The Indiana State sentinel., 1874-02-17
HOME CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING.


who predicted for Washington dull winter
in 1874. The panic seems to have given the
city of magnificent expenses a happy ego
bye" or else touched it so mildly that res
toration was quite easy. The society people"
saw the winter was never gayer. and Judging
from the large number of receptions soires
and "kettle-drunssn-the latest for AFTER
noon OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES are being given
il would be difficult matter to contradict
their statements. However this is the last
full week and the indications are that by
ash Wednesday the season will close.
A visit to the senate and house on Sstur-
day revealed most distressing lack of in
terest on the part OF the members 1hls
day is especially chosen for "speechify-
iDg," and those having nothing to say gen
orally remain away from the building. I'm
| agine then number OF empty desks, with
chatting pleasantly, or otherwise, as the case
here and there disinterested membeS,
may be, with his neighbor. The speakers
chair occupied by another, and a meek
voiced member from an exceedingly re-
mote district, wrestling with might = and
main ia delivering brilliant effort that
shall go forth and astonish and delight his
constituents, and you will form an idea OF
the scene presented to my view. There
| lot of highly tinted fifteenth amendments
who occupied prominent seats in the gents
/ gallery.
MyRA CLARK GAINES.
For the past ten days the press of the
city and elsewhere have called. attention to
the fact that Mrs. Myra Clark Gaines, the
veteran litigant, had brought suit against
Caleb Cushing to restrain him from receiv.
ing from the secretary of the interior patents
1 for for certain lands. Since the
| nouneement of the fact it has also been as
certained that the gallant Caleb had filed
bill against Mrs. Gaines, admitting GER
/ N-..- 10 b. l.Urf nlafNa anfad
that large amounts of money were
due him, and asked the district
court here TO order a statement of an ac-
count, and that Mrs. Gaines be directed to
"ante up" and also to show what property
she has recovered from her many suits. Learn
ing that this well-known lady was in the
city, took occasion to make her short call
Saturday morning and upon being ushered
| into the parlors was confronted by the lady
| herself. She is rather below the medium
height, slight figure, very active in her
| movements. a wealth of bright blonde hair
curling gracefully about her head and neck,
she looked and talked more the matron
1 of fo.ty than the woman of sixty seven
! She is remarkably well preserved and bears
no indications of being faint hearted, and
will no doubt fight her foes as long as life is
| spared her. After assuring the little lady
| that my intentions were to obtain some of
the details of the recent cases, she responded
| to few questions as follows:
THE GREAT REJECTED.
In 1860 asked Judge Black, an abler man
than Mr.. Cushing, to take my case in hand I;
but he on account of pre-engagements was
unable to do so, recommending me 10 the
| late secretary of war, Mr.. Stanton. He was
on the eve of leaving for California, and
could not take the case, and returning to Mr..
Black was told by him TO apply to
Caleb Gushing. acted upon his advice, Mr.
Cushing accepting the cases. He gained the
suit of Gaines VS.. Heunen, although l had
employed lawyers from New Orleans. This
property was very small, being two lots in
| New Orleans, with rickety frame dwelling
upon it. My attorney IL that city sold the
property through an auctioneer for q, 600,
and all received from it was $3.50, the re-
mainder being swallowed up by attorneys
fees, costs, etc. Mr.. Cushing was very angry
at me for so doing, claiming very justly that
/ had not paid him the six per cent. on the
amount realized, as promised. felt badly
about the matter, but went TO Mr.. Cushing
| and said: Mr.. Gushing, am little bit of
woman, but I've done you a great wrong
| I've come to apologize to you and tell you
| how it was. Could do more? / fully be-
| lieve now that Mr.. Cushing intended to de-
fraud me, and at one time said to him that if
] the brave, good, pure man, whose name /
bear, stood at my side in body az he did in
spirit, he would not dare to approach me-
and that little as / was l would not
permit it. She has had employed, during
/ her forty-seven years of litigation, twenty
| five lawyers nearly the entire time, while
her opponents have retained four times that
number. Among her LAWYERS were General
Walter Jones and Frank Key. the author OF
the 'Star Spaugled Banner" Reverdy John
son and John A. Campbell. She expresses
| more sorrow than anger for Cushing. and re-
grets that he cares more for dollar than he
does for his soul, attributing the fact to his
being wifeless and childless. / have not
time nor space to tell you all she said, but OF
one thing am assured, and that is that she
is the most gentle, persevering woman in
Washington or out OF 1T.
sLEaGHING ON THE AVENUE.
The heavy fall of snow Friday night at.
forded pleasure to the ''ton" which they
were not slow to lay hold of. About ten
o'clock prancing steeds drawing their loads
of elegantly dressed and beautiful women,
appeared on this grand street, and from that
hour until dark the air resounded with the
music of the bells. The happy laugh
ter of gay inaidens mingling in
pleasant harmouy aud forming a pic
ture-a gay pageant witnessed very sell
dom in a lifetime. and gray haired sires,
and sedate DANES lent an added charm To
the scene-stopping now and then 10 speak
a word of warning TO some mischievous son
who, thinking only of distancing his neigh
bor, needed not the near approach OF street
cars or omni6uses. while To the daughter
came smiles of love and low cautions as to
wraps. Every sleigh in the city was in use,
and the livery men were unable TO supply
the demand, even at $40 y Sr hour.
10 SOCIETY GOSSIP. eft1
Society in every city mas a faithful few,
vino may be relied upon to attend pleasant
reeePtions-rain or shine--just SC there is
dancing. On Friday evening Mrs. and Miss
Meyers had very large number, notwith-
standing the weather was very inclement.
The music played the most Dewitehing
waltzes, and, for once this winter, the dancers
had plenty of room to revolve. Assisting
these hospitsble ladies were her guests, Miss