St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-02-18
cHIr-c1IAT FROM WASHINGTON.
We make some-extracts from. as til

We make some-extracts from, US the
style at once Indicates, private letter
from Washington, giving. a passing
glance oth.en aud life in that city
That portion concerning tie ball IS Civ
en- expressly for the benefit Of our lady
readers, to whom the descriptions of
dress will, we doubt not, hc'vastly more
interesting and Ineligible ,l.an to some
# the rest osf'uS':
"Ny FIRST viss, in Washington WIS, of
course. to the Cnf.i,sl. After. tui!,ng up
several flights OF stone steps, through
grounds beautifully laid out aud which in
summer must be perfectly charming, we
entered first the rotunda. on the walls Of
which are painted largc pictures, each rep.
resenting some incident in the history Of
our nation. III" finest Of these is the En-.
barka'ion Of the Pilgrim Fathers, in which
the fair face OF Rose Stan,llsh, resting OF,
her husbands shoulder, is the :lief charm.
Thence We proceeded by door at the left,
through long halls whose floors Of tessel-
atca marble and richly frescocd ceilings
were truly magnificent, to the Senate
Chamber. When we took our seats in the
gallery. Reverdy johnson had the floor.
lilo IS n doghaiic, obstinate looking man.
bald and gray headed. His speech was,
believe, in answer to Senator Wilson's res
ol"tion to expel Garrett Davis. lie spoke
SO indistinctly chat soon ceased listening.
to him, especially as saw tina, nobody
else was. had thought that our All erican
Senate was 4 grave and lignfhea b ,dy,
something like the old Roman SENATE; but
they looked just like II Sc, of IN en- trying to
Kill time-some were laughing and talking
some launging very slccpily, some wri ing
letters. some walking about, while one or
two were listening. l concluded they had
not been there long enough to learn the
ways Of the house, There was Doolittle,
CT Wis, With srizzlcd, good naturel look.
ing face, Il heard him speak afterwards,
and be has fine delivery, clear, distinct
and eloeueht,) and John p. Hale, who is
deteriora,ing sadly from the good old days
Of yore. Near him is Charl~ s Sumner his:
hair falling ca, elcssly 'o6$o;r Ills forehead,
his hand shading his mild, benevolent
countenance, and when the question is put
he answers ',ye' IN a voice indicative Of a
severe cold, but which they say is hati,ual
TO him. Then there was wills IN, df Mass,
with bald head and care HForrh look. His
duties as apolitician, it is feared, have ia
ken the place of his duties as father AMI
he has son whose wild habits cause him
much uncasiness Next to him i, Fessen-
Zen, of Maine, stern, rigid, and .uncom-
promising. sprague, of R l., with pair
ofgrceh spectacles and delicate NOUS
tachs, lock like 2 page among prime
ministers. Then there were our own two
Senator'S, two Of the finest looking men in
the Senate.
"From the Senate wa went to the House,
which is on the other side of the Capitol.
at the entrance is pair Of bronze doors,
on which are moulded twelve scenes repre-
senting the discovery of America. They
arc said to have cost $20;ee0 and arc very
gr md: so, of 'c6urse, everybody Stops to
| look at them, and as a consequence there
jC ,,o,.f.,o
which is very difficult 10 rune II in the
serate there is not much dignity observ-
ed. in the II ouse there is still less There
everybody talks at'opce and nobody listens !;
at least so it seemed to me l could make
nothing Of the proceedings. I locke j
around for Mr.. Donnel'y, but he was not in
his seat. Mr.. Wlndon, was, however, and
had the satisfaction Of observing that he
was the finest looking man IN the House.
not excepting the new Speaker himself,
who is wiaowsr, good looking ar d young.
lie is said to be very popular, and what is
much f:,ore uncommon IN Washington, very
good. Coming out we met Mr. Donnelly
and were iejoicetl',o find ''iat the response
billty OF assisting to Piloi'the great sill of
state over the Shoals and quicksands of
rebellion had not thrown shadow over
his genial visage. The sparkle of his wit
is as exquisite and the ring Of his laugh as
clear as ever. -, -
"We then visited the Conservatory be-
17onglng to The Capitol grounds. 1t was
filled with rare pldhts fro:a all parts of the
world, while one room was entirely occu.
pied with camelias Each Senator and
Member of the House is entitled to so many
boqucts year. ---........
Il then returned home to PREPARE for q
grand ball in the evening, to be given at
the National, one Of the largest hotels in
Washington: At the appointed hour we
entered the ballroom, and my eyes were
opened to their fullest and widest extent to
take in all that glittering throng of people.
The brilliant'gas hts, the CLEAN of satin
and glimmer Of pearls the rustling Of
silks and the sparkling Of diamohds, the
soft rich sweep Of velvets, and clouds of
airy floating tulle and lace, made the scene
fairy land to my inexperienced and be-
! wildered gaze. Being engaged to Fart
ner for the Eext set, soon found to my
| 1o-small establishment ,hot people in Wash