The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-26

greeted me on our meeting In way which made
II thoroughly impossible for me to disguise my
personality any longer. The Mexican papers
brought the news to Havana, the Havana papers
transmitted It to New Orleans, and thus spread
It all over the United States. The amount OF
nonsense which the American papers took this
opportunity for saying 10 simply appalling.
Columns upon columns seem to have been
printed discussing my chances and alleged in
tentions to unite Mexico and Cuba under the
same crown, and thus to establish a new Spanish
empire In this part OF the world. The nonsense
about Mexico does not affect me much but the
supposition that l could ever have thought OF
taking any step TO the detriment OF the in
teRrity Of Spanish dominioDs Ia an insult aLd
base caumnv. Before everything else ! am a
Spanish patriot, and n had ever to ngbt in
Cuba, would certainly have done 30 In the ranks
Of the Governments troops. not 10 those OF the
rebels. NY animosity for the existing Govern
meDt would be completely forgotten by me the
moment the integrity of Spain became con.
cerned.
These absurd newspaper lies compelled me to
receive reporter Of some local Richmond pa
per who called on me just before we were leav-
log that city | thought that, by fefuting all
these lies, l should improve things; but since
then have been led to believe that have made
things only worse. Having once told false
hood they won't withdraw It. aud the result 10
only that, by this step, have finally unveiled
my iDcoRnito, and that shall be now bored to
death by the newspaper reporters and inter-
viewers In every city l come to. | have made
up my mind, however, that 1t is the General who
shall have to stand their attacks. At all events.
told him that strict orders should be given at
the hotel to refuse all visitors and that such OF
them as he thinks at to receive he shall receive
himself. come here to see other people, not
10 make show OF myself.
July TO- should have been perfectly dis
gusted with my fret day 4 Washington mad IL
not been partially redeemed by beautiful drive
we took In the evening. From the very moment
l was through with my breakfast and my diary.
had all day long nothing but annoyanges. Our
rooms were very hot and not quite arranged
early 10 the afternoon, 80 that we had to take
short siesta in the cool LOBBY OF the hotel. 1
sent to the proprietor renewed instructions to
refuse all callers, