St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-03-10

government, shall draw attention to the
SHARES that beSet poor men who come
to Washington, and shall put them on
their guard against the mania for dis
play it will have done Il good work.
wish to say that many sections OF Wash
ington society are is pure us any III the
country; but this love of dress and dis
play in those who cannot afford it this
desire of the poor to ape the rich-iS
more persistent and more pernicious
here than anywhere else in the country.
Letter to NeW York Graphic.
From another letter to same paper ::
This man seemed to be il person of hon
or, though he was alwaysa voluptuous.
vealy sort of man who leaped from deep
melancholy to matrImony, and had il
selt-loving, Flemish nature. He was
of rich tints of t1oridness, in warm hair
and beard and blue eyes. and could cry,
or swear. OF laugh easily, and was dis
posed to tell broad anecdotes, and listen
to them. officially. He drank and ate
very much. and often in his office yawn
ed and stretched and postponed official
duty, even to the writing of his reports.
until memorable necessity drove him to
his chief clerk, when the report would
come out, halt digested, tossed togeth-
Ell, and do not think that any of his
work ever attracted attention. He had
little OF no professional pride, and like
all discoveries, thought every new duty
would take care of itself He had done
nothing to become so celebrated. and
respected the means of his promotion.
They invited him to address the Prince
ton alumni and his army society. aud
he did il in Il strain of weak rhetoric,
although he could write we'll when he
tried. He never did try. Food and
drink and ladies were his ambition. He
WAS Il soIt of woman> prince.
He came on here with his second
witc-thc same. they say, who suggest
ed the Indian contract to the eXhalatioh
of IA man they call Marsh. Belkuap and
his tail. liquid-eNed. frail Young wife
boarded then in the old Seward man
sion. | went there with Judge David
Wilson of Dubuque, and spent an hour.
and the modrStN of the wife and the
good nature of the new secretary were
attractive. 1t was Il place to visit east
| ~. He lived there several months. and
one night. gave Il reception first
+ t'Nf'~>. liz nloNtt W NliS i
Madi>nn'> former residence in the course
of Il Year: but think his wife died he
fore that at childbirth of Il consumptivt
Ilir9. She had become IL f;tVoritc. and
was both aifrctIonItr and shy. | re
mCinbcr that she told me once about Il
reI tain female reporter: II III afraid OF
that WOMAN: I'm afraid to offend her
toI fear she'll abuse me. and when she
comes here feel rs if | sat on needles.
Is II possible that the Marsh contract
had then been made
/ The Tumlimson sisters were krntuck
al~ of much personal beauty. and fond
Of uulriValling people. They held them
selves highly. aud w"I>hippcd what
money would bring. | suspect that
they considered northern people as THEN
equals only in Accommodations. 1t has
generally been said that Bclkmap'S first
preference was Mrs Bowers. but that
4 lie IiiIcd to get her. and then addressed
hcl sister. 1t WAS ~ manifest that the
widow attracted him that public opim-
ion alleged they would he, married the
moment Mrs Bcll>nap died. That quail
ltN IN the secretary of wal never liked.
his over manifest uN"riou>ne>S. Ii WAS
not Il mere superstition that made, The
law against marrying Il deceased wife :
sister: but lirlkmap MAS been three
time~ married. though still very Young.
nul, Ii. He lamcnt,.d his >,cnud
wife death deeply. but not long: in
u few weeks "r months ne WAS counting
again.
Tia" third Mrs. Bclknap WAS one OF
the most beautiful women produced
even 10y Kentucky. But She had vu-
lupuinu< tastes: loved dress. Paris. an
easy carriage. and the life, of Il count
lady. and the secretary lost his tariff
his business habits and his restraint. and
often looked half tuddl,d in his office.
He belonged la Il state where such poll
tician., a. Harlan. Jim Wilson. Frank
l'almcr ct al. sci Il poor example to Il
poor secretary of val. and he i worse
than nnh"dN now.