Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-03-12

Armed with card, sought one of
the more famous of the four known
to the better--I beg pardon-the up
per class of the sporting fraternity.
found the number brightly gilt on
the transom light, by the glare of a
chandelier, In the most frequented
part of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Entering the unlocked door, /
passed along the handsomely carpet
ed hall and assembled the stairs, lock.
ed, and gave the bell.pull jerk that
was responded to In q second by a
pair of eyes peeping at me through q
small grating that had observed.
i put before these watchful eyes the
bit of magic pasteboard / held, and
Immediately the door flew open and
exhibited a well-dressed mulatto who
invited me to walk in; and follow
Ing the guide, ascended more stairs,
passed along another hall, and was
ushsred into large, well-lit hand
somely furnished suite of rooms.
On my right was q side board gilt
tering with decanters and goblets, on
every side were paintings that come
under the popular head Of cold mas
ters," and some under the head of
old mistresses; and ut tho further
end OF the last room, under huge
painting Of tiger, large as life, that
looked like hearth rug, very gorge
ously framed, stood the fatal green
table where men wagered their mon
ey and lost their souls.
There were few I'm the room, and
those few were singly, or in groups
reading the paper, or conversing In o
subdued tone, or.sipping quietly from
glasses Of mixed drinks. The pro-
prietor came forward I'm an easy,
courteous manner, and bade me vel.
come. He was q man of sixty or
sixty-five years of age, with q white
head Of hair so evenly and regularly
eombed out that 1t suggested a wig,
and flowing whiskers, English cut,
of the same snowy tint. A smile sat
amiably in his grey eyes, and linger-
ed about his forehead and nose, but
faded out near tho mouth, that was
rs poisonous, cold and rigid as that
Of an executioner. He had the
firmly-fixed, old, stilted politeness of
Virginia, that goes 80 well with the
peculiar dialect that comes from the
much-abused African--a as, indeed, the
manner does. have given the inte-
rior In detail, for the description will
serve for all Of the first-class estab-
lishments. Here you meet congress
men, your rich contractor, your head
of the ring and respectable navy
and army officers. This was the
favorite haunt Of the late Thad.
Stevens, now eulogized, lamente1
and sainted-hc who Is so VOL can.
onized. and was SO lately cannon,
AIDED.
But, to return to our mutton: ]
made the knowledge OF this wicked
interior mary yeLrs since, and / can.
not give better illustration of the
destinations of the den than by relat.
ing the manner Of 1t. / was passing
through the rotunda of the Capito
Immediately after the adjournment
for the day Of Congress, when I en-
countered, as I shall call him, th,
Hon. Dick Darshall, M. G. from /.
border State.
For what are you heading, min.
ancient" he asked, locking his arm
In mine.
Making for my daily indigestion
called dinner was my reply.
You don't mean to say that YOU
have had dinner since coming tt
Washington? That's all nonsense
But say, pay for the hack, and III
show you q dinner
Dick ! said solemnIy, Il know
what that means and I won't do it.
sNonsense. Iwant only the prince,
ly meal. I promise not to gamble
/ am In earnest; you can carry my
purse that is the most solemn assur.
ance of earnestness that ! eau give
Now come
Ipermitted myself to be persuaded
and we drove 10 the place / have
described. 1t was the hour Of din.
ner, and the guests were about tax
ing their places at the glitterine
board. Dick was hailed with delight