New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-30
GAY SEASON AT THE CAPITAL.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Dec. 23.--HOwever the
tmcs end seasons fail, climates alter. nations fall, and
empres rise, assurody they doing. one ele-
ment in eli the universe certain paradoxical as
II may 10 say So floating through enormous arcs
but always returning It's initial pont-for long
men and women made OF clay kneaded through and
through with vanies, ambitions, selfgratihcaons, the
pride OF the eye aud the lust Of the esh 30 long VIII
Fashion be fixed In her orbit than the breath In her
nostri..
sense Of the crumblo Of throne, the mourning OF
people, the graves OF half race may II Is true, tone
down the glare Of garments from the bright nts insult
Ing sorrow tire dark shades buti cannot him
der the employment those shades in countless contrast
ing nricacies OF gloom and 'gayey, while, beloaeuered
In one sad city theuscrutable goddess dies forthwith to
other fields and fate itself cannot cOunermand her floods
OF casght and wrcats Of fower her glitter and parade
cannot alter the Wild love Of admiration, the mOnadke
ntorcsion OF uudressed beauty at the reveand we
hear that the the capital 70 be Of unusual
gnycty.
Unusual gsyety-bewildering intination What can
Il portend Are the bals To be more than ha' score
nht tho receptions TO be ihGd than all the time,
eyees muslcales, matnees germans, to be more than
without number there TO be than seven days In
Tho week. nghts0 he turned into day What sort
az world IA IL going to DO this Winter In our capital, into
which every shall bring fresh cable news OF heroes
ean women wailng, children starring democracy and
the rights Of dying out. Imperialism and the divine
back century,
strange world II usnst he indeed tor tho laws that
rule thirty millions OF people and swing tie destinies OF
continent TO come out Of and from what cool heads,
unheated by chsmpagne-breakfasts and uncozeDed by
pretty women .must they proceed Let US he thankful
they good they are that taxes are OK no more
fragrant inequality that the poor not legsated out Of
existence that sumptuary laws forbiddng the encroach
nent OF desert sands Babylon are not enacted Since
what expect in place where from the ringing OF
the Christmas chimes to the toling OF Ash Wednesday
bells nothing but ono long reyel rules-a reyel into
which scamp courtesan enters without exclusion the
one because controls power the other because he Is
n power-a reyel where the Innocent young debutante
whrls the close clasp OF wrecked soul and
body long ago. site beside painted woman the breath OF
whose being ought 10 faint the air around her,
fevered and restless herself dips her ac into the punch
bowl and on her dram like the best of them pres
emily puts rouge upon her cheeks and anthony around
her eyes, longs for diamonds and cachemires her
own lnarres hoary sinner IL obtain them, and never
dreams she has become worthless the Haunting
thing on whom her caIrage lamps fash ana wheels
ding mud!
Indeed this feve u that OF q totally anomalous
sOciety. In other otcs society has some excuse for
Its being; IL Il INTERCHANGE o. good'eeng between
long established households of friends II is the festiyity
OF happy anniversaries the union Of families In
tea In tho technical society Of capital there IL
no such thing each administration brings new follow
ing. each Congress has rabble at It's heels. mar
Rage hardly takes rootbn foil that forever escapes
there friends among those thrown together 10 be
thrown apart directly, and interchange OF gooteellng
Is almost out Of the question where every eiyity has
double meaning where diplomacy carried by dining
where statecraft gets 10 only selfinteres aud
WHERE commit what sinsyou may four years sha bring
them to oblivion. Another excuse of society 10 the
charm Of Wit tho spsrhe 81 conversation the kining
Of enthusiasm but what place for conversation Is there
In these jams where al Jour being given to the effort
of saving lady's train from your defacns feet
where you AnA 20 without seeing host hostess
where crowd up through the hack pantry and
another stands the grand pianoi And with whom
shsL YOU espyeSsevith the Questionable lady. w ono