The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-12-14
Letter from Washington.
Correspondence of the Journal.

for Il minute how many years that gravy
alone" took from the age of the unhappy Vie
Tins who had to eat it. GRAVY" is certainly
one Of the serious questions OF our existence.
and nowhere is it 50 serious as i'll Washington.
Why, just now the political question is only
side issue compared with that of gravy or its
accomplishments. Senators sit gravely in their
chairs CT 0idn't mean 4 pun there,) and you
think rs you watch them how earnestly they
are considering national affairs, while it is
much more likely that they arc wondering
where their abiding places shall be for the Win
ter, unless they are opulent enough to maintain
establishments of their own. Prices at the
hotels seem eXorbitant; they are not much
less in private houses, if comfort or elegance
be desirable; and the innumerable army of
TodgerseS stand ready to devour the unwary.
| There are cards on many houses that those
unadorned wear a distinguished air Of superior
| arisocracy; shutters and blinds are left partly
| open that you may notice the freshness Of the
| lace curtains OF catch glimpse OF some enteing
easy chair; but when you enter these abodes
you do not always lind the freshness of the cur
| tains extending through the apartment. s.Thtre
|
| pers lately gave Il funny statement concerning
habitations, saying that there We're several
| thousands ''rooms for rent" in excess Of any
| possible demand so 1.-THE m0urners 90 about the
streets" lamenting vacancies. Life in Washing
| ton is essentially unlike Il life anywhere else,
but it is fascinating always, and we are all glad
| when tlle meeting of Congress calls Us back TO
its enioyment>.
Concerning that meeting kilograms have al-
ready given you the principal phases. The
| sight itself was something difficult TO translate
in language. | like to watch men salute each
other. They don't fly into each others arms
and kiss with the etlusion SO often characterize
ing feminine greetings: but You will see the
cordial gladness animatng all their features
and the broad palms strike so heartily that you
hear the collision. Then they shake and shake
with Il viii. The first few strokes arr remend-
ou>ly effective; then they grow less demonsir;t-
tive by degrees till the hands drop apart seek
inc their respective pockets, and the men begin
| their earnest talk. they Ito one thing, too,
which is marvellous. When women say bitten
things to one another, being arrayed on oppu-
Site sides Of Il question, they mean warfare way
down to their boots and they never forget il
they do forgive the sharp speeches; bnt these
men, feriiug iWansely and diSputing hotIy with
seeming yndiciyenese, walk across to each
Others desks the next minute and smile To-
| gethrr over then encounter n if it Were all
sport. My dear sisters, IRE never could do that
| in this world, 50 its a blessed thing that poll
ties are not within our circle of duty, however
| wi
ever views we may choose to entertain.
Mr.. lanlals ambition is gratiled this year,
and he certainly makes a handsome Speaker.
lie has q, complexion clear and pale. strongly
contrasting with jet BLACK eyes and har, while
his tall, manly figure gives the impressiyencss
which nothing con1er9 50 perfectly as ''ineheS.'
Mr.. Randall has OF had i habit Of moving about
great deal; one seldom saw him at his desl, an
hour at a time, so lie must find the constant oc-
cupation Of the Chair rkSone, in addition 10
the Great nervous strain of watching every mo
ton in the turbulent body on the loor. Ii
Cen Banks taxes the decidedly Republican
stand " Inch he assumed on Monday, Mr.. Kan
dali sill need ali his parliamentary wits about
him, for no one il more thoroughly posted ol
atlroit than The cX-Speaker whose Preceding
was 50 leserN eddy popular. \ most con piru
Gus tgure amid tile clustering member wa,
Blue Jean Williams. lie ought to be- the puln
tessence of cOOdneSs, ii ettrene ~ illness means
anything. \ more interesting individual "a
near in a char round which people eagerly
clustered, though it ~Ccmtd shocking Tor out
who had been near death and who Iii
bore the ilnprts5 Of the awful struggle written
20 lc@ibIy All over Ms ptIlii fior, to minGI,
AGAIN in political life, An uii man broker
by the storms of STATE" | quoted mentally
, "'hiI4 lhohin" ut him. But the lire in AtrAan
der Stephens eye is :tS bright A. ever, and the
tones Of his thin Voice ram sharply out, Will,
he emphasized each uttcrlnre with hi4 cane
\ wonderful, wonderful man hts he been, hur
not even his indomilablr courage or VIII c:lr
much LONGER avail.
The war ul words commencing before tn,
chapan'S amen had died on hi, lips was eXcit
ing but rititu. If the grayest matters are of st
little intrinsic weight that the tossing of Il wore
on either side can affect the national destiny. il
is quite time that the old ship "Gonsilulon
was oyerhauled for repairs. Surely the trans
actions of the last few months have made many
- Us " i7li ipi lIIiIlla iulN iINN e tpHINl VHI
find genuine Caesar TO wear the purpla. /,
this treason: Well, I'm "ony a woman" I'll
it won't matter much.
| OF course | was anxious to see Mr.. Waiter
son, of the louisville journal, but found no
one who could designate that prince of Journal.
ISIS; then, remembering that some one had de-
scribed his face It's looking like a cloud through
which the moon was shining" | levcled my
opera glasses at many u cOuntenance In vain.
| Mr. Watterson was not yisible 50 | shall try
again on some more suspicious occasion. If he
shall make speeches Us trenchant and brilliant
as his editorials have been, we of the reporters
gallery will welcome him gladly.
Social matters are taking care Of themselves
after their own fashion, but there are two cen
ga9ements" interesting enough to the world at
| large for paragraph here. Visitors DIT the
| Capital have often seen in the Diplomatic gal
legy petite lady, wearing profusion Of fair
curIs round her delicate face. Her whole APP
pcartnce was striking, though exceedingly re-
fined, and one WAS sure to ask her name. We
were told-"It is Madame Baghman, the Re
gent of the Mount Vernon Association. and Il
most remarkable woman" She has immense
wealth, and lives III almost royal style on II
street. Her private picture gallery is one of
marvellous excellence, and the entrce to her
house Il greatly coveted pleasure won't
crafty you by Stating her possible age, but
you may guess for yourself, since Il Young lady
taller than Madame calls her mamma. With
all her wealth and luxury, life was still incom-
| plete, 50 Madame is to marry again. The affair
| has a delicious spice of romance for the pro-
Spertive bridegroom is much younger than her
self and mpecunious. 1t is said that Madame
has settled upon him an annual income of ST.
900, which ought to be enough for the SatiStic-
ton of moderately expensive habits. MIR
| Iangton is 4 gentleman Of cultivation and re-
tinement. whose tastes will be in unison with
those Madame esteemS most highly and the
match promises much happiness.
| The other betrothal is that Of Madame Bou-
1