LATEST AMERICAN GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6948, 23 February 1884, Page 1 (Supplement)

LATEST AMERICAN GOSSIP.

• [from our special correspondent.] Sav Fbaj-xisco, January 18. ! a'terrible tragedy. Sosib horrible things occur here now and \then, but, somehow or other, they are more or less' in all cases characteristic of each other. Murder, suicide, or brutal conduct from man to woman make nearly all the j sensations that crop' up so often. This tale of sorrow is one, .however, more like the overstretched romance of a dime novel than a real occurrence which is now filling people's minds with horror and sorrow. Two years ago a very beautiful girl, aged about 17, came to this city, and went to live at a house which does not bear a very good character, though it is quiet and private. She was reticent as to her former history, bat by-and-by she told how she had fallen iu love with an actor while at school in Philadelphia, who had implored her to ran away, and marry him-privately. ,The girl's parents were rich and influential, and she was the only daughter, her brother having been disowned by his parents long before on account of his vicious propensities and bad conduct. The girl refused to fly for a long time, but after a while consented. The villain, who had deceived her, rever married her, but fell in love with an ,actress, and left this poor victim staining in New York, where she met a gentleman who took her to be his housekeeper. He gave her a large quantity of fino diamonds, and ehe waa concent, if not happy ; bat one day," seeirjg her father and mother driving past her, she knew at once they had come to the city to look for her, and, sooner than face them, she took the train, and came here. She was a modest and highly-accomplished girlj' beautiful to look upon-, and delightful to talk to, and so infatuated were the men who, met her that many of them offered her marriage, which she always declined She had a iriend also belonging to the same class as that to which she had fallen. The two elegant looking women might be seen day after day walking about, inseparable, till tho friend's lover fell in love with Mollie, the heroine of this sad etory. Sho took no notice of him, but the friend (Kate) became 'jealous, and' swore to have rovenge. A 'few weeks ago Mollie died quite suddenly, and left the dying request that as she died so she might be buried, without changing her clothes. Her wish was complied with, but her diamonds were not found after death, and then Kate| the friend, planned with her lover to take up the dead body, and recover the jewels, which she supposed were on the corpsu. He hired a cab, and, taking two ruffians, pro pared to rob the dead. The two men grew tearful over the dreadful work, but the halfdrunken lover of Kate was resolute in his determination of getting at the jewels. They dug up the coffin, prised it open, and searched the cold body with trembling hands and failing hearts, but there were no diamonds ; and, just as they were shutting down the colfiu lid, the man Morris (the lover) saw a locket on the girl's bosom. Striking a light, he found in the hcket a clipping from a newspaper with this notice : —" To Elizabeth C , wife of John C , a daughter." The girl whose corpse he was there to rob was his own sister, and with her he had been enamoured. The shock was so great that tho wretched man fell to the ground with an awful shriek. When he came out of a stupour, lasting an hour, he was quite insane, and is now in the Napa Lunatic Asylum. TBE IMAGE MAKERS are a class of men who I have, never written about. There is at times a perfect craze for images, and they make them exquisitely here. The most beautiful models of my tho logical subjects are to be bought for a mere trifle. I visited a workshop in the Italian quarter, and was well rewarded for my halt day I spent there, as I saw the whole process. The present style of images is no longer white, to imitate Parian marble. All are bronzed, and, for dining-rooms, there are now made oval or oblong plaques in relief, which are very handsome and, effective. Cranes, fish, and birds of different kinds are produced on the planter plaque, first painted brown, and then bronzed id various shades. They are most beautiful, particularly when mounted in plain velvet frames. Those beautiful statuettes oE the Greek Slave, Venue, &c, are never seen in white, but always bronzed. Any one can do it. You simply paint the plaster tigure with boiled linseed oil. When dry, size the figure with giluer's size, and apply the bronze powder i with a camel hair bruah, according to your taate. So can you embellish your figure, but I prefer over tho oil to paint a brown coat, aud touch in plaees with the bronze. The effect is wonderful. The image makers work in tiieir rooms, and generally sell on the street, pitching their stand where they list They are a pleasant, kiodly Jot of men, 3iul do not hesitate to allow a curious stranger into their secrets. As I am now writing particularly for the benefit of the ladiei, I may tell them of another beautiful pastime newly developed. This is FLORENTINE FLOWER MODELLING. You purchase the composition at tho art stores, which ie a species of clay, and this is formi'd into a paite with hot water. Then leaves and (lowers are cut out, and moulded with the finders, aud pins for veining the leives,. Tl.ey stick on to the jars on which th«y iiiv plated while wet, and are as beautitul :ib tho imported ones. I quite torget if 1 spoke nf this particular art in luy last letter. If so, excuse repetition, which won't hurt, hov.evcr. You can also work in terracotta on the same plan. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. It is now a settled thing that a World's Fair will be held in this city in ISS4. I mean to have a large space for my own works, but I will not say what at this tni.ment. The people are quite enthusiastic over the project, and it will enrich the city very much. Two weeks ago there was a mock funeral held in honour of O'Ponnell, hanging for the slaying of Carey. The oration was held forth on the Saudlot, by Dr. O'Donnel, the agitator, where some thousands of people assembled to see the show. The British ll.it? was burned, aud the British Government anathematised by the lowest element of Irish. Then the cortege started out to parade the town. A hearse and coffin, of course, then a baud—no, the band came first —then a low rabble of roughs, about 300, finishing up with a crowd of boys. The meanest and most senseless tribute I ever saw paid to a dead man. Capiain Cox, who killed the millionaire, McLaughlin, for keeping him out of his money during sixteen years, while his family underwent the most keen privation, has buen acquitted. The verdict found was, "Did it in self-defence." Of course the people went for the old man, wronged and I half-crazed by poverty. For my part, lam glad. I wish they would kill off a few more of these moneyed rascals. There has been a complete scare among the business houses, which have ono after another been entered, the safes blown oben and the contents abstracted. The burglars have had it all their own way, and eacapad the police for several weeks. However, ' two have been caught. Let us hope that all will be takeu, Thank goodness, I have no safe but the meat safe, and do ones will run away with the cold mutton, although it be Btufled. Who has not heard of Delmonico's, the celebrated and ultra fashionable restaurant * in New York city. A few weeks ago Charles ' Delmonico disappeared. The theories set afloat were numerous, and the last account was that ho had eloped with a lady to whom he used to send fluwers in such abundance that it might have been reasonably supposed he was going daft. He would call at a florists and ask the price of all the flowers. He had for answer, "£34." " Well, make them, up prettily, apd send to ■ street;" and Mr. Delmonico would pay down tho money. He would send from more than one store perhaps the same i quantity, and that lady must have felt happy in her flower-decked home. But on , the 14th instant the sad news came that Delmonico's body had been found in New , Jersey. Tho rich' restaurant-keeper had wandered from home—it is now said, under the effects of whiskey—but the death was pitiful, since he was within half a mile of rich friends. But he succumbed to the cold, and was frozen to death where he had sunk down. A'man, passing him some distance from the place in a waggon, refused to give him a lift, though Delmonico pleaded for help. The creature was " afrSid of tramps and left his fellow-man to perish; Such are i the last accounts of the death of the worldrenowned Charles'-Delmonico. And with this last item I say, au revoir for a month. Silver Pen. ..;