The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-02-27
Washington Then aud NoW.

lhe nVely correspondent OF tie Nashville
REpu1Rean, gossippirg about the past and
present of the Federal city, says:
Do yon remember The little Alcove at
his wife there, christ sned it the 'closet of
Cupid" Hung with plush and lace, and
loo oking directly in at the great centre draw
ing room, and up and down the long corri-
dor, and out upon tho court and tho foun-
tain, it was always fayorite retreat
For talking age. and whispering lovers
nmde."
In these old times it was famous. Some
Of the greatest men and women of America
have tircd there; and il hns been the scene
of n thousand. matrimonial engagements.
George Mcclellan and Nellie Marcy passed
their troth beneath that dimly lighted
chandelier. A. p. Hill and Mrs. McUlung,
the sister Of John Morgan, began bit Of
badinage which ended in q wedding near
that handsome mirror. ReverdS johnson
and George Badger used to pry in on the
young couples and play off their wit ut
their expense. The faces, of Miss Cass
(now Madame dc Limbourg,) of Miss Kel-
logg (now Mrs. Gen. Thomas,) and Miss
Cults (now.the widow of the late Stephen
a. Douglass,} wcre once familiar to tho
sanctuary.
Ten years ago, Lynn Boyd and N. P.
Banks messed together and played whist
. with their wives on the centre table of the
Alcovc. At that time Burlingame and
keiit were excellent friends and prodigious
fayoritcs of the young ladies. In short, l
might run over, an endless list of names,
inspired by the Tapping of the lace ourtins,
for one of the windows is open and the warm
breeze steals in, and the play of the foun-
tain which is trickling out sweet low mu-
sic am scribbling at random and mere.
ly allude to the Alcove on account Of the
f;tct that am at this moment its sole occu.
pant. ! was about to- speak of society ut
large, and at the present day, and not to
write history Of Washington life before
the war, with all its old bellies and gallants,
dHares dfs coeur, and scandal. But nm
nothing, if not episodical, and With this
brief exordium, l proceed
with the patter of dancing feet,
And the bird like chatter of voic y sweet,
That dazzle the ball room fill the street,"
Most Of tho brilliancy of society OF the
Capital was contributed by Southern wo.
men The North never sent her best men
10 Congress, and therefore, could not
bq represented by its best women in the as
sembiy OF fashion. In the great communi.
'N~c
man could make twenty times as much out
of. his. legitimate pursuit as lie naturally
preferred to.dcvote his manhood to the az
oum'lation OF, fortune by the dignified
means within his reach leaving his interiors
to scuflie for offices. An able lawyer, an
eminent doctor, u brilliant editor, could no /
afford TO serve the people as Incrc politi-
clan. Thus the scramble for honors was
reduced to tho Second class, and the win.
ners, Nsith few exceptions, were thoroughly
soconu'class men; too often dishonest men;
easy of conscience, .approachable with
money, and dull Of wit.
Just rs politics was disreputa6le in one
section of the Union, il was considered the
only roadto fame in the other. The South.
ern youth was raised 10 consider a seat in
Congress the goal Of human ambition No
professional man can.amass a fortuns in
rural region Of country, and, therefore, not
only was politics desirable to the Southern
lawyer, physician or editor, but lis pay
was about as much as he could make at
home. Hence the South sent its best men
to Washington--ofen its richest men-Gs.
piring, .educlted, shrewd, experienced, in
corruptable.