The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-12-02
AUen.

This House had a wider notoriety than
any other of the kind in the country. AZ Q
fashionable hell it had no rival IN Washing.
ton. It was rscherchs, exclusive, and aris'
tocratic. To a. large class Of our public men,
its interior was known "a a luxurious dining
saloon, where generous wines and other po.
table liquids contributed to revive the mind
after the fatigues Of official labors and
where agreeable conversation and the aodD'
don Of sociality aided to calm the excite.
ments of political life. To many or to most
Of its frequenters IL was, however, known as
the Hall Of the Bleeding Heart, while the
proprietor, person Of gorgeous Imagination
loved better the gilded speculative Of the
Palace of Fortune and the few who were
occasionally successful in wooing the blind
goddess, accepted the name.
E. H. p. was at the head OF his profes.
sion. He diedtoo young for his fame, for
he was gathering reputation that would
have borne him golden fruit. His establish
ment In Washington, called the Mother
Bank, did not ehgross his active genius
He had branch establishments in Baltimore
utd New Yorh. AS professional man his
rules were rigid, aud his conduct was up.
right. He was noted for a stern adherence
to his principles, which were never to lend
when his antagonist was "broke," and new.
er to play for anything but cash. He was
somewhat noted for his ostentation, for, in
deed, display was part Of his capital, and
accordingly "spofted" an equiPage which
quite cast the most aspiring into the shade,
and by the elegance aud magnificeno of ils
ensemble provoked multitudes Of persons Of
refined tastes to enquire for the business
apartments of It's owner. Few visited those
hospitable halls without having occasion to
remember it. The professional life Of the
subject Of this notice extended through pe-
riod Of quarter Of century! The fortunes
and salaries of many gentlemen of dlstinc.
tion passed through his hands, Bit his surest
gains were from the hands of men who had
ed to an elevated family of Virginia, and he
had his distributive share OF the "best blood
of the State"
The walls were hung with spirited and
meritorous pictures, the art of carving was
carried to great perfection in the side. boards,
secretaries and tables, which served the va.
rious purposes OF the establishment. The
dining and supper tables were loaded with
plates of the pure metal. The cooking
woald not have shnmed the genius Of Soyer,
and it is universally admitted that the wines
were such us only had been selected by a
connoisseur. This ineomparoble provder
had ten thousand dollars invested in his eel.
lar and closet. 1t is unnecessary TO de-.
scribe the rooms further than to say that they
were lofty and we'll proportioned, and that
their walls were covered with pictorial trans.
fers from the world of mythology and allie.
cory, executed in the highest style OF the up.
holsters art. Carried away by the excite.
ment of description, have LETT to the las,
the most important poirt, the audiences
which nightly assembled to see and take
part in the entertainments OF the house.
Trey consisted Of candidates for the Pre-.
sidency, senators and representatives. mem.
Sess of the cabinet, editors and Journalists,
ant the master workmen of the third house,
the Lobby. Pendleton's; N its palmiest
days, might be called the vestibIe of the
Lobby. Its most distinguished professors
might be fo1n4 there. They lent money to
their clients hen the "snirna scratched too
roughly" that IS to say, when the play ran
against them; unt TREY 6ecume "broke," os
they sometimes did. E. II. P. himself was
an operator in the lobby. His professional
position gave him grest facilities. Re as.
sisted in tho passage of many Us ciul bills Of
private nature, involving considerable sums
OF money. A broker in parliamentary votes
is an inevitable retainer of broken voters.
Blu: let US look at Pandemonum with its
denizens and victims in action. Dinner is
over. The evening has set in, the gas is
lighted, and the game has begun. A suite
of three handsome p2rlors has been thrown
into an oblong hall. In the front room od
joining and overlooking Pennsylvania ave.
nue., sits the proprietor, with compressed lips
indicating thst he can endure the despair OF
other men with unfinching fortitude, bu,
possessing withal certain euse of manner
and gentlemanly exterior. He is engaged
at game of "short cards." probably "se,
back euchre" with Senator -, Muyor,
A A-Cspt.T T, and Contractor P. All
around on the sofas and in various attitudes
of careless case, sit or lounge members OF
Congress quietly discussing the days pro.
ceedings, the prospects of parties, and the
character of public men. A fire enter has
just declared that in his opinion, "Bil Sew.
ard, if elected, would make es safe and con.
servative President ns the South needs u
Another remarks, that though he shall vote
for it, the Kansas bill is piece of danger.
GUS quackery. A few officers Of the army
add to the number and variety of the groups
which occupy this apartment Here all are
drinking. smoking and talking, generally in
a light and jocose manner. Servants are
gliding about with segars, toddies, cocktails,
and "whiskey straits" on little silver truys.
Among them ure two old Virginny nggers,
very obliging and popular, who pick up many
quarters and halves, and not few "white
fish" representing one dollar each.
But let US 60 further into the recess of
this "pecuIiar institution" Of the Metropolis,
let US enter another ard the last of it's Dan.
team circles. AS you move, flashing and
gorgeous mirrors repeat and multiply the
form Of the guest. In the third room the
game is progressing with silent energy. The
company around the faro table is playing
mostly with counters of red circular ivory,
called fish or chip, each Of which represents
five dollars. A few who are nearly "broke"
are using the white ones Of one fifth this va.
lue. The players are silent as the grave
VCSouoC vi khcm uIc III RTeuL luck"
and large piles Of red chips are standing up.
on different cards to abide the event Of the
deal, which indicates that they have been
wen from the bank but alas ! the close of
the deal is unfavoro bic, and before the little
silver box from which the cards are drawn
yields the last of the pack, the most of the
red piles have been drawn to the bank side.
But some of them have doubled, and the
owner Crams fhnm dnmn M his nnn;,.l e -