, nor flour, It was hard and black.. Cars fully seraping away the sauce it provad tobet good-aized lump of hard coalj ~ Calling chief Waiter, with s timid air, he pointed to coal, now reposing on rhe table-cloth, and #xid, solemnly, ** John, I do notobject to your mizisf your pudding in the coal-scuttle, but I doobjed . to this sinful waste of coal when 80 many podt eople are suffering, atthis very moment, he want of fuel!” Awagonload of turkevs and other poultT was stolen from Washington Market Christmst Dsy, despita the vigilance of the police. OVER SIXTY LADIES lost pocket-books in that market, Christmst week, and the officers finally arrestod s Gerns woman with five purses in her possession. Whea they firat saw her she was poorly. clad, witk 8 shawl over her head, and an air of great pot aod despair. Following her trail thro the tortnous windings of the stalls, they ¢sD® upon ber, half an hour Iater, attired in A woolen garments, with s cloth sacque andj: velvet hat and feather. She was faund to besi old offender, and was “sent up. HARD TIMES. *Times are hard!” This omingus phrase Pierces my very brain ; a maze, As of ill-omen, 'fore my gaze, Night, noon, and morzing, it portrays 1t oft assails me i the strect, When thera s friend I chance to met; For, nowadsys, ho's aure to greet Mo thus, in tones with wo_replete: “How do, my friend? I hopa you're Of my sfiairs P'm forced to tell, That they go otherwise than well.— They but in wretchedness excel.”” 1 sometimes doubt this too sad truth; But, when ’tia preached by age znd youlh, Though half the preachers are uncod The whole, you'li own, preach not MOBRSL. ‘While bidding the Old Year farewsll, And greeting the New Tear as well, OB lat us not God's por forget; Wo may, though rich, b need et ) rry welti g A Premonition of Death. An exchange gives a painful insiaoce of 3 having a premonition of desth—ane Mr: el 3 One day ho came bome and tald B8 W, that he was ccn\;linnod h; nho:’xlml! :-uun ty-eight hours. He saw tho undectaker, AT r Gie hoaral, booght a handsome Sis-i coffin, and wrota out a list_of pall-besers. By selected s tombstone bearing a reprosents! 2 fower with & brakon ste, aad the 1sgesk *Not loat, but gon before;" and st the cerfy sy he designated & apot whers bis mother WS Ly under the green trees, for a tomb, at &8 oy, time giving directions that violels M‘n planted lll:ag blun ? ths early -pzi::s- i melancholy. 'his oocorred Forteacie i mil alivo and wel, and s s 65 lent landiord of a lazge hotel i