The New York Herald Newspaper, March 9, 1879, Page 8

b| “PARIS AT THE THRATRE Anecdotes and Characteristics of the Manager of the Opera. MM. MEILHAC AND HALEVY. Naturalism on the Paris Stages—M. Zola’s “L'Assom- woit”—-The Judgment of Paris. . THE RESIGNATION OF M. HALANZIER. Pants, Feb, 15, 1879. Since the war and the fall of the Empire the taste for the theatre, which at all periods has been very marked in Paris, has developed in an extraordi- mary manner. Balls, soirées and official tétes are no longer as numerous as formerly. There is less danc- Ing, but there is more music. The Parisian, to sat- isty that irresistible need of movement which takes him continually from home, and eager for amuse- ments frequently renewed, rushes to the theatre with feverish earnestness. And everything that re- lates to it interests him—the piece, those who have written it, those who play it, the director who has mounted it, the stage manager who has superin- tended the mise en scéne, the couturitre who has prepared the costumes of the leading actress, thg| painter of the sensational scene, the journalist in- trusted with the task of criticising the first repre- sentation, and the cocutle who occupies the avant actne at this solemnity. Conseyvently the Paris jJournals—even the most serious—have for some time Past devoted a good deal of space to theatrical mat- ters. THE PARISIAN 4T THB THRATRE. ‘The most insignificant occurrence that takes Place at any of the theatres at once finds its chroni- clers, The doings of Theresa, of Mile. Granter and of Mile. Croisette were events compared with which the most serious political evolutions paled in in- terest. The principal event of the last fortnight in theatrical and musical circles has been the resignation of M. Halanzier, Director of the Opera. For the last few months a new question has occupied public attention—that of the direction of the Opera, The present system— that of a director appointed by the government and conducting this great establishment at his personal risk ard peril—exuacted merely the deposit of half his profits in the coffers of the State. This system, at once simple and practical, was productive of such excellent results that it was thought it could be ad- vantageously replaced by another. Numberless dis- cussions took place to solve the question whether it would not be better to direct the Opera by State func- tionaries, and several combinations, all of them im- practicable, were proposed. The director, M. Halan- zier, whose authority had nothing to gain by these passionate debates, which were carried on at his ex- pense, flung his resignation in the face of all the voformers of the official, academical, municipal, parli- mentary and other commissions. He will, therefore, only remain at the Opera until the termination of the privilege accorded him—that is to say, until 1880. M. HALANZIER’S RESIGNATION. M. Halanzier’s letter to the Ministre des Beaux Arts was published on the same day that Marshal MacMahon plfced his resignation in the hands of M. Dufaure, The National Academy of Music, there- fore, occupied its share of attention on that day at the Palace of the Elysées, The two resignations were the subject of common discussion in Parisian circles, But while news of the departure of the President of the Republic was received with perfect calmness that of the retirement of M. Halanzier caused considerable excitement. The latter had a serious advantage over the Marshal; he left a galére much more difficult to steer than that of the State. And yet, although the Marshal had only served out five years and a half of his septennat, M. Halanzier had served out at the Operaa full seven years. Besides, every one knew that the day following the resig- nation of the chief ot the State he could be easily re- placed, and his successor was even named, while it is still a moot question who is to succeed to M. Halanzier. For the Opera there is no M. Grévy on hand. Bat when I say this it must not be assumed that candidates are wanting. No! far from it. On the promenades, on the boulevards, in the passages of the theatres, we. meet only people who whisper mysteriously in your ear:—‘‘Keep the thing to your- self. I have been appointed Director of the Opera, T have the Minister's word for it.” But it is not easy to replace—and that for a permanence—a man like M. Halanzier. The Opera is a world that bas to be kept in movement and governed. Since the opening of the new house everything has assumed colossal proportions there. During his long management the resigning director had put in force the most absolute maxims of per- tonal power. M. Halanzier ruled not merely as master, but almost asa tyrant, Everything moved snd still moves under the impulse of his single will, He arrived in his office at seven o'clock in the morn- ing with the punctuality of the humbiest employé, and he left his post in the evening only after the re: hearsal or the performance, taking scarcely the time uecessary for his meals. He is rarely to be seen sisewnere than at the Opera. ‘The creator of his own fortune, he narrates willingly, and that to every one, the histogy of his humble beginnings, how he made his débu?'in the protession by himself dregging in a handcart his scenery to the theatre. In his career 4s provincial manager he learned everything that & theatrical director can acquire. Nothing, therefore, escupes his observation. He personally superintends vocai and ballet rehearsals, the preparation of the costumes, of the scenery, the machinery and the ad- ministration of the theatre. From hour to hour bulletins are brought to him showing him the exact receipts at the box office and entrance lists. Nota single ticket is given to a journalist without his con- sent. He is to be seen everywhere at once, knows everything, bears everything. Very severe with his ersounel, subject to Violent fits of anger when he nds himself imperfectly understood or badly sec- onded, he enjoys in this operatic world an unequalled prestige. Short, stout, with legs too diminutive and arms tuo loug, he makes an impressiou on every one by his extraordinary energy and his untiring assi- duity. When he says he wants a thing done every one bows in submission. It is true that he only is possible and that he stops at nothing ample, they are performing just now at the Opera a charming Japanese ballet, “Yedda;” the music of which is by M. Olivier Metra, the celebrated author of the ‘Valse aux Roses.” At a certain mo- ment the heroine of the ballet should place her foot on a nenuphar leaf floating on the surface of a lake, and the flower, instead of sinking, should transport her to au enchunted region. At the rehearsal this arrangement did not fail to awaken the apprehen- sions of the principal danseuse, Mile, Rita Sangalli, whom your New York readers cannot have forgoiten, and who is at present the premier sujet at the National Academy of Music. This voyage ou the sur- face of the water was not free from danger. It was necessary sfor mademoiselle to place Ler {uot exuctly ‘upon the leaf; failing to do which she ran the risk of falling through the painted stuff imitating the water and of being precipitated to the bottom of the theatre. Mlle. Sangalli hesitated. Although gitted with a fair share of will and courage the adventure of the leaf seemed to her a perilous affair. M. Hulanzier endeavored at | to persuade her to attempt it; then, un’ ling that his eloquence was likely to be waste: her he had a sudden inspiration, he said to her, “that you incur no er;”” and giv ing orders to the machinist to set in motion the wiechanism which caused the uenuphar leat to “You will see,” traverse the water he placed himself upon it and glided over the surface in the pose of the famous gure which surmounts the column of the | Bastille. But this was not the first occasion ou which M. Halanzier made a trial of the solidity of his machinery in presence of his artists, In a cireumstance which occurred a long time ago when he was & proviucial manager, his iuter- | ference in this respect was near costing him dear, In & piece, the name of which has escaped my mem- ory, # beautiful young girl was to have represented ata rticdlar moment “Cupid returning to the skies.” The pretty child was to have been raised from the earth to disappear in the drops; but at all the rehearsals, when the time to hoist her arrived, | she screamed violently aud refused to pass through the ordeal. M. Haluusier called the machinist aud had himself attached to the (rue in place of the slirinking girl, “And yet,” he said, as he rose toward the drops, “I am not so light a» you | are. You see how solid it is, mademoiselle; there i# nothing to be afraid of.” Just as the young girl, completely reassured by this ex; Was about to ask to be allowed to resume b journey an wecident occurred to the was found that although it had been up the manager ft Was impossible to bring him down again, And M. Halanzior remained suspended x Cupid in ti ops. A working machinist had to bo'sent ior, Who on examination discovered that it | oud take bali an hour to make the pulleys work. | NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, MARUH 9, 1879.-QUINTUPLE SHEET. M. Halanzier is not a man to lose his time, even in the clouds, “Half an hour! he shouted out from above. “Let them not wait for me. Continue the rehearsal. I can see very well from here!”” You can readily understand that it is not easy to find direc- tors of this stamp, and that M. Halanzier will no sooner have left the Opera than his loss will be de- plored. DRAMATIC COLLABORATION TANTE."* And now let us pass on to other subjects. I have & few words to say regarding the vaudevilie, which MM. Meilhsc and Halovy have just produced at the ‘Theatre du Palais Royai—“Le Mari de la Debutante." Your readers must be acquainted with the names and the reputations of the two essentially Parisian dram- atists, whose witty creations are played everywhere, The “Grande Duchesse,” the “Brigands,” °“Frou- Frou” and the “Revenlon” have borne their fame to every part of the world. The fortunate association of these two men of talent and wit has given us a number of little chefs d'auvre, of operatic librettos MARI DE La DEBU- full of verve and refined satire, of come- dies which overtlow with humor and keen observation in every scene, and of vaude- villes which make one laugh throughout. The public in seeing those two names associated for many Years past on theatrical ters has naturally arrived at the conclusion that Meiihac and Halévy are two intimate friends; even more than friends—brothers living one for the other and unable to live without each other, having the same tastes and ing of the same pleasures. The public is mis! ever were two natures more widely different 68s cal culated to understand each other. Meilhac is the very opposite of Halévy. The latter is a worker; serious, economical, cold in temperament, always amimbie, 4 married man and domestic, Meilhac adores billiards. Halévy plays only whist. The friends of Mei! are in the habit of say- ing, “It is Meilhac who writes and Halevy who transacts the business. Meilhaec docs not contradict them. Well, new vaudeville introduces us, but in the last act merely (it would almost seem that the authors were atraid of their subject), to one of those ménages of the- atrical artists, so curious to observe and describe, and which are to be met with occasionally in our great city, How ular they are, und how would have been delighted with them—he who was only acquainted with the ménage of M. and Mme. Marneffe. The wife represents the capital and the husband is the operator who turns it to account. Of the rights ot marriage he recognizes but this fact, that he, the husband, is the head of the family. As such he concludes contracts, accepts or refuses the rdles allotted to his wife, and says proudly :— “We have had a splendid success.” He is duly im- pressed with the fact he must turn to the best account his wife's popularity, and as long as she is able to sing, as long as she pre serves her personal attractions, so long will he make her perform in Paris, in the provinces and ‘in foreign capitals, without giving Ler even time to breathe or rest. The husband renounces every feeling of shame or jealousy, He determines to plug his ears and close his eyes. As long as his wife remains at the theatre he will submit heroically to its inconveniences and make money out of them. Tt was he who, discussing with a manager a rather transparent costume in which his wife was to appear in the last act of a popular operetta, observed to the latter:—"‘Certainly, it is very pretty, but it does not strip the figure euvough. My wite is sufficiently well made to justify her showing more of it.” The wite on her side understands the obligations of marriage in her own pecul way. A well known banker made her a present one day of a pair of costly dia- mond earrings. ‘I accept your present,” she said, “but on one condition, and that is that you give something to my husband.” MM, Meilhac and Halévy shrank from [igs Sg too faithful picture of such ideas and manners, ey did not care to push naturalism so far. NATURALISM ON THE BOARDS. Naturalism is now the word most in vogue. It was born only yesterday, which explains why it is not as yet understood by every one. 1t is a sort of dramatic pest which bas seized upon a certain class, but which 1 trust will not become contagious. Should this new tradition ever take possession of the stage, the thea- tre which passes for being the school of manners would become the special and exclusive school for bad manners. Gi passions and noble sentiments would disappear as if by enchantment to give place to abject instincts, to low appetites, to drunkenness, to alcoholic delirium—in » word, to the luxuries of the gutter. Authors, instead of torturing their wits to introduce in their dialogue finesse, gayety, obser- yation and pathetic feeling, would content them- selves with making their personages speak the pieces a language common-place, colorless, vul- gar und animated merely’ by a wretched kind = of triviality. Aud ain regard to Bt theatrical artists their physical defects would in- evitably become brilliant qualities; epileptic motion, bad taste and want of tact would take the place of every kind of talent. The high priest of naturalism is M. Emile Zola. Every one hag read his novel, “L'Assommoir.” But the work should be read in French; one should bias og in the original text this special kind of slang to comprehend the un- wholesome success of this sort of literature. It has been attempted to transfer portions of the novel to the theatre by moditying snd transtorming them. The drama is a commonplace and tiresome work, such as we have already seen a hundred of, and it is worse than the ninety-nine others. But the evil kind of sensation which was created by the novel has followed it to the theatre, For some time people had to bear a severe crushing to secure iaces at the box office of the Ambigu. jow, notwithstanding @ furious system ot pEaee, the eagerness of the public has cooled off, and it is easy to foresee that before long nothing moro will be heard ot this unfortunate piece. Everything had been done, however, to re juce faithfully the warts and scoria of the nov The dirtiest black- guards of the city were hunted up to figure in it. One of the scenes represents, with a truthfulness more repulsive than the reality itself, a lavoir, where the women of the lowest class of the population go to wash their dirty linen.—and very dirty itis. The suds are passed in full buckets aud pertume the at- mosphere. Having M. Zola to deal with we may ex- pect something even more repulsive still. After the (avoir we shall, no doubt, have abattoirs, the Morgue, the amphitheatre of the School of Medicine, with real corpses in the process of dissection, and the dépotoir of La Villette, with its authentic emanations. But it will be said to me, ‘Where is the naturalism in allthis? The piece is perhaps filthier and more repulsive than any other drama, but is it the more natural for t! Lown that I shonid find myselt greatly embarrassed were I called upon to give @ definition of naturalism. I have questioned the par- tisans of the author; they have no clearer ideas on the subject than I have, We shall adhere, then, with your permission, to the definition of Victorien Sardou. ‘The author-academician is just now at Nice, busy with the important piece waich he is preparing for the Comédie Frangaise and employing his leisure in visiting and purchasing property. ‘Recently, in the course of his pcrambulations,be met lady friend. The conversation turned on Zola and his ‘‘L’Assommoir.”” “Weill,” said the lady, ‘you at least will be able to tell me what a naturalist is?’ ‘A naturalist,” re- plied the author of “Dora,” “he is au empailleur (a taxidermist)."’ A VATICAN ANNIVERSARY. REPLY OF POPE LEO TO THE COLLEGE OF CAk- DINALS. Rome, Feb. 21, 1879. On the anniversary day of the Pontifical election, February 20, the College of Cardinals pre- sented their congratulations to His Holincas at the Vatican. Cardinal Di Pietro read an address from the Sacred College, the principal passage of which was:—During the brief period which has elapsed since, inspired by God, we pro- claimed you Sovereign Pontiff and Prince, worthy of governing the Church, the whole world has admired your actions and your blessed words of peace, which ought to allay the apprehensions which are so widespread, and hi ard with ro- spect the wise warnings which you have given to society, aud which assuredly ought to have the effect of putting an end to the excesses of public life, which are daily becoming more palpable, whether in the form of false principles which are propagated or of the horrible crimes which are committed— salutary warnings which indicate the sole means which can lead mau to his true destination. The College of Cardinals, then, rejoices in seeing that the choice which it has’ made in your person of Sover- eign PontitY will undoubtedly result in the continu- ance of that era of glory for the Catholic religion, for on your brow there shines, beside the sacred br the triple crown of virtue, firmness and wis- om. POPR LEO'S REPLY. His Holiness, in reply, said:—The good wishes and congratulations which you offer are extremely agreeable to us. From the moment that it pleased the Lord to raise us to the august chair of St. Peter, when our heart, deeply moved and penetrated with the thought of the heavy burden imposed on our weakness, felt almost vulled, the most efticacious encourayement we received was from the certainty that we would find in the Sacred Coliege ® poweriul support, and from the assured hope that Divine Providence which in such npestuous times called on us to rule over the Church would never be wantin to us with Its iful aid. Animated with tha coutidence, and fully aware of the evils and necessi- ties of society at present; and, moreover, int mately convinced of the power of the Chureh to effect their removal and cure, nothing was dearer to our heart than to show the worid the benificent uature and salutary influence of the Church, #0 a to bring back to her the princes and people, a8 well as to reestablish her in that noble state of liberty which is hers by Divine ordinance, ii our solicitude aud our words, received with re- spect and obedionce by the faithful of the universe, have served to rearouse among some of them & love for the Church, and to render others of them less hostile in their feclinga toward her, that result will be solely due to Him who has made the nations capable of being healed; to Him who has given etti- cacy to our words, and also to the inestimable treasures of light, trath and beauty with which the Ghureh is euriched, HAVE CONFIDENCE, But in rendering to God the acts of thanksgiving i are due to Him, we know bow difficult and 8 the way we have to traverse, for, in fact, the ever increasing propensity to evil which is aillicting society, the arrogant designs of m w bi wm whose audacity ix increased by unex pected triumphs, the disloyal warfare which in ull parts of the world is being waged avainst the Church and the Papacy, give presiye ot darker and more terrible times. However, with the aid of God, neither adverse events nor the menaces nor the deceitful tlatteries of our enemies will prevent us from doing our duty, and we shall ever apply ourselves to follow in the glorious footsteps of our most illustrious decessors. Always ready to extend a friendly hanr to those who, in good faith and with repentance, come back to the Church and cease to persecute her We will continue to combat those who make war an her, and we will persevere with constancy and firmness in the defence of her rights, her independence and her freedom. Our confidence rests in Him from whom, however unworthy, we hold our place on earth; in Him who gives to the combatant strength and victory ; in Him who ha: said, “Have confidence, I have overcome the world," aud who bas overcome it by means apparently hum- ble and despicable, and with a wisdom which in the eyes of world seem but folly. We have therefore confidence, it is @ pleasure to me to repeat, in the wise and enlightened assistance of the Sacred College, certain that it will never fail us as long as it may please the Lord to prolong our days, With these feelings, then, and in srmpaihy with the felicitations and good wishes for our wel- fare which you have just expressed, we grant to all the Sacred College trom the bottom of our heart and as @ pledge of our especial affection the Apostolic Benediction—Benedictio Det, &e. FOREIGN NOTES, If there had been no Zulus should we hi treated to the recent Egyptian coup d'état? London Worla, Sir John Lubbock is a great authority on the habits of ants. His views on sisters and cousins have not yet been given to the public. A relic of Luther is on exhibition at s London book store, Itisa Bible containing his signature and sixteen autograph lines, bearing date 1542. ‘A sweoping measure for reducing the native armies of India ninety per cent is pretigured by two evidently “inspired” articles in the London mes, General Grant, after receiving the hospitalities of the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, at Allahabad, pro- ceeded to Calcutta as the guest of Lord Lytton, the Viceroy. William