Evening Star Newspaper, January 7, 1882, Page 6

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC. THE COLONEL—WALLACK’S OPENING—ROSEI'S WREK, ETC. — The altractious next week will be unasu- ally cood. - Rossi, the great Italian, willappear at Ford's for six nights. —- Robson and Craze will fill the bill and the house at the National. — Mary Anderson Is doing very well this week at Rooth’s, New York. of her in Knowles’ Love. The Colmel, which was at Ford's last week, ‘The papers speak well Morris reappeared in her new ¢ afternoon, at She be- n. s the second week of the third month at the Madison Square Theaté New York. The success ofthis bright and tle play is still decided. orted in a London dispatch that y has promised to appear at Wal- York Theater next autu be to London Figaro, Mme. t tour, with Mr. H. E. Abbey 1 Getober, 1888. The rumor is that | Accor Niisson’s ¢ will be; Mime. Nilsson is to receive $100,000 for 100 con- | aye certs, be: vetlog expenses and ashare in | the nicht! eipts When they amouat to more than $3,000. — A few changes were made this week In the enst of The Lights 0° Lovwion at the Union Sqnare | Theater ew York. The perfo has improved mann rst nicht, Dp prodrced at theater wh With surer prospects of strong cess. — The Passing Regiment has not yet lost popn- | lar favor, and will be kept upon the stage | throughout the m York. The production of Guede is therefore, postponed for some weeks. — One of the Lone s d Jasting suc follows upon Mr. rts new pl Fairy, whieh, it is said, isto be pr ly in this city: “With all itso Fairy is neir Utter myst Rignold of King Henry V a to bring out Youth, and New York before long. He may play week or two. — Arthur Sullivan Exypt music for z reduce England. — It is reported that Niblo’s theater is to be torn down a year from next May, as the Metro- © complain that tt keeps Bni the lameness of the reason bit of thre fact. t will there finish the a which he aud Gilbert will neously in this country and de Cervia by Smareglia the young composer of Preciosa, will be the novelties at the Milan Seala this season. — Genevieve Ward ts not doing well in the south. She opened at New Orleans Christmas night, and there were just 144 people in the j and a misty moon str | €rass where tiny Bon | shadows so deep as to sit nth of January at Daly's New | n journals comments as | * | warbling? sick, and has gone to} WHAT TEE PUDDING BROUGHT. A Christmas Stary. BY SUSAN COOLEUGE. ‘From Harper's Bazar. It was the midnicht of the Christmas victl. | not the cold brilliant midniznt that we are wont to assoclate with the holy eve. but soft aud bland,with mild airs moving in from the sea, sting th faint surf lapsed clouds. On the elif ti nf with decp-toned mur downs above still wor summer green. Gr The high of turf 2 at rare lay buried in tree t every ray of | lovely Isie of | » repose of uni- moonlight; and all the to Wight seemed wrapped in a de versal sleep. ‘ot quite all. Half a mile away from Ron- | chureh the moon. peeping thronzh the yews, re- vealed a knot of dark figure eted inde’ windows of a small house. a: sonie prefiminary notes on a th broke forth in a Christinn waits” beginning their y had come, first of all, to use of her lodgers, Ain whom the custom might pre d thereby provoke a la were in the habit of ned listeners. ty, ole i Mre. | hadi i not partientarly n their first sleep well meant, were * she cried. “do t be the carol-singei why did they come?" protested “IF was just so nicely asteop!” it Gut wrapper and &lippers ently Joined Ailegn ai the w which the waits could be seen st: shadéw of the yews, with their music. nd lanterns, no unpicturesyue group. | moment aud the inner door opened, Marian, the third and oldest sister of the trio. “What are those horrible sounds?” she “They woke me out of a sound sleep, ch a nice dream. I thought we were at +¢ Christmas at Nestle i with’ Aunty It’s too bad to be waked up. Ishonld lke to sleep all through to-morrow, and keep on dreaming. Where you, children, and what is this extraor “Hush, Marian, and come and listen. It's the waits.” me! why couldn't they wait till to- hey look rather pretty, too, out ¢ in the moonlizht,” admitted Marian, peep- ing over Emmy’s shoulder. ‘Bat why don't they keep better time? There, did you catch thal hizh note? Hialf atone flat. And what is the instrument that tall man is playing, which makes such extraurdinary discord now and then?” “A finte, I think: only its always half a bar behind the voices. Whata droll old custom it i “T object to it altogether,” said the fair.stately Aileen. “What right have these—well, very doubtfully musical people to come and wake us up, without sayiug ‘by your leave,’ and remind us of the very thing we were doing our best to forget? You know we agreed not to speak the Very name of Christmas even, or give any pre- sents, or do anything different from any other day of the year.” “We didn't reckon on these crotcheters and lower floor. A good many other companies are having hard times in the south just now. —The 100th performance of Patience was cel- ebrated at the New York Standard, Saturday night, with souvenir programs, new scenery and selections from all of Sullivan's operas, And Patience is by no means dead yet, though Claude Ducal is in preparation. —Where They Are:—Lotta and Louise Kel- logg were in Cincinnati this week.—The Ideal Opera Troupe will be in Baltimore next week.— Rossi was at Ford’s in Baltimore, concluding to- Right.—Blanche Rooseveit isin New Orleans, in opera. —M "s Opera Troupe are still in uilough is in Philadelphia business. schek opens Florence are is in St. Louis.—Fun 0. in Detroit rsteine en the Bristel is in Chic — Wallach’: few remarks in re- me extended to the ‘onable Teal i to be to publish anew om movlon Agni wut Europe. fe probably osihy culating. She ne of these. e has hat sup it acted well. plies a star ais not a genins. me very indignant at the singing innatl, be- @ause she was left, through some misunder. go onthe Si ei wut row about Par of the wes i adaine Patti m ed woman ths nt ft, and the » pway of New Year's cards ever seen, ud blue slik sachet, with silken envelope, le a pretty po and y men. It sa eontain ie expression oft the mpericire of the popular pair of fur coe Rochefert's Personnel. iter in New York Tribune. Rocheiurt’s face is not nearly so fat as It was when he came back from exile. It now looks Ike a skull carved in od yellow ivory, with two coals of fire to serve as eyes. The flash of the coals appear to light up the caverns at the re- mote ends of which they are placed. Thick, frizaly, pe nd-calt hair covers the head, and is arra a curious tuft at the corronae region. His voice t as peculiar as his head and face. It is singularly distinct. The chinacts with a chopping motion when he speaks. Gleams and glances of the flashing eyes italicise. As his chest is of enormous girth, what he says je heard a lonz way off. Clemenceau has as- sured me that Rochefort is wider around the shoulders than any other Frenchman he knows. Se area Why fe Objecte: From the Stanford Advocate. A crude old farmer, living on the line of one of the recent railroad surveys, and who is owner of @ barn of large dimensions, with hage swing- Ing doors on both sides, observed a posse of sur- veyors busily driving a row of stakes through his prengses that extend to the very center of bis big barn. Sauntering leisurely toward the passers, with an air savoring somewhat of Indicnation, he add: the le: oops von be ssed the leader of the gang Ai er railroad?” oF one.” was the reply. “ Goin’ threw my barn?” a “Don't see how we etn avoid tt.” innin’ outte open gad shet them dours every time a train want to yothrew.” olng », | home t » | party. quaverers,” remarked Emmy. “What's that?” “That” was a low knock at the door. “Ladies, do you hear the carols?” asked the voice of their landlady, modulated to a cautious whisper. “Why, ofcourse we do, Mrs. Darkie; how can we help hearing them?” said Marian, with Tather an exasperated accent of voice. “The music waked us up,” said Emmy. ‘Mrs, Darkie, are we expected to give something to the singers? You must tell us.” “Weil, it is usual,” admitted Mrs. Durkie. “Aileen, could you lay your hand on your purse In the dark. “Lthink so, Yes, here it is.” Ten minutes later the waits departed. made giad with half a crown, and the sisters were again in bed, and more than half asleep. ‘The morrow dawned gray and mist made additionaily cheerte: which soon begin to wi aating rain he little sitting- ken so much pains arrival a month in such weatuer. hief advantaze, was biotted never drew well three breakfasted re, WAS at its worst aln | The sea view, its | ont, and Mrs.’ Dur! with a southe: | almost In | was eyic teh to the rainy her. orders. . rosy face and try Chris red on the homesick three. “Don't, for pity’s sake, order anything unnat- al for dir a i “Let us make ttas as weean. I don't d bear a feeble imitation ¥t (He holiday. The ouly way is to forget ail it.” Her as” think I aly we can,” put In Emmy, from her sofal with something like a sob in her voice. Ina moment Aileea was on her knees be- de her, Fragile little Emmy was the pet and beloved of the other two. he best thing that Christ- iy bring us,” cooed Aileen, oft hatr—“you are better.” res, 1 think I am.a little,” admitted Emmy. Marian meanwhile held her housekeeping confe in the entry. “You'd like to have a turkey to-day,” ted Mrs. Durkie, in @ pe ‘ive tone. sugges- vo, E think” not”—rackin, brain for a aié suggestion, “Chops, ink, Mra. Durkie; and asole, if you can fresh one; aud a cauliflower with white sauce; and— mashed potatoes. That will do very well,” “Dear me! it’s net @bit Hike a Christmas din- ner”"—in a disappointed tone. “And for the sweet course, Miss Rand ?” said Marian, “I think we won't mind to-day, None of us care much for about that sweets.” Mrs. Durkie looked deeply, darkly doubtfal. She shook her head, and seemed about to speak: then her face relaxed, a little sagacious smile | shone in her eyes,and she departed without | saying more. The day went by, as hard days will. There | was a guod deal of jaborious cheerfulness in the Aileen practiced stoutly on some diffi- cult music ian read Froude’s Cwsar aloud to Amelia. Neither said a word about the far | of home of which all were thinking. Toward | night the rain ceased, and Marian, leaniag out | to elose the blind. announced the’ moon to be v t let's dress for dinner,” she said. “We are ali so comfortable as we are.” But I think her object was to discard even sc. commonplace an observance, to make the day, as it were, even less than ordinary days. Dinner came up, and was eaten with an ac- | companiment of chat which grew happier now that the dreaded holiday was fairly past. | white-capped maid removed the plate: swept the last crumb from the table. “fhat’s noth—” Marian began; but at that moment the door opened. and in came Mrs. Durkie. her face bright with fire, her eyes with | triumph, andl in ter hand, raised aloft, a dish, on whieh famed a smal! but symmetrical pud- ding, surrounded with blazing brandy, and top- ped with a towering sprig of red-berried holly. “Ladies,” she said, “P've took the liberty of mak youa Ciristmas pudding in our Eng- lish way. and I hope you'll excuse it, and ac- cept. with my best respects.” It was a shock, but noblesse oblige, and after a single moment of consternatinna, the Rands roused to the situation. “What a beauty of a pudding!” cried Aileen. “How very good of you!” put in Emmy. “We are so much obliged, dear Mrs. Darkie.” “Well, I coulda’t seem to bear your spending the day so duli like,” responded. Mrs. Durkie. | things being brawn except there was a large | put these” ini “Christmas isn’t like itself without a pudding, to my thinking; and my mother she always felt so too. This is her recipe, and it has got all the things in it that ought to be.” “All the things that ought to bel What do yon mean?” asked the puzzled Marian. “Oh, I don’t mean plums and such like, ma’ain. Every pudding has them at all seasons of the year. But the Christmas pudding is the only one, you know. which has the ring, the six- pence and the thimble.” “What?” é: “The ring. the sixpence, and the thimble, ma’am. Ia for luck, you understand. The sixpence meana inoney, you know; tae one of you that gets that in slice ig sure to have some’at left her in the course of a year and a day asa legacy like. The ring means a husband, f course; and the thimble is poverty. Ah, Miss Rand, you are laughing, I see; but Pve known it tocome true more times than one. The Pudding seldom misses.” “Teall thts exciting.” said Aileen. “Now, Mra. Darkle, carve the pudding for us, and give each a slice, wile Topen this bottle ot eham- We must ail drink one another's. fu honor of your wondrous se! The pi? hae was ‘carve and Mrs. Durkie, loath, sipped nothing her glass of pink foaming wine while the sisters curiously explored each her slice with a fork. have the ri id Afleen, solemnly. Ani I do belicve— ves, here is the :Ixpence,” ed Emmy, fishing the hot little disk out iy frow the burning sauce. “kL am to be the rich one, it seema.” nothing at all. That seems hardly .” prenonnce Marian. At that very moment her fork eueountered a hard sudstance—the thimble. “Well, that fs the moat curlons,” cried Mrs. Durkie.’ “I never betore heard ‘of all three party, and the whole pudding was served. Weil, Pra sorry you've got the thimble, Miss Rand; but ‘ssome sort of poverty that’s | us ceod as riches, they say, and L hope your sort will be ef that kind.” “What a ture that is!” remarked Aileen, Lone. “We didn't want @ podding, and we didu't. mi a pud- one, "The ood Cre heart shi ice, L think.” at it was reatly a jolly idea to in. T never head of such a Temakes a plum-paddiag really | “It is all very well for you, who did not hap- pen to draw the thimble,” remarked Marian, se- . “Fam not sure that [tind the pudding so vesting. | ‘Poortith cauid’ is an old acquaint- ance; I don't care to have him fresitly intro- duced to me.” Altoxether, what with the surprise and the fun, the pudding was a great sieves, and the “Christmas in lodgings” ended much more eheerily with the land sisters than it had be- | week drifted by, and now it was | Night, a festival with little meaning to | nears. With the Rands the day was | ieily remarkable for the expected arrival of a | belated American mail. Marian went to the | postin the afternoon, and returned rosy and elated, with quite a bandle of letters. “Three letters for you, Aileen, two for me with alot of newspapers, and for you, Eamy this thick blue enyelope, which looks business- | like. Lwonder who can have sent it!” Then | she tore open her owa letters, and soon became too much absorbed to notice the faces of her com- | til a double exclamation caught her | ear and made her look up snddealy. “Marian, what do you thiak—the pudding has eried Emmy. 1 n—the pudding! see what has come | jained Aileen. Then they stopped, arded each other with wondering eye: demanded the astonished Mav I don't know what Afleen’s news may be, + but listen to mine. Only think—J drew the six: | pence, you know, and here is aletter from old | Mr. Wickham, the lawyer, to say that Cousin Emilia Storrs is dead, and has left me twenty thousand dollars, because of my being name after her.” | “Twenty thous— Why, that is news!” cried | Marian. “Why, my darling darling, no you can go to the Rivicra, justas we wished! Tlow | delighted Tam! You'will get well there in just | one minute; 1 am sure of it. Aileen, how queer | pone tear Have you had a tortune left you oo!” No, not a fortune,” replied Alleen, y slowly; didn't draw money, you know. I drew—the What are yon grow- ing so red about? Aileen, speak: don't keep us in suspense.” “Girls,” said Atleen, “T am going to confess something that will surprise you a good deal. You won't be vexed with me, ‘will you? Proinise in advance that you wou't.” “Very well, we promise; only make haste and tell.” said Marian, on fire with curiosity. “Well, then, when Jim Chauncey went to China, three years azo, I promised to matry him whenever he was able to come home and ask me.” The sisters stared at her ®peechlessly. “It seems mean never to have let you know,” went on Aileen, rapidly. “But it was a very far away sort of dreain to me, and just then— Just after he sailed—came ‘the bevinning of mother’s long sickness, and then Eininy feil ill, and there seemed so inuch to think about and worry over that I couldn't bear to add this to the rest, or make you feel that I had any hopes or plans apart from yours. And in fact I hadit, It might be for 8, oF it mizht be forever, for all I couid tell, before Jim would be in @ condi- tion to claim my promise. But here he writes that allis suddenly chansed. The New York partner of the firm is dead, and they have deci- ded to send Jim back to take his Place. He will have nample i Ine, and—and, in short we must go home, dears, as weather is fairly come, aad it ts safe for Emmy. Jim will reach New York in.June,andhe wantsto be mar—I mean, to see me—as svon as possible after he - i all my life be ei ay Isp. Inost too much; ty on wretched little humba oi ave Susy You of seer ment all this while? But you | Were an 1 of uneeifshns hot to teil ys.” iyi squeeze.“ dt dreadint us. that you o! It was just like you So it te ster's fair face Ally, how b gaged! I shall alw add down the future. arian is the “Don't despair. It woaldirt surprise me if some inan ‘all tattered and torn’ made his ap- pearance at any moment,” said Marian. “Besides, she has half of all we have,” said .” replied Aileen. “Half of Jim Ch: Marian, grimly. ? would find et that amicable division. No, my dears, poverty is my portion—witness the fatal thimble—and Lam quite content.” Great was Mrs. Durkie’s surprise and great her triumph at learning what wonders her cull- nary spell had wrowziit. Her satisfaction was only marred by the tidings that her lodgers must leave her soou. They tad decided on San Remo for the spring mouths, “And indeed I would never haye made any pudding at all had I guessed what it was to cost me,” protested tie good landlady. “But you'll write and let me know what comes to you, Miss Marian, won't you? Something will bevore the year’s out, depend upon it. And [ve the right to hear. Don't you think 80 yourself now, ma’am ?” “Of course you have; and you ghall hear,” promised Marian. But spring and summer passed, and autamn was well under way before a letter with the American post: ‘K came to satisfy the good landlady’s curiosity. It bore date, “New York, November ¥ DEAR Mrs. DvrKre” (so tt ran),—“T hope you have not forzotten us or our promise to write. T mexut to hive done so perore, ding charm had tn my. case £ nothing atatL And til Litel the truth. “We got home on fasta monte Later my.sister She is settled now In her pretty new home, and 1s nd very happy, and hopes you'ot the ntoutte you. ’ Emmy, who you will is quite strong again, kpent the sum- 4th me in Colorado, whieh 1s the most be 1u- mu can Imagine, with such moun mer tiiul y tains and park-lke valleys, and such air as can not be described. Colorado, you kuow, 18 a state almost as far trom New York as you are in the Ige or Wight. Now we are come eastward agai, and are staying with Aileen for a While, nntil—here eomes my news, and, 8 you wiil 4 Was a true prophet—nniil fam I, is J expect to be on’ the 10th of next moath, to Mr. Robert Ramsay, whoin we inet at Estes Park last July. He 13 a rinchtaan, that is, a sort of sheep farmer, and Iam gotng back with him to live tu Colorado. Our house will be pretty rough for the Qrst year or two; in fact, it isa sort of cabin, bi teely of wood and pirtly of logs r plaster, and I suppose woul sect rather ‘poverty-stricken’ to some people; bUt we hope to huprove icin tine, and meanwhile we have beauttiul hills to loox at, and a splendid cll- mute, which, tagether with youth and fair pros- Ports make a very pleasant sort of ‘poverty,! as T hink. So you needn't be at all sorry for me, or regret the pudding, for if I could put that thimble back again with a wish, I assure you I wouldn't: und I aw not only contented, but proud of the fate it nas brought arsine # “My sis join me in kind regards, and I dear Mrs. Durkie, Yours most cordiany, “MARIAN Ranp.” “The blessed young thing that she is!” lated Mrs. Durkie, wiping her eyes as she Hnished the letter. “Well, let folks that will doubt that old saying about the pudding,I never shall again. It’s made mp young. ladies fortunes, true as life, and I mean to keep on making them ejacu- | ments. as fong as I live.” ———__+2-_____ We Ske rr Statep that the Texas Methodists have determined ta introduce the Bible in the pablic school system. We do not believe sucha thing possible on account of the comparative size of the two Institutions. The free 1 ce of Texas is such a small institution that it would be as dificult to introduce a i family Bible into it as it would be to introduce a namber ten foot into a number five boot. If the ay Texas free school were eed Bo perhaps the Bible, if it were a very, young Bible, not than a pack of carvis, it be crowded into it, but Tvoula bea miights, tight ere hyn pedanaiar sig lett THE LICK OBSERVATORY. Mount Hamitken and the Read to Nts ‘Sue: tthe Buildings kad the Pre- sent Equipment—a Ye! pe with an Object Glass of Thirty-six Inches to be Made. From the New York Post. In December, 1874, Mr. James Lick deter- mined to erect “the most powerful telescope in the world,” somewhere within the boundaries of California, lis adopted state. Various sites were proposed and. considered, the first being Observatory Point on Lake Tahoe, which was soon abandoned on account of the severity of the winters at this place, aud especially on account of the great snowfall. Mr. Lick’s original idea ‘was suinewhat crude and unformed, but it took shape after consultation by letter and otherwise with various men of science in the east and else- where, and also with gentlemen of scientific tastes in California. " Monte Diablo (8,856 feet high), Monnt Helena (4,343 feet high),and other points were successively proposed and, after examination, rejected. Finally, Mr. Lick sent tain Fraser, bis man of business, to examine Mount Uamilton (4,440 ret), an easily accessi- ble peak some thirtcen miles east of San Jose, In Santa Clara conuty. The first examination was made by Captain Fraser, in August, 1875. In most respects this site was found to be sat- isfactory, but the chief objections to it were im- powant if not vital. The cost of constructing a road to the summit would certainly be very great, and the summit itself wasa sharp point of yery hard trap rock. To make a level space here for the reception of the necessary buildings would be @ serious matter. Fiually, no water known anywhere near the summit. The last objection was disposed of by the discovery of two springs, only 4.300 feet distant from the summit aud 300 feet below it. Mr. Lick then announced that if Santa Clara county would build a suitable road connecting San Jose with the top of the mcuntain, he would establish and suitably endow an observatory on Mount Hara- ilton, “Afier fous changes in his plans Mr. Lick made a deed of trust (dated September 31 1875),which gave a yery large amount. of real and personal property to tive trustees to be by them expended for various purposes. The ob- servatory was provided for as follows: The tras- tees were authorized to expend the sum of $700,000 for the purchase of the necessary land and for putting up on that land “a powerful telescope, superior to aud more powerful than y telescope ever yet made,” with the neces- achinery, ete., “and also a suitable ob- servalory contected therewith.” As soon as these objects are satisfactorily accomplished, the observatory is to be turned over to the Re- | gents of the University of California, to become a departinent of the Uniyenaty, and any surplus left over after paying for the land and observa- tory Is to be invested in safe bonds. The income from these bonds is to bedevoted to “the main- tainance of the said telescope and of the obser- vatory connected therewith, and shall be made useful in promoting science.” A grant of land was obtained from the United States; the proposition of Mr. Lick to Santa Clara county was accepted, and the road to the top of Mount Hamilton was built during 1876. It was formally accepted by the trusteea in Jan- uary, 187 it is now maintained by Santa Clara county as a county road, and it is quite likely that it will soon be extended by Alameda county over the range into the San Joaquin valley. Probably no more magnificent mountain road exists in the United States, when one considers all the circumstances of fine surrounding scenery, excellent road-bed, and commanding views. Some ideas of the engineering difiiculties over- come can be had from the cost of constructing this highway twenty-six miles into the heart of the mountains, and with a rise of 4,000 feet in twenty-two miles, Such a project would appall the average county surveyor of New England. but it was here accomplished at the large cost ol $78,000. The maximum grade is 6 feet 6 inches in 100 feet, or about 348 feet in the mile. Most of the road, however, is materially less steep than this. ‘The first four miles isa fine level avenue, laid out in a perfectly straightline in the Santa Clara valley. The ascent of the foothills is then com- menced, and the road begins a series of turn- ings and twistings which are of course necessary to keep the gradient low. Toward the end of the route the road winds round and round the nonntain itself and overlooks one of the wost pieturesque of scenes: the valley of Santa Clara and the coast range to the west, a bit of the Pa- citic to the southwest, the Sierra Nevadas, with countless ranges between, to the southeast, the San Joaquin valley and the Sierras beyond to the ast, While to the north onel Y! tf ee Mount Sh aay of $ Fda y- lies open before you, map, and at the end of nouitain near the entrance to the simunits. ale peal . properly speaking, three kis 4440 fect, the anid- nird, the obser— been cut: nak ( ywn to a lev ain the The dwellin: on a narrow sunnnit. ‘To ga’ et of rook orkshops are feet below the ¢ some twenty hasbeen removed trom. the hott 40,00) tons. A I d,and_ this ie perfect the level surfa om San Jose With a light wa one may trot the . The springs have aiso been connected with “the hill,” as it is wed by the inhabitants, by a good read along which a water pipe is laid. “These springs yield 850 gallons per day in the dryest time, andinthe Wet season as much as 5.000 gallons per day. Thus a very serious problem is solved. ‘The decision of the general plans for the Ob- yator ly to the presidegt of Captain R. S. Floyd. He has given to these questions an amount of time which few persons could possibly bestow on a matter outside of ordinary professional life. Since 1876 he has personally visited most of the observatories of Europe and America aud has corresponded with astronomers all over the world. In 1879 he visited Washington, and to- gether with Professors Newcomb and Holden, of the Nayal Observatory, he prepared a series of drawings from which the observatory was to be built, and ordered the first of tle instru- ments. The general pian of the observatory is to give the place of honor to the large dome (some 7 feet in diameter.) This is to contain a refracting telescope by Alvan Clark & Sons, of Cambridzeport, who have made not only the largest, but the best telescopes in the world. Their first telescopes were six inches in aperture and of exquisite definition. With- out losing in precision, they have successive- ly made Object glasses of $17, 934, 12, 1514, 18}. 23, and 26 inches. They are now engaged on an objective of 30 inches for the Russian govern- ment, and will soon commence the Lick tele- of 36inches aperture, for which they have ved 80 magnificent an apprenticeship. This is to occupy the whole of the south end of the plateau of the summit. At the northwest cor- her stands a dome (completed in Noverber, 1831) which contains a 12-inch telescope by Alvan Clark, one of his very finest. Connecting the two domes is to be 4 one-story building con- taining a clock room, workshops, a library, oifices, and bedrooms for observers. A transit house of iron (completed fn 1881) stands a few feet east of the smaller dome, and Just south of this {s the photo-heliograph, with its house. A few fect east of this the six-inch me- ridian circle (by Repsold,of Hamburg) is to ‘stand, which, with the four-inch transit (by Fauth, of Washington), completes the list of meridian instruments. A four-inch comet- secker, by Clark, occupies a small done. The main building will be built of brick. The bricks of clay, found close to the Observatory, are made under a contract which saves the Observ- atory some fifty per cent of the usual cost. Avout 2,000,000 brick are now made and ready to deliver, and these will just about suifice for the constructions agreed upon. It will be seen that am observing station of importance is established on the moun- tain, containing an ‘equipment of which many European observatories would be proud. It may be said that the whole‘of ‘the tund expended to “ ip Hepler cast of the road to ve ue an is ludes eid This equip- ment has Seoul peer in the observa- tion of the transit of Mer on November 7, 1881, by Professor Holden and Mr. Burnham, who were invited by’ the trustees to set up eir . 1879 Mr. Burn- in the telescope in ‘ lons, the ol being to vompare thé conditions of vision a this high altitude wifh-those at lower levels. His conclusions were ely favorable to the Mount Hamilton site, from his report there is little doubt that the summer months this site is more favorable ob- servatory now establi During the winter storms prevail, but th snow is not very deep and does not lie long, - the temperature is low. When ié ts clear, in the rainy not ve “ season, fev porecty ‘80, and the vision com- pares with the average conditions at. eastern oeervaoric, It ts obvious that if the management aftairs remains in the same able control, we shall bave in a tew years one of the most admirably ipped ob- Pe an aid world, toe stte Rens 0 and, without being too sanguine, tt wi be instttation sale to froursuch an : Xpect mach fr He Will Not Make Calls, From the Brooklyn Eagie. THEATER-GOING IN PARE “No more New Year’s calling for me,” said | French Pinys and Operas as an Ameri- Simpkins. ‘I've had enough of such nonsense. It's all a delusion and asnare. I was cured last year permanently, sir: Yes, permanently.” “Why, you used to delight in the custom,” said his friend. **What has brought this change about?” ‘Oh, nothing in particular,” sald Simpkins, | “But I may say everything in general. In the | firet place, 1 am old enough to see the folly of | my ways, and after studying the thing out,4 pronounce the custom a shai every light ridiculous. To ever see half decent walking on New Year's | day?” “Avent, no; not to my recellection,” said his friend. ‘o, nor I;” said Simpkins, “It’s always a | steady tramp through slush up to yeur knees | rom morning until night. Item: Phe ruina- tion of one pair of boots and your dress trows- ers. In the second place. did you ever get enough to eat on New Year's day without | becoming sick or bringing on an aggravated | case of indigestion?” “Well, [must confess, one’s diet is apt to be somewhat mixed on that day,” said his triend. “Mixed!” ejaculated Simpkins, “I should say | it was mixed. When you are dying for a good, | honest slice of roast beef they spring pickled oysters, candy mottoes and such trash on you. If at bed time you took an inventory of the stufyou have tucked away during the day, you | would really be surprised that your patient stomach held out as jong as it did. Then‘you | are supposed to eat everything on the jump, as | it were. alot of oysters slipping about | on a shallow plate in one hand, and a brimming | glass of wine in the other, you are turned loose | in a wilderness of silk and satin traiis which | persist in continually tangling themselves, i your legs, threatening a universal smash dp at | every step you are bold enough to take. And what does a New Year's call amount to, any- way?” “Well, I must confess it is rather unsatia- factory,” said his friend. ‘Unsatisfactory!” said Simpkins. “That is drawing it mild. Is the most vapid thing I | know of. Ireally believe I repeated the same | identical sentence over a hundred times last | New Year's day. You know what it was with- | out my repeating it now. Everybody does who has made New Year's calls, If you do meet an interesting lady now and then, and cet talking | about something rational. you ‘are cut short in the middle of ce by the entrance of another ns, and then you are | expected to skip, and all but shown the door. The ladies have captured your card. You couut | one more on their list, and alter that the sooner | yon make room for more cards and names the | ® better you will be appreciated. Then you tramp | offagain through the slush to anotiier part of town, wetghungry, and generally dragyed out, but imagining you are having an immensely joliy time. No, sir; Lam going to send my year,” continued Simpkin: hereafter; so don’t you for ards this “and every year eee eager Geology of the Panama Canal. {Chief Engineer Koux to New York Herald Intor- viewer.} The geological formation of the isthmus had been laboriously studied before I myself went out by the German, Dr. Moritz Wagner, by Gar- ella and by M. Boutan. I can only claim to have | completed the labors of these eminent men. I | |“lwishaset in the p {| and distinctly find that from Colon to Tiger Hill the route adopted for the canal runs almost entirely through alluvial soil. Here ‘and there you have voleanic tu, however. From Tiger Hill to San Pablo we have conglomerate soil, clays, ete. Between San Pablo and Matachin we come to the alluvial formation of the Chagres, whence for some distance the level of the district tra- versed is very little above that of the sea—25 meters, or say 80 feet at most. At Matachin the canal will ran through the most difficult part of the route. Here we have todo with solid rock —a most characteristic specimen of which is met with closeto the cataract of the Rio Obispo. The rock is hardest Just beyond the cataract— on the Panama side. Next comes more clayey Hee overlying the dolorite of the Serro Culebra, the— Here I interrupted M. Roux to ask him what reted found to be the formation in the canal ~Clayey tuff,” was the reply; “such as visitors may have scen at Panama at low tide. I may mention,” continued M. Roux, “that it is pro- posed to utilize this clayey tuff ina very striking manner. “The Panama canal congress, as you may re- member, was much exercised by the numerous and periodic inundations of the Chagres. To oppose them it was suggested that an artificial barrage should be constructed at Gamboa. It has veen proposed that the enormous amount of clay at Culebra should be transferred to Gamboa. Being water-tight, it would make an admirable barrier, and no masonry would be needed. ‘Tie engineers incline to the idea of constructing a ‘ailroad, with at least eizht paratiol lines close to the Culebra mountain, and of shoveling the clay into the Chavres valley. “ But to return to the canal ronte. There ts not much more to be said about it. From Culebra to Panama it will ran through solid pyroxenie rock and sandstone tuff, such as you may see on the Bovedas promenade at Panaina. So mueh fer this part of our subject.” “To come to more general questions,” sald I. “may ask you Low much work lias been really done so far?” “Certainly. As regards the actual execution of our plans.” said M. Roux, “we have as yet not done very much. But the ground has been thoroughly prepared and we shall now go ahead fast. Operations, as you know, have been be- gun on the Colon side of the isthmus. The ex- cavators are at work and work-shops have been erected for fitting together and repairing the iinmense quantity of machinery we have or- dered. The excavators and drags selected by Messrs. Couvreux and Hersent are of the most powerful kind. The drags will be capable of re- moving from eighteen hundred to two thousand cubic meters of subaqueous alluvial matter daily. From this you will see what amount of man labor we shall be able to dispense with, and as a consequence how great will be the economy effected. ‘his is all important in a country where the unhealthy climate is so great an ob- stacle to labor. As regards the rock, my idea was to use the compressed air. perforaters em- ployed so euccossfully at Fregitio, the Prato, the lout Cenis and the St. Gothard. Nething is yet definitely settled about these periorators. We had not pierced through any rock. Up to the present we have been busied with preliminary investigations, soundings, hydrographic surveys and so forth. “How long,” Tinquired, ‘do you think it will be before the canal 13 finished 7 “About seven years, if the health of the work- men continues fairly good. This of course de- pends greatly on the climate.” = “That isa point f am most anxious to hear hath srry! about,” I continued. ‘““f will tell you all J can,” answered M. Roux, “and I speak from experience. We have two distinct, seasons—the rainy and the dry. It raing, as it rains in the tropics, for about five months in the year. Contrary to the Stories set atloat yellow fever is not epidemic on the isth- mus. We have hada few cases, to be sure, but several of them were imported from countries where the ‘yellow jack’ is an epidemic—the Antilles, for instance. “The local fevers are chiefly these: First, a fever peculiar to the country and called the calentura or Panama fever. It is not dangerous, and comes generally from wearing wet clothes and living In damp districts. A more serious discase is the remittent bilious fever. This is often mortal, but it chiefly affects drunkards, Paludean fever occurs, too, and as is in all parts of Central America people with liver complaints will find the climate dangerous. I ay re- mark,” added M. Roux, “that all I ai telling fae merely contirms the data supplied by the local papers.” “How many men have you at work on the canal route?” g “We have at present between 1.500 and 2,000 men in our employ. The majority are natives— negroes or Indians. Among the number are @ great many Jamaica blacks (who, by the by, make excellent einai “oer chin anda nunber of Euro; French and Germans principally. The mercantile in- stincts of the Chinese, however, lead them ‘generally to preter opening stores to working. The influx of Europeans to the isthmus from. Peru and Chili has been one of the most curious and disheartening facts in our experience 80 far. The war has, as I need not tell you, ruined most of the Europeans who had settled in and there has been a sudden rush to th The misery that has resulted from crowding has been fnily described by ma Star and Herald, so I will not about it, except this: ‘The of much in excess of the det that if pany were inhumane ana cared to could lower wages to almost nothing.’ B35 elt e 8 & cam Sees Them Abroad. Parte Letter to New York San. On my very first nicht in Paris Twent to the Opera Comiqne. The play was the Countess of Hoffman—Offenbach’s postixumous opera. The composer died while superintending its produc- tion on the stage of this theater. They were | singing this opera in the theater in Vienna when the fire occurred which destroyed so many tives. ‘The Opera Comique stands on two side streets hear oue of the main boulevards of Paris. A few | brizht lights iltunine the maia entrance. Rain was falling as I drove to the theater. A soldier | in fuil uniform stood at the door of th aie | at asupport arms. As he spoke to noone, and | no one spoke to him, I was at a loss to account for his presen d soidiers at tie doors of ali the Pari . Inquiry as to why ‘they were there always bronght out the same answer: mary.” On enter estibute of the Opera Com- igue, I saw a knot of persons gathered a hole in tle wail on my ri. 1 chasing entrance tickets. I bought a tilling me to aseat in the parquet for = As 1 neither spoke ner unde I planked down a Napoleon and et, if you please. French, Whether the agent un threw out a ticket along with the ch drifted on with the crowd. I surrounded by female ushers, neatly dressed. AU spoke to me in’F L replied: “Tbe your ys nid I don’t speak French. In all thy wanderin, people could unders I found that poken slowly badly pro- I chose a seat near the ceater of se, and the usher neted its number in alittie book. Warned by my experience in Lon don, I gave her a france. She said: “Thanks, in French, and departed without giving mea playbill. quickly discovered that there were no programs. Freuch theaters do without them. An evening newspaper prints on its frst page the cast at each theater, and the news- paper f& at times sold at the door by speculative newsboys, quet. The musicians stragcled in as tho} were a part of theandience, and be their instruments as soon as they we seats. Gold and crimson colors predominate in the decorations, and the theater presents a light nnd airy appearance. Ats o'clock somebody be- hind tie curtain bezan to pound the fluor. It sounded as thongh a joist was used. It wasthe is for the beginning of the performance. The Oceasionalty it is hawked in the par- in their musicians stopped their monotonous tuning, Mea and the ururmur of conversation ceased. in the parquet no® for the first ti their hats. The musical direc! in his seat. A seco score or more ns glided into the overture. Jt was iffcent orchestra, far superior to auy. that I have heard in either New York or London. ‘The proportion of brass and stringed instruments seemed perfect. Every note was struck with military precision. It was a htunan orchestrion, worked by machinery. At times the auditoriam'was floodé wild metody, and anon the instruments became as soft and plaintive as breezes on southern savan- Das. The curtain was drawn up, and scores of danseuses trooped over the sta: When the curtain fell on the first act the men in the par- quet covered their heads and eddied out of the side entrances. At least three-quarters of the visitors left the theater in search of refresh- ments. They were met at the door by the news- boys, who hoursely bawled the price of thelatest evening newspapers. All the restaurants in the vicinity were quickly filled. Ladies left the theater with gentiemen, and as freely patron- ized the saloons. On plush sofas and cane-bot- tomed chairs in the mellow gaslizht they sipped coflee and champagne, or drank the foaming beer of Strasburg. The play ended at the usuai hour in Paris—a few minutes after eleven. I wound up my visits to Paris by attending the Grand Opera House on Sunday evening. Only three or four performances a week are given here. All the theaters, however, are open on Sunday evenings. Verdi's Aida was sung at the Grand Opera House. I secured a front seat in the first balcony for about $7. Everybody in the boxes and balconies was in full dress, but there was a sprinkling of gentlemen in the or- chestra seats in frock coats. The ladies were bonnetless and hatiess. They wore the richest evening dresses. Canes, umbrellas and over- coats were left in the cloak rooms. Aida was magnificentiy mounted. The scene of the opera is laid in Egypt. The scenery, dresses, and e: the melody seemed Egyptian. Great pasteboard idols stood upon the stage. and were so blended with the paintings of temples, sphinxes and py- ids as to make it impossible to distinguish be- them even with the aid of an opera ginss. ounted drazoon in full uniform sat at entrauee to the Place de POpera, and a score of more of infantry paraded the corridors in blood- blue coats. A private car- r y he President of the Frene Republic to a private entrance to the box desig nated for the Emperor Napoleon. his car weway was made by order of Louis Napoleon, bog to lessen the dangerofassassination. Ishall not attempt to describe the edifi It is amonu- ment of the reign of the orodite Napoleon. Be- tween the acts the audience passed up regal marble staircases and pr jed a foyer lighted and decorated so macnificently that it seemed like a dream from the Arabian Nizhts. The floors are exquisitely waxed, and the wails magnificently treseced. From the windows you catch a glowing view of the green boule- yards or arteries of Paris, whieh radiate from the Opera House fike creases from the handle of an open illuminated fan. The most magnificent of these boulevards is the Boulevard de Opera, lighted by electric lights. It is a living streain of lights and shadows flowing through a marble eanou. An exquisite refreshment room. filled with sofas and marble-topped tables and daintily decorated, is attached to the foyer. Waiters in fuil dress supply the demand for ices and wines with rap- idity and silence. As in other theaters, I found elegantly dressed tadies at the Grand Opera House without escorts. Arm-in-arm they as- cended and descended the marble stairways, and wandered through the brilliantly lighted corridors. I scanned the audience closely, and fancied that I could occasionally. distinguish representatives of the Faubourg St. Germain, the Knickerbocker atistocracy of Paris, by their quict dress and elegance of manner; but I was taken aback when told that a gentleman whom Ihad taken for at least a Montmorenci wes a simple French courier. There may be someth.ng in aristocracy. but at the Grand Opera House a stranger cannot by dress, appearance and man- bers distinguish either a prince from a mechanic or @ duchess from a milliner. ——_____e-_____ A Wounded Man’s Peculiar Sensation. From the Virxinia City (Nev.) Enterprise. James Rowe, the man who was blown up at the Forman shaft and lost both of his arms and his eyesight, is still blown up nightly in imagi- nation. He yesterday told Dr. Webber that he felt that he was getting a good deal better. Said he; “Now I am obliged to die once per night, whereas a few days ago I had to be kilied ‘twice or three times nightly.” What he meant was that nightly it appeared to him that the ex- plosion again |, and that he was knocked senseless by the flying fracments of rock. The doctor says this is a thingthat givesa great deal of trouble to all patients who have been hurt by caves or explosions. It often prevents them from sleeping. No sooner do they begin to doze than the cave comes and the e: occurs, and they awake with a start and cry out, nam erey John, Sey fe between him and an inheritance of $17,500. pater: was at school swallowed the and died’ cree Ananalyaisof hisstomach discovered the medicine: quantities ofa of aconite which had been pur- chased in New York. Lamson, who had for returned and surrendered legitimately prescribed, an nceivable it might have been, and that of the resulted from an overdose. bit of eee cores Wim- = =e to “se heavily in debt 00 that he hea ‘which there LADIES’ GOODS L Abies Furs. -s: as “sear SKIN DOLMA’ BE SKIN BAOQUES., LINED CIRUCLARS. FUR JINED DOLMANS. NUE COACHES ang OOLLAI EU THIMMING BY THE YARD. ALL AT REDUCED PRICES. B. HM. STINEMETR, a 3237 Pennsylvania avenue, Me HULL, a oF Tar, PALMER HOUSE HAIR STORK, CHICAGO, wail soon visit Washington with a large assortment of her Caiobrated IMPROVED WAVES, and other Nv siven uni a ne Look for ane M*® ©. DONOVAN, OF 245 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK Ctry, Has opened BRANCH 1HOU 2 AT 183 F STREET, ere she is ready to Show Goode and Receis: Orders. GEAND OPENING TULSDAY, JANUAKY 4, 1882, OF HER NEWEST IMPORTATIONS OF RECEP. TION, DINNER AND BALL DR¥SSES; Aso, EXQUISITE FRENCH NOVELTINS. 431 POR NEW YEARS RECEPTIONS: FLOWERS, KID GLOVES, LACES, RUCHINGS, FANS, ALL FRESH GOODS, ar LOWEST PRICES. MES. M. J. BUNT, 429 Nos. 621 axp 623 D Sraerr Nournweer, RS. SELMA RUPPERT, M 608 9th street, onporite Patent OMee. Complete stock of ZF RS, CREW. and GER MANTOWN WOO. A MBROIDEMIES snd all x muterial for Fancy Neo. L scortment of LAC LACE GOODS, RUP- RLINGS, HOSIERY, GLOVES, FRINGES aud CLM NG! STAMPTNG promptly execated. aur [Ppeveras 524-526 si WE DON'T PROPOS! Consequently, during Ge present week, Sock of Holiday N. will be sold at than ever. ‘No mater what 0 EquaLiy Low, will be carried, * many cases LOWER, over, if bottam prices will FUR-LINED CIRCULARS AND DOLMANS, Just re ceived and will be sold lower thay heretofire, cial lot for Holiday Preses tm. SEAL-SKIN SACQUES, MUFPS, HATS AND CAPS, fat reduced yetous. ” Ladies’, Mires’ and Children's CHINCHILLA MUFFB AND COLLARS, in Plain and Patent MUFFS, Lange stock to select from. All atlowext prices, - bated ne M*®: + P. Patan, IMPORTER OF FRENCH MILLINERY Goops, 1107 F STREET, BETWEEN lire AND I2rn, REOEPTION AND OPERA BONNETS. Personal attention wiven to Millinery orders. d1¥ FRRexca FLOWERS. Orening. a complete axsortment of EVENING DRES& FLOWERS and CORSAGE BOQUELS, in all quaities und prices. Fandsome Christmas Novelties in FLOWERS, BAB. KEVs and JALDINENS filed to order. PARISIAN FLOWER ©CO., _ iw F street nortiwest. DOLMANS, aaa PALETOTS, JACKETS AND SUTTS. CHILDREN’S AND MISSES CLOAKB. ‘The largest and best axsoruuent in the city. RIMMINGS in different Widths. M. WILLIAN, 7 Cite Trevise, Paris. 29 ae 907 PL LVANTA AVENUE, M FE. B. PRICE, FASHIONABLE, a south wet commer Do Keorpticn and W in enipertor et at ehort notice. ¥o dresses cut an | A pertect tit gai MITH, NO. 61s RS. Cc. V. NINTH STREET worthwest, har on ‘hand a full eock of WINTER MILIGNERY and FANCY GOLDS, GLD LADLES? CAVS a npeciaity, or ME. VON BRAND: $15 Pennsylvania Formerly with i Barr & Oo Evening Dresses; Bridal “Tronsseaus, Cloaks, Dolmans and Suits; all nade at : Perfect work, superior iting: toc. ME. WASHINGT: FASHION 8. spectalty; the nhortenst satisfaction, a6-6m GENTLEMEN ypouway Goops. Fisk, Clark and Plages' LATEST NOVELTIES in Gentlemen's Gloves and Neckwear, Handsomely Kxubroidered Sik Suspenders, tn fancy Ph lush Scarfe, Updegrat's Pur- Gioves, ik Handkerciets, Searf icitum, Umbrel And a full and compete tick of GENTLEMEN: FURNISHINGS, selected expecially for the Hiokiiays, THOMPSON'S Shirt Factory, ais 816 F street northwest. S, ® BLLeRy, SUCCESSOR TO DUBREUVIL BROTHERS, MANUFACTURERS OF FT DRESS SHIETS NE GENTS’ FURNISHINGS. | 111. F Srexer Norrawest, Wasurxcron, D.O. Ww SHIRTS. SHIRTS, SHIRTS. E_WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE SELL better than say other estab=