Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-25

Slower. Here you give in your name. for
you only knew johnson in The Senate, and
are net at all acquainted with his family
The ladies receive yon with eueenly grace
AID dignity, enhanced by republican sim
plicity.
You forget that compliment you had 80
diligently elaborated and concisely framed,
and stumble on behind your predecessor.
gazing abstractedly at two vases Of rare
howers recovering yourself as you arrive
in the green room, the nexto the suite
But now were the Presidents daughters
dressed Really don't know. l didn't
observe; / asked her to tell me, As we rode
back home but she thought was ridicul-
ing her, and indignantly held her peace. It
Is, however, my impression that they were
dressed rather plainly in black.
The green room Is by no means one Of
those frail edifces the tenants whereof are
advised TO refrain from the practise of hurl-
ing destructive missiles neither is il any
other species Of Conservatory 1t derives its
name from the color Of the carpet and pa
pering as do the other smaller rooms ef the
Executive mansion. The papering &7R
dark, and gives dreary, somber air q
interior of the huildiEg, despite the pIenfi
sprlnkiing of gold among the eolored v -
an leaves. -
Possibly athere viii be one vacsnf chairs
n the green room. If so, you deposit your.
precious charge in it, stand beside it WITT
one hand ON the back Of the chair, fold the
other arm behind your back, cross your feet,
bend yourself into an attitude Of respectful
attention, and in this attitude Of ease and
elegance comment on individuals of the
tide that is pouring through into the great
east room, blazing with light and glaring
with red and gold. Here comes small man.
with powerful voice, iron-gray hair and q
face as hard and knotted as a hickory nut.
This is Mr.. N. p. Banks. He Is in full
dress and bears on his left arm handsome
lady with striped white and silver gray
mantle of silk on her shoulders on his right
arm another handsome lady, no covering at
all on her shoulders. The FIRST mentioned
is Mrs. Banks, and the other, Ike most Of
the throng, a stranger. The population Of
Washington il so continually shifting that
the oldest inaabitant doesn't know half Of
the visitors at these receptions.
Hard upon Banks heels, like Stonewsn
Jackson or Dick Taylor, comes a red-whis-
kered clerk in one of the departments, look
ing very uncomfortable Then a portly,
gray-haired Major General in full uniform.
Next pair of Indians, whose color enables
them TO dispense with fashionable-colored
gloves. Then dapper young Major, with
his hair as hard and slick as china-doll's,
and his white gloved fingers standing out as
distinctly as "quills upon the fretful porcu-
pine" He has languishing young female at
his side, dressed in high-necked, fame
colored silk with broad, white-stripes, such
as would seriously endangered her liberty
short time ago; but the Major doesn't see
her; his eyes are scrutinizing the golden
bordering on the papered walls. Then a tall
brown-haired Congressman from
Indiana, very prominently before the Com
mittee on Elections at present. His arm
supports surprisingly beautiful young lady,
with sparkling, black eyes, dimpled cheeks,
and dark hair, wandering at viii down her
white dress nearly to the floor. There was
but one to compare with her this evening;
and that one was--oh, no; Wen never men
ton her.
Next to this striking couple comes a little |
old gentleman, and little larger lady, clad |
in the most Anticipated attire, walking three |
feet apart, but inciining tiniidiy toward the |
common center. Then two miserable |
wretches without ladies and theu--ah, here |
is one familiar face; il is all wreathed in |
smiles; and even when it relaxes from its
habitual smiles, there still remains the we'll I
worn grooves that render relapse as easy
rs lying. Not to mention him more speci6- |
cally, this is the chairman of the House
Committee on Rules. and he is standing evil |
ience of the truth that "one NAV smile and /
mile and be a. very good presiding |
,fiicer.
1t is nine o'clock; the crowd is thicken-
ng; and the chandeliers are tremulous with /
wonderful music of the Marine band and
he confused murmur Of happy voices. The
:rowd still thickens. We 90 into the great
,ast room, stretching from front to rear Of
he building. 1t looks somewhat like "the |
li;apidated ruins of ancient grandeur with
is faded carpet, bedimmed window cornicss,
lefaced papering, mutilafed curtains, and its
plentiful lack of decent furniture. But the
throng within atone for the
Material desolation of the place.
You take your place with your lovely
in the great ellipse Of promena-
lers, and undergo the scrutiny you were
ust bestowing ON the Others. The compact
mass of humanity on the borders is steadily
on you and narrowing your cir
les. Senators and Representatives, cabi-
let Officers and foreign ministers, and men
# every station in life mingling together,
With bountcous proportion Of those twin
ons Of liberty, dressed in blue, (it is ist to
oppose they were all twins, for they were
brothers in arms" and dress Just aike.)
ladies' of every clime-except "where
ifric's sunny fountains roll down the COL
EN- sand dressed in silks and illusions Of
very cut and hue, all with their hair in |
be most admirable disorder" The favo-
lite method Of disarranging the hair seems
D be ruTnpling il as much as possible on top, |
ring il loosely behind. and leaving the rest
eating out behind like a huge bunch Of
rairie grass. One young lady, in pearl
olored silk, had powdered her raven hair
18th gold dust till i sparkied like gold
one. Another had hers propped up and
owdered white, as in the days Of yore.
The crowd still gathers, and decreases
othing; but as you thread yourway through
ie now thronged hall TO the front, you see
ne members Of the band hiding their red
pats under their gray oyercoats, and you
ress through the crowd back to the cloak
)oms, part company at one door and meet
the other, and step out into the cool night,
, be startled by the fierce yells Of the hack
zen, and the altered tone Of every body's
oice
This was he last Of The receptions. The
lrnival is over. For six weeks there has
seh no afternoon or evening without one
except on yesterday, the day Of
le Lincoln memorial.
This was pleasant and fitting celebra- .
on Of the termination Of the season Of ,
syety.
Lot letter without any politics in it. &
Boggs says: "No, gentlemen; not DID 4
1litic." AsPIRATE.
DUKE GwTN.