Simpson, the artist of the Illustrated London News, has found eighteen Bactrian gold coins in the ruins of a Buddhist monastery near Jellalabad, in Afghanistan. A Oa East African Company is to be formed in London on the model of the oxtinguished East India Company. Sir John Lubbock and Captain Burton are among its promoters. * Mr. Mackenzie, the African explorer, sailed from Englund on the 18th ult., in the steamer Corsair, specially chartered, for Cape Juby, on the northwest coast of Africa, forthe purpose of opening that region to commerce. ‘The fifth instance of cremation at Gotha has just taken place, accompanied by full religious rites. The Protestant clergy siguified their approval of these ceremonies and on other occasions have par- ticipated in them. Bishop Colenso, the *A) of the Zulus,” used to be a great triend and defender of Cetywayo. He has issued a remarkable bg ls for use in tho churches of Natal, in which he prays for ‘all our engaged in the fellow men, whether white or black,” now war in Zululand, They are again talking of building a national the- atre in London. The heart Townshend, proprie- tor of the Social Notes periodical, lately edited by Mr. 8. C. Hall, is chairman of a committee for promot- ing this undertaking. A great mevting was held in this interest gn the 25th ult. at the Royal Italian Opera House, Covent Garden. Another French exposition 1s talked of. A move- ment has been begun in Paris to celebrate the cen- foneey of the French Revolution in 1789 by the grandest international exposition yet known. But this project may interfere with the similar one en- tertained in America to celebrate the inauguration of Washington as President in that year, England is expected to come out of the Zuln affair the gainer, of course. It is thought that the Zulu war, besides resulting in the annexation of Zululand, will lead to the purchase of Delagoa Bay from Por- tugal, and to a vast extension of British influence on the southeast coast of Africa. Possible, and quite probable, though King Cetywayo shows fight. Professor Blackie, of Edinburgh, preached a ser- mon at St. David's Church, on Sunday evening, Feb- ruary 23. He wanted to prove that Christianity is identical with Conservatism, He said that Chris- tianity favors “authority, order, subordination and obedience to existing law,” while the liberals were characterized as “‘the party of restlessness, discon- tent, self-assertion, unqualified freedom and indi- vidual lawlessness.” ‘yhe boy-King of Burmah, in putting to death all his male kinsman, has unwittingly played into the hands of the British authorities at Calcutta, who have long been eager for a pretext for extending their authority over the Upper Irrawaddy. and thus re- moving all obstacles to the overland trade with China. ‘Even the liberal organs of Great Britain are not unwilling to see this step taken, and the oppor- tunity seems too good to be missed. Fiela Marshal Martinez de Campos, the new Premier of Spain, is only forty-six years of age. He won his commission as general by services in the Car- Mst war during the Presidency of Castelar, and was the officer who proclaimed the restoration of Alfonso XIL, at Valencia in December, 1874. He succeeded in ter- minating the war in Cuba, and takes office under the most auspicious circumstances, being claimed us an adherent by four political parties in Spain. Gordon Pacha has resumed his interrupted labors for the extension of the yptian sovereignty over Equatorial Africa. He has just appointed the young Austrian naturalist, Ernest Marno, Vice Governor of the province of Qualabut, the frontier region to the west of Abyssinia on the Upper Atbara. Since the conclusion ot a definitive peace between Egypt and Abyssinia there is no jonger any insuperable obsta- cle to the establishment of the Egyptian posts pro- jected two years ago on the Somauli coast, Russian explorers have been very busy of late in Central Asia. Besides Colonel P, Matvactl, whose ex- oration ot Balkh, Kunduz, Faizabad, Wakkan and jhan was noted by the HERavp’s correspond- ence from Tashkend, Colonel Grodikoff has lately visited Herat, Maimene and Merv, Colonel Severtsotf has explored during the winter the Pamir plateau or “Roof of the World,” visiting the source of the Oxus, and Colonel Oshanin has traversed Hissar Kolab and the northern part of Badakshan, returning vie Kar- ategin. Formidable riots have taken place at Haskoi and Tchirpan, in Eastern Roumelia, intended to impede the activity of the European Commission for the ad- ministration of that province, They are also to be taken as ® protest against the exclusion of the Rou- melian Deputies trom the Bulgarian Assembly ut Tirnova, thty members of that Assembly advo- cated their acmission, aud the correspondent of the London Times declares that nothing can prevent » eneral insurrection but the union of Roumelia and Bulgaris, according to the Treaty of San Stefano. Sixty-nine libel suits for one libel! Ambiguity has been the death of one paper in Marseilles, and it should be a warning to jourualists everywhere, The Nouvelliste, of Marseilles, stated some months ago that the tax receiver of St. Etienne had e1 $20,000. The proprietor must have had more than one “bad quarter of an bour’’ when he discovered, «8 he very quickiy did, that there are sixty-nine St. Etiennes, towns or communes, in France. Every one of the tax receivers of these places brought an action against the paper, which has been ordered to pay 100f, damages to cach collector, besides 200f. fine. A full summary of the proposed Bulgarian consti- tution is published in the London Times of the 25th ‘ult. It fills three columns and comprises 170 articles. The Prince is to bear the title of “Serene Highness ;” the State religion is to be the orthodox Oriental con- fession; all Bulgarians are equal before the law. There is to be Council of State of not less than cleven members, elected by the Assembly, and a re- sponsible Cabinet of seven Ministers, All legislative Dills must be presented by the Ministers by agree- ment with the Prince. The constitution is chiefly the work of Prince Dondoukoff-Korsakoff; it has re- ceived the approval of the Czar aud cannot be revised for five years trom the date ot its adoption. A “first exhibition circular” of the Melbourne In- ternational Exhibition of 1840 has been received. It contains long lists of commissioners aud committees and the “system of general classification,” apparently based to a considerable extent upon that of Phila- delphia, The president is the Hon. William Joho Clarke, member of the Legislative Council at Mel- bourne. Applications for space should be sent in not later than June 30, 1879. The reception of ex- hibits will commence June 1, 1880, and none will be admitted after August 31. The exhibition will remain open for six calendar months, commencing October 1, 1580, aud closing March 31, 1881. Full ulars can be obtained from James E. Denisoi 123 Col- ling street, West, Melbourne, who will act as general agent for American exhibitors, Lord Granville, in hie speech at the Retorm Club banquet to Lord Dufferin, reterred at some length to the werey yee pd brought, as he contended, against the liberal government that 1t had subjected ountry to ‘humiliation in the settlement of the Alabama claims, The following sentences contain the gist of his detence:—“It ma be said it is quite natural that the Ameri- cans should be pleased, and that it was we who had suffered « great humiliation. But is tat truc? Did we suffer humiliation? Was there humiliation in submitting, as we previously agreed with the Americans that we should, to the Geneva award? Adinitting that the award was un- just—and in its justice I, for one, cannot entirely ju fair, whether it wae just or unjust, I deny thi wae the slightest huimiliation in abiding by it. A remarkable old miser has just died in Dublin, and curiosity is rife regarding his property, which is said to be worth $500,000, The old man, whose name is Law, was # jeweller for many years. but for the Jast firteen or twenty years he has lived an absolutel, solitary life in a large house in Lower Domiuicl street. Since his death « large number of persous have come forward as relatives, and doubtless there are many in America who are related to this remark- able mau aud might like to send in their claims at once. His house when searched was found to contain some old and curious books, a few jarsof whiskey, mauy wine bottles, some empty; a great quau- tity of tea leaves, which he es to have carefully preserved in basins after he had extracted all the essence from them. In the room where he slept, and where he probably coutracted the bron- chitip that caused his death, it was wonderful how @ human being could exist served for a bed stood in one corner, and, with the exception of a very narrow passage round about it, the floor was covered with « mass ot fudescribatle rubbish, whieh in places reached @ height of three or four feet, FROST VS. FOX HUNTING. ul Shee Ca The Severe Winter in England and lls Bifect Upon the Time Honored Sport | THE ACCIDENTS OF THE SEASON. The Empress of Austria in Ireland, Loxpon, Feb. 25, 1879. With alx inches of snow covering the Midland shores on this, the 25th day of February, the present winter may be set down as the most extraordinary in twenty years, Last year the host of men and women who galloped daily across the fields and fonces of Leices- tershire in chase of foxes were kept indoors only six or seven days out of the entire five months which constitute the fox hunting season. Horses were “tit,” foxes ran well, the scent ‘‘laid’’ as it should, and men and women enjoyed a surfeit of the sport. This year there were afew favorable days before Christ- mas, and then the long frost set in, compelling some thousands of horses to stand idle in their stables, “eating their heads off,” and costing their owners mint of money without returning an hour of work. DANGRROUS HUNTING GROUNDS, Dangerous at any time, fox hunting becomes im- practicable when the ground is frozen to the depth of afewinches. The horses, unable to gets firm footing in the roads and fields, run constant risk of breaking their legs on the hard, slippery soil, and the icy tvoting affords no purchase for leaping at the fences and hedges. Yor eleven weeks the frost continued without a break, while occasional falls of snow mado the usually open and green country of Leicestershire regemble the semi-Arctic regions of Lower Canada. Hunting men fretted and chafed; horses, hounds and foxes grew fat, and everybody interested in the sport was dis- coutented. Punch of the last week pictured the “terrible condition of the unemployed,” owing to the late frosts, by a cartoon of three fat men on unwieldy steeds, surrounded by obese and lazy hounds, the long lack of employment having swelled these various parties to proportions ludicrously out of keeping with the lean and active requirements of the chase. Three weeks ago a sudden thaw broke up the ground, and for fortnight the hunting was kept up in vigorous style. In that bricf interval more serious accidents happened than in all the previous year. A REASON OF ACCIDENTS. The veteran Lord Grey De Wilton, of Melton Mow- braw, broke his leg badly, in consequence of a fall, ‘and is laid up at his residence in Melton. Says the Standard, of February 21:—“It is probable that there have never before been so many accidents in the hunting field—that is, of course, during the same space of time—as during the last few days, since the frost. The London papers usually con- tain st least one every morning, the coun. try papers generally have several, and when we consider that a man falls hard and often before he hurts himself, and that only a few cases of those who are injured are recorded in the newspapers, it is clear that those disagreeable incidents of the chase, which are indifferently referred to as spills or crop- pers, are extremely plentiful. Nothing else was to be anticipated, however; indeed, everything has helped to bring about such results. The ground is terrible heavy. In the ploughs and the rides through coverts it is knee deep and still deeper in many places, and under the fences there are very often‘ miniature quagmires. Horses, though they may not stay by reason of almost inevitable bad condition, are eager to go after their long inaction, and require both strong arms and delicate hands at the beginning of a run; and men who have hardly been out for some six weeks try to make up for lost time by going their best. Nearly all the accidents re- ported occur in the same way, it will be observed— namely, by horses falling at the fences. The take- off is, a8 a rule, a pond of liquid mud, with a slippery bottom. Horses cannot rise fairly, and, landing upon similar,soil, have @ disagreeable tendency to pitch on their heads. After the deep fall of snow which astonished most perple when they awoke this morning, the going in the hunting field will be still worse, One good thing is that, if the ground makes horres fall, the falling is soft, or else we should hear of many more dangerous cases than we do. Those who prefer to remain in the saddle until they leave it of their own accord will do well to be particularly cautious for many days tocome aiter the snow has Lust Saturday the frost set in again, and all day Sunday the snow fell so that the fox hunting shires are ag iron bound as ever, and the gallant riders are “up in town” cooling their heels and waiting for a thaw. A severer season has never been known in Leicestershire. OF AUSTRIA. THE Alluding to the visit of the Empress of Austria, who is now hunting in Ireland, the Daily Telegraph, in # long editorial, saye:—‘‘It is uo slight, compli- ment to the climate and attractions of islands that an Empress who has some of the fuirest health resorts in the worid open to her within her husband’s dominions should so often elect to devote a tew weeks to the enjoyment of a sport which we are accustomed to regard as culiar charms for men, and, we must of English or Irish descent. The time has passed by when objections were so generally entertained to the participation of ladies in a pursuit which was once monopolized ae supporters belonging exclusively to the sex, There is scarcely a county in England where ladies are not now to be found as regular atten- dants of the meets ; and in many cases they have taught their masculine associates to respect the nerve and skill which they show in the le. Thus the only objection that can be made to the riding across country of Lady Florence Dixie is that, like that of Lord Gey de Wil- ton, who has just broken his leg from a fall, it is somewhat too hard. The Empress of Austria is by no means the least gallant ‘Amazone’ of those who now take fleld, and the perfect horses that she rides enable her to take her own part with distinction in an ordi- nary run, But it is by no means improbable that within the next few days Her Imperial Majesty may be subjected to the trying ordeal of one ot those ex- ceptional bursts which not reteeanentty: follow upon the heels of a long frost. It was tow: the close of February, in 1800, that the most celebrated run in the annals of Leicestershire took place, from Bilies- den Coplow, and the last number of a sporting con- temporary reports that the Cottesmore have lately hea such a gallop from the Punchbowl, a tamous co- vert belonging to the Hartopp family, a» he sides of many 8 gallant horse sobbing. Upon the morning of the same Saturday which in the afternoon wit- nessed this memorable run trom the Punchbowl there was also a scurry with the same pack from Wy- mondham. ‘There was nothing of moment in this first run,” says the Leicestershire correspondent of our contemporary, “unless we take the broad gully of Wymondham as an incident. Wide and ugly as it was, no rider and horse made so light of it as aid Mrs. Candy and her chestnut.” The Empress will find fair rivals without stint in the hunting fields both of Englund and Ireland, who, like herself, have already won distinction; but there will be only one sentiment in the breasts of all who trot to the covert side in the district which she is now honoring with her presence—a sentiment that euch of the sporting islands which make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Lreiand is glad to see Her Majesty in the hunting field, and mounted upon horses that will, it is to be hoped, do no discredit to the country in which ay were boru and to the skill and solicitude with which they have been trained. AN IMPERIAL HUNTRESS, The following is u description of Her Majesty in the saddle. It is taken from a letter to the Cork Com stituon trom Dunsbauglin ‘Her Linperial Majesty the Empress of Austria realized all the pace and pluck, the skill on horseback and the daring across country of the followers of the Ward Union Hounds, ‘The Empress hunted to-day tor the first time over an Irish hunting country, and if this afternoor run with the Wards is but # foretaste of the pleasures: in store for this august patroness of Dianna, we in Ireland are pretty likely to have the illusts trian an absentee never afterward, ier Majest; wore @ very tight fitting habit of a dark grayish mel- ton cloth, the skirt of which was extremely narrow. The habit was fastened with buttons of silver, on which were the imperil arms. A stand. round collar and asimple tie bow of black pleted apparel, while she rode in a tall silk jhe wore her hair in plain plaite behind, one en- circling the other, Mer hands were encased in tan colored gloves, and over these Her Majesty wore chocolate colored knitted mittens. I perhaps run the chance of being returned tor trial at the next commission if Isay that Her Majesty did not look quite as pretty on horseback this morning as she did & week suo upon the toned paper of the Whitehall Review, It may be that Her Majesty was jaded atter her long and wearisome trip by land and water, and did not look at her best, She has @ most elegant and pee figure, her waist being particularly small, while her carriage and deportment stamp her with the indelible mark of the bluest of blue blood and royalty. Majesty chatted freely with the gentlemen around her, aud entered into au animated conversation with Mr, Morrogh, Captain Middleton and Karl Spencer. As the cavaicade withdrew from the lawn Her Majesty, Me. Morrogh Captain Middleton led the way a then followed ngthened string of horsemen and a few carriages. + * On the word “Go” being given the Empress tightened rein with the hand of an adept. The pi improved as the blood grew warmer, but t Empress, riding with wonderful pluck, kept her position bravely, and though in tho deep 5 going she one time dropped back a bit she fought her wa; dotomalandiy into the front rank, taking all her fences ata smart pace and climbing none of them. She astounded most of those in the hunt, and more than sustained the reputation which she enjoys of being one of the htest women across country that ever raised a flail. The Empress was ulways in the front rank, riding with a rather loose rein; but she was on # horse who does not know the way to put a foot astray, and I expect to find Domino carrying Her Majesty very frequently during the next fow weeks, Her Majesty struck me as having @ magnificent seat- ul and easy to elegance, while her hands are as fine as any that ever held the ribbons. Domino performed his part of the day’s doings in a manner that well: pleased: his distinguished burden of 142 pounds, which is Her Majesty's exact riding weight.” THE BRITISH DISASTER AT ISANDULA. A CURIOUS PLAN OF THE ZULU ATTACK—THE HORNS OF THE DILEMMA. Though the disaster that befell the British troops at Isandula has been vividly described by corre- spondents of the English journals, we are indebted to the Kaffrarian Watchman and Governmental Gasetle tor a plan of the Zulu attack which resulted in the almost complete annihilation of Colonel Durntord’s forces. For the sake of clearness we may first quote a few paragraphs. from the narrative of an eye witness:—“The Zulu army then came on rapidly in regular battalion, eight deep, keeping up a heavy steady fire, until well within sssegai dis- tance. They then ceased their fire and hurled assegais. Our men kept up a very steady, telling fire, and great numbers of the enemy dropped: but without checking their progress. The places of the men who fell were constantly filled by comrades, While this attack was going on in the rear a double flank movement was executed, by which the horns of the Zulu army surrounded the camp. The Zulu host came down with the weight of its bat- talions and literally crushed the smal) body, which could only defend itself with the bayonet, and very soon it had not even room to use that. The Zulnues picked up the dead bodies of their comrades and hurled them on the bayonet points of our soldiers, thus simply beating down all defence, The work of destruction was complete. Within two hours from the time the Zuin skir- mishers were seen there was not a living white man in the hers ‘The Zulu army was completely organ- ized, It advanced, first throwing out skirmishers; then, as the battalions caine down in mass, used their rifles while at long range with consider- able effect, When near enough to use own more familiar weapon, the assegsi, they tarew in two or. three showers. All this time they were advancing steadily and rap- idly, and the ak assegai was soon at work, ‘The impression in Natal is that this engagement on the part of the Zulus is not attributable to general- ship, but that the army of invasion was making for Natal and accidentally came acroas the rear guard of Colonel Glynn’s column.”” DIAGKAM OF THE ATTACK. The diagram shows the formation of the Zulu army on the morning of the attack upon the British camp at Isandula. PLAN OF THE ZULU ATTACK, * * + * a “* ” * = * “8 _ * * * * * * * * * * * . »=g3e * * * . . » .* * 8 * * * 8 8 ee sie ime N nat oe be ye Fae tht ee ssa * 2 a eal, Ta oa e RR ae eT ® cg ae Pri . ont Mle bd * Sr ae ae 1. The British trooy . The chest of the Zulu army. 3. The horns of the Zulu army. 4. reserve or loins of the Zulu army. From other sources it is to be assumed, however, that the Zulus carried out their attack under skilful guidance. Not long ago the Mémorial Diplomatique published a semi-official letter from London asserting the truth of a rumor which was cireulated through the clubs in Pall Mall im- mediately after the receipt of news of the English defeat in South Africa, to the effect that the Zulus are commanded American officers, The Memorial says:—‘It is not the occurrence in it- self that alarms us. It is the certainty that the Zulus are commanded by American officers of great experience, by tacticians who know how to use these warlike races to the best advantage, and to post them in such a way as to draw a thousand English troops into an ambush of 22,000 men.” It is, of course, quite flattering to us, but it is said that Mr. Welsh, the United States Minister at London, ‘will soon receive the eoeay instructions to assure the British gov- ernment that tho self-styled American officers who are said to have commanded the Zulus had no right to assume that title.” so. The English are always secing Russians in the ranks of the Afghans, the Russians were always spy- ing English officers in red coats in the ranks of the Turkish army, and now the that Americans work 7 Zulu military eneralship. It will be interesting,ghowever, to learn if any foun- dation of truth underlies this rumor, or if the plan of the Isandula battle is of, Zulu invention, learned by King Cetewayo from Chaka, the Zulu Napoleon, AH SIN IN COLORADO. {From the Chicago Tribune.) Unlike other mining districts the Chinese question has not as yet bothered Leadville, Col. No doubt there is a large element of the population which would favor the introduction of Mongolians, but that element is not in a position to un- dertake any such precarious enterprise. The Caucasian miner is bad when his in- terests aro affected, and it is pretty generally understood that any Chinaman who shows his head in the camp is as good as pickled and on his way in s casket to the Flowery Kingdom. Qnly twice has the sancity of their camp been invaded by Ah Sin. About a year ago ® gang of Chinese came over the rango in expectation of securing work in the mines, which were then being opened, Before the stage had fairly ipo pee its load Main street was bristling with guns and revolvers, and the frightened Chinese scattered in every direction, their pigtails flying in the wind, and the wicke: Melican in swift pursuit up the mountain sides. In fifteen minutes not one of the saffron-hued poem nage os remained in sight. The second episode, though not so exciting, was equally pointed in its moral. One day there arrived by stage a well dressed Chinaman. who had come to ope andry. Before he hed been in the camp half an it he bad bought # lot and had begun to je for the erec- tion of a buildi here an hour he red a,livery wagon, and was being rapidly driven in the direction otf Denver. The reason for his extraordinarily sudden exit was never It was always | by a it. Before he had been | fi satisfactorily explained, but it is suppowed ’ that some one must have hinted at the de sirability of his speedy At any departure. rate he has never been secu since, although, I believe, | ho is still a property owner in Leadville. Speaking of Chinamen, one is naturally reminded of the laundry business. This is now carried o tirely by perso -of the female species and the Lrish race, aud they have elevated it to a monopoly, There are a score of laun- dries in the village, charging all the way from $1 50 | to $3 @ dozen, besides exorbitant pervent- age or perquisites in the way of mysteri- ously lost shirts and collars, As a consequence, the washing cabins are avoided as much as possible by the community at large, and the regular article of “biled shirt’ is a rarity, The biue woollen shirt, with a flowing blue silk tie is much affected by the young aristocracy, while the common clay do not aspire beyond brown cotton or woollen shirt, with- out ornament. The traditional red shirt of the old mining camps is rarely met with here. THE SITKA TROUBLES, {From the San Francisco Chronicle, March 1.) Collector Shannon is in receipt of a letter trom Collector Ball, ot Sitka, explaining the cause of the trouble with the Kolosh Indians, ‘Two or three of the tribe some time ago shipped on the barge 8an Diego as common seamen, The vessel was wrecked aud all but one of the Indians were drowned, ‘The sur- vivor was brought to this port, and thinking him- self entitled to wages for the tuli term of service for which he enlisted he employed an attorney to help him to collect them. Tie yained hia suit, but the lawyer took all the wages asa fee. The Indian was afterward sick in bi tor along time, and then sent k to Alaska on the steamer, @ pass having been procured for him by Mr, Shannon, Having reached home he enlisted the symypa- thies of his tribe, and they now demand the money which he never earned on the Suu Diego, Collector Ball calls the demand ‘black- mau.” He thinks, however, that the amount should be advanced by the citizens of Ban Franciseo and given to the Koloshes to prevent disturbance, ereat the danger is Le does uot say, but he iutimat that it is serious, The Wolcott has, of course, by t time arrived there, wud will heuevtorth atlord ain- ple protection, | general-tuvorite. She became » THE ROYAL WEDDING. eee ene The Coming Marnage of the Duke of Connaught and the Princess Margaret of Prussia. THE PRINCESS-BRIDE AT HOME. The Bride's Father, the “Red Prince,” Brooding Over His Wrongs. NE i BERLIN, Feb. 18, 1879, Once more the reigning families of Great Britain and Germany are to be united by the ties of matri- mony. Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, is to wed, on the 13th of March, Princess Louisa Margaret, the youngest daughter of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia. ‘The alliance is hailed in both countries ag afresh token of the amity existing between the two nations, Of ell the English princes the Duke has been, since his earliest youth, on the most intimate terms with the royal house of Hohenzollern, and quite a favorite of the aged Kaiser. He was born shortly after the Emperor (then simply Prince of Prussia) had returned from his exile to England, to the hospitable shores of which he hed been driven by the revolutionary storm of 1848. Prince William, extremely grateful to the Queen for the kind revep- tion accorded him during that trying time, begged, on tho birth of the little Prince, the favor of being his sponsor. His request was readily granted, He proceeded to England with his consort, and himself held the infaut over the baptismal font. A picture taken of Prince Arthur when an infant is still hang- ing in a conspicuous place in the Emperor's study at Babelsberg, AN UONORARY COLONEL OF THE RED HUSSARS, In 1871 the Emperor appointed the Duke a Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, and had the pleasuro of personally introducing him into the Chapter. See- ing the ardor with which the Duke fulfilled his mil- itary functions His Majesty several times invited him to join in the manwuvres of the Prussian army and thoroughly acquaint himself with its organizstion and regulations, and also informed the Duke of all the reforms and changes effected among his troops. Prince Arthur had thus the good fortune to study the art of warfare under the tuition of such a famous and victorious general as his imperial godfather, One of the first orders signed by the venerable mon- arch on reassuming the reins of government, after recovering from the nearly fatal wounds inflicted on him by the assassin’s hand,was a decree nom- inating the Duke an honorary colonel of the Third regiment of Prussian hussars, the so-called Red Hussars, once commanded by the famous Ziethen. During his many visits to the German court Prince Arthur had often met at his sister’s—the Crown Princess—the Princess Louisa Margaret, who was being educated with his eldest niece, the now hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, As this Princess, the youngest daughter of Prince Froderick Charles, was less advanced in years thin her wo elder sisters, her mother, a princess of Anhult Des- sau, consented to her being jointly instructed with the Princess Charlotte, the Crown Princess’ eldest daughter. Shespeaks English with the same ease and fiuency as her native German. It is said her pronun- ciation is quite pure and void of the least toreign ac- cent. The Crown Princess, very fond of her second cousin, appears to have been chiefly instrumental in bringing about the match. Realization of her long felt wish was rendered easy by the love that had un- consciously sprung up between the young couple. A DESCRIPTION OF THE BRIDE. The bride is scarcely eighteen years old, Although not possessed of sufficient charms to be styled a beauty she is by no means void of attractions. She is tali and slender, has sweet large gray eyes, a pro- fusion of fair hair and a very clear pink and white complexion—gitts which go very far toward mak- ing @ woman produce a impression on the world, Added to these qualities she is dignified and composed, almost English in her reserve. Princess Louisa is not only devotedly attached to her be- trothed, but delighted at the thought of her future home being in England. She was i jeased with her visit to England last sutumn, when she stayed with the Queen at Balmoral for nearly a fortnight. She made excursions into the Highlands and brought home numerous sketches drawn by herself. Her Highness is very skilful with the pencil, and has ‘a particular faculty in portra; heads, Some of the likenesses done by her are suid to be hese ion The Princess was named after the famous Queen, not unjustly called the guardian angel of the Prussian Kingdom. She has resided chiefly at Berlin and Potsdam: When in the capital her parents live at the Old Castle, in the crooked corridors and spacious halls of which she passed the greater part of her youth. After the close of the season the family go to Khein G1 , where the Red Prince possesess @ small castle, ‘THE RED PRINCE AT HOME. The Red Prince, s thorough soldier and rather rough in his manners, is not much addicted to social in- tercourse. Brooding over his pretended wrongs, he has ot late been leading quite @ hermit’s life and estranged himself even trom his own children. His Highness, who has written his name with such in- eflaceable letters jn the history of his country, is said to be influenced by jealousy of the Crown Prince, who, although younger in years, has (thanks to his proximity to the throne) eclipsed the fame of his cousin. Prince Frederick Charles, who had distinguished himself already in the war of 1849 against tho Danes and the revolutionists in m, where he was twice wounded, held the rank of # general and victoriously led his troops on to the storm of Diippel, when the Crown Prince had not yet attained any prominent cot hor position. Wishing to have the chief comman and if possible the entire control of the army, the Prince naturally regretted to see that enterprises romising easy success were chiefly intrusted to is Imperial cousin, while he himself had to be satistied with more arduous but less glorious tasks. By the soldiers the Prince is commonly called Furst leveit-Voran, or Prince Always-iu-Front, and “ha| no better characterization of the Fee nape get un’ nl boat ut at is not si ‘ince fin ime beevily ‘oWiis heads. He has really very little to do. ‘Yhough the Luspector General of the German Army he has to attend to only the limited number of re- views and parades, but does not join iu the prelimi- | inary practices of the troops. He has twice ent the Emperor's permission to go abroad om alengie- ened tour of travels, perhaps even @ voyage around the world, but this petition was refu: ‘These va- rious causes have tended to embitter his existence. He dislikes the insipidity of court life: therefore stays in the country as long as possible. If not residing at Gleinecke he lives at Drei Linden, a small estate near Potsdam, quite isolated and removed from the active business of life. A number of #1 @ tales are afloat as to his doings at Drei Linden, rarely re- ceives any visitors, and restricts his intercourse to the society of his adjutante, gentlemen generally eujoy- the reputation of beiny stronuly to tast ig, hunting and drinking. THE PRINCESS FREDERICK CHARLES. His wife forms # murked contrast to her husband, Although mother of grown up daughters, se is still considered a beauty. For long years she was one of the belles of the Berlin court, and far sur the crescent, wpadenly, teccegiantel, toomt. the senail pearance. Suddenly transp! ma capital of her native Anhalt to Berlin she soon ac- customed herself to the more engrossing excitement of @ large city and understood how to make herself a patrouens of several ric charitable ins! tivns and uever failed to respond to any appel deserving of notice to her pleasures olence, One of .her greatest to musical performances, She rarely misses attend .nce at the opera when any of her favorite works are given. i# enjoyment has of lute been somewhat marred by deafness, un- fortunately a nereditary affection, which so in- creases wilh years that Her Highness hears but little of the conversation around her, unless expecially ad- dressed, Great Joy was experienced by the Princess on the marriage oi ber two eldest daughters and the betrothal of the youngest ove. All have made splen- did allianews, albest the Vrincess Marie, wedded to the late Prince Meury of the Netherlands, was speodiy berett of ber husband, The young widow now staying at the Hague, in accordance with the prescriptions of the Dutch law, until tue expira tion of @ certain period, When she will probe bly remove either to Luxemburg or to ‘Troves, Uyly rumors are atloat as tu the disap: consists in listening avance of the last will made by Prince enry, in which he is suid to have ueathed considerable portion of his immense fortune wo bit wile, It thisdocument be not found the dowager Princess wilt only eujoy the income arising trom their marriage settlement, which in prupurtion to her own dowry Was comparatively small, Some tend that the amount of the tortune lett late consort is greatly exaggerated; for the Prince suffered some very Leavy losses, Lt will be perhaps inverenting to your readers to learn that the Prince had @ large Khare in the silver mines of Nevada and other industrial enterprixes of tho United States, A younger sister of the present bride is the Princess Elisubeth who is married to the hereditary Prince of Oidoubury, Lhe Emperor's permission to have the marriage celebrated abroad waa obtained only after long negotiations, and though finally granved, was entirely contrary to the strict bouse-rules of the Hohenzollerns. He gave way tinaily to the earnest eutreaty of Queen Victoria, who was very desi that the marriage of hor it her own home, Hing etbark on board the royal yac bridal tour to the Mediterranean, On their return Prince Arthur will, it is elieved here, despite all semi-o! or even deuials, be avyointed Viceroy of