New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-03
s,srpCrpTED LETTERS....N0' IN

E.c.ment for the same purpose yesterday,
,lred 10 find. not wind ard dust, but the wind
nd the rain dote on rainy weather-,he softaling,
verv dtops which mnketh gentle music on the velvet
hvn and donning loose robe sat me down, book
IN han d, by the window-sll, to read and dream--to
dream Say-dreams, for the softened atnos phere
sootbes ee nervous system, and out upon the misty
elouds he imagination rides easily. thought of the
grassy plains and sloping hills of my own land,
where the newly y-awakened leaves trembled in the
pleasant shower, where all animated nature seemed
doing, saving and except my gay. restless, noisy
ftisnd tie jay blue that ION swinging limb" loadly
sIpres.t his opinion that he believes there is owl
about a.d calls Justify upon the wide republic of jay
dem TO ,ome out and attack the eneUy.
You and have watched this amusing war over and
often The dim light of the cloudy day entices Mr.
Owl from his hollow tree and noiseess, downy
wipgs nv sweeps curving through the open woods, to
an old oak, and settles on huge limb with snap of
his broed bill as if quite satisfied with the excursion
Unhappy bird; Jay has caught sight of him, and
gives avid scream of defiance. And now from haw-
thorn and fence from moldy old stacks end open cribs
con thronging ard screaming the excited hosts How
they surround him-how they futter and dash at
him. At first he treats them with high scorn, with
silent contempt but this won't do. The noise at least
irritating the assaults nsulting the crowd thi kens
more noisily about him. At last, more imprudent
or daring than the Others approaches too near-there
n a sudd start wild scream, a cloud of white and
blue feathers, and dead silence follows. Jay has
fallen. But the army, now increased to hundreds is
not to be intimidated in this way. The war begins
again. Poor OWL he has only aggravated the ofense
Of being an Owl Like bookish, speculative author,
the critics upon him. Owl endurance can bear no
more and spreading his wide shadowy wings, he
Tho vic foot
lowing.
From the memory of the woods | come back to
Washington where we have nothing green, save, in
deed some verdant patriot, that sudden commotion
has brought ike owl, from his ordinary retreat,
and, like the owl, the crowd of noisy politicians
round and annoy. Unhappy patriot He may seize
one or two and make the feathers fly" but the name
Of bis enemy is Legionso back to your safe quiet
treat, o, patriot
The rain falls steadily and continuously upon the
irregular gable houses-upon the sloppy streets
and brawlDg cutters. There are not many abroad,
and the few are hid under dark umbrellas here
and there a negro, walking lazily along with bundle
or bucket on head, erect and easy, if bundle or
bucket born part of him. Those noisy attributes
of the city, the hacks, generally engaged, save
two or three that, left by the drivers, who gather
under the doorway drawn up before the hotel,
where the horses doze, and the tops, dripping with
water, shine as If oiled.
This hack driving is quite Washington feature.
The frst to see and the last to hear, IS crowd
hackmen The charge of 25 cents course, or el an
hour make up something of tax at the end OF avsit
For we have such scattered existence in Washing
ton. that one must ride The absence Of good sense
and economy in the arrangements are very provoking
What is the necessity of having huge numbering
family carriage when a neat coupee, holding two or
three, would serve' Why employ two horses when
one would the work With little common sense
in the getting Of these concerns, might ride for
20 cents course or 40 cents by the hour, and the
owners save more money than at present. driver
could then be proprietor and support his family on
the proceeds--for we taught by experience that
reasonable decrease of price followed BY increase
of business.
We have not progressed in this line. Time was
and little old lady as l am with tremendous memory
at triHes. recolect it well-when Washington was
full Of small onehorse establishments, queerly con-
styucted on two wheels with door behind, bat CON-
krtsble and convenient The rates of fare were, how
ever badly regulated and was subject to oil sorts
of imposition. Even the great Webster was open TO
attack. saw him once followed TO his hotel by
inpudent driver who demanded larger reward than
custom called for The great orator paid attention
10 the continued demand, until pressed at the door,
when he turned quietly and fixing those dark cavern
ous eyes upon the felow-said nothing; for the look
seemed to annhilate driver, horse hack and eli.
My amusing and eccentric friend g., had different
experience. He was driven from the station house in
one of these queer eontrivsnces Of one horse and
door in the rear After being backed up before nume-
rous hotels without finding resting place for self
luggage he was at last set down. For an hours ride
The driver demanded e5. G.. did not growl much, nor
screw of the number with pair of SCISSOR. Mrs.
Ramsbotham is said to have done; but he fixed the
number in his memory A few days after about time
for the scamp of driver to forget the transaction he
saw the concern being driven down the avenue. Stop
ping il, he made engagement to be taken imme-
diately TO Mount Vernon. He asked the driver If he
thought they could get back in time fer the evening
train. and on being assured in the Affirmative pro.
missed him double fare. They set of at tremendous
pace. On the frst piece Of smooth street e. softly
opened the door and stepped out He had the salts
faction of seeing the two-wheeled vehicle continue
and disappear at fearful rate, and has enjoyed many
. hearty laugh since at the supposed sstonishment
and blank dismay of the unsusPectng driver on arrv-
ing at his place Of destination. The only reasonable
conclusion TO which he could have come was that e.
being a small man, had been jclted to pieces and
spilled out along the road.
! was aroused from my rain dreams and rernInis-
oencss by the announcement that oar little party wS
in waiting Gen. Houston must be heard. He was
going TO reply to Senators Clayton and Mallory on the
everlasting subject Of the Naval Board. To tell you
sne ruth, oenfdentAlly am sick Of the affair, and
souio break out as did Miss -, the other day:
OF the Naval Board BY Mallory