A LADY'S VIEW OF NEW YORK.

Southland Times, Issue 889, 27 January 1868, Page 3

A LA DY 'S VIEW OF NEW YORK.

(From FrazeSs Bfagazine). I eanndb describe to you the strangeness of- New York. It is unlike anything else I ever saWj and yet I hardly kiiow why of where.- It is neither foreign nor English. The houses are ail low, • and .with the lowest possible roofs, and almost all of a warm red brick, which makes it a particularly attractive town to ray eyes • and then the use of stoves must be" quite universal &s there is hardly a chimney to*be seen ; and the atmosphere is as brilliantly clear as that of Italy, and more so even— quite indescribably, clear. Perhaps that is' one reason why the town produces such a curious effect: large, bustling, dirty, yet in an air as clear and pure as at the top of a lonely hill. Then there are no poor houses, but all look medium somehow ; arid the notices on the houses-^-mean, the. large printing on the wall's are something like those in Paris. The shops look almost ftieaix. - As to this hotel, it is so bewildering that it baffles description. It is monstrous— like a labyrinth of palaces; and has two entrances — one quiet one for ladies, one like a noisy exchange for gentlemen. We got two small bed-rooms on the fifth floor, whither we ascend in a Very nice lift. The whole of this enormous palace is warmed by hot-water pipes, which warm wonderfully well, but too much, to my thinking, here, where of coin'se we cannot let them, coo^ if we wish ever, so much. Our room is, very, hot, though it is freezing hard, and we have no ffi y e or stove. B. and T went out immediately to get some circular notes changed; but found, alas, that it is Washington's birthday, and nothing can be done— not even a few things wanted ; so we must needs wait till Monday, with scarcely decent clothes to wear. We have no money, and can. get none till' too late for the Washington train ; and on Sunday there is no way of getting there. Then B.- and I had a walk up Fifth Avenue, and then up Broadway, and I did enjoy it greatly;. Firth Avenue is the swell place far gentlemen's houses — and such nice, houses { all of a creamy brown stone, with flights of steps leading to the door, and such pretty rich-looking dwellings. We were in luck, for all the sledges, were out, and Fifth Avenue crowded with gentlemen's sledges filled with ladies wrapped in such furs, and drawn by pretty horses dashing along in the lightest and prettiest vehicles —like fair/ sledges, compared with the great unwieldly German things I have seen. They all look so rich I cannot tell - iyau__ -JUieiL jkhe_ jLaEemen.t - waa_jfulL_o£: dainty, fantastically-dressed little ladies, looking thoroughly French, and as unEnglish as it is possible to conceive, all in short dresses. Their faces are perfectly charming. I never could come to '■ America and return unmarried if I were a man. . Such sweet, delicate, refined little faces— all rather like Mrs— and with such, lovely dark eyes. Broadway - I was much disappointed with. It is not at all a fine street, and the shops are really mean — nothing but mean ; but it is an odd place. The people all look so independent : even the beggars just carelessly request money, and then go away instantly ; and oh the loud chorus of hawking and spitting all round, whei'ever one turns ! I saw a few nice churches in our walk, but no other large buildings whatever. I must go oa with my account of our. doings fiom yesterday. We went down to our dinner at six o'clock, and found that the system here is that of a sort of gigantic restaurant, with meals going on ail day : for instance, breakfast, from, seven to eleven ; lunch, from one to two; dinner, from two to five, and again from half-past five to halfpast seven ; tea, from six to nine ; supper, j from nine to eleveu. Everybody who I enters the house, as far as I can make out, pays sdol. a day foi* board. Whether this includes apartments or not I cannot tell (Gdol. 63c. to the pound at present). This entitles them to eat whatever they like, and most generous meals are provided. Whether one partakes of all or none, one pays equally. JS r o wine or beer, but iced water and excellent coffee ad libitum.' An enormous variety is given for dinner, very well cooked ; any amount of ice cream, which seems the great article consumed here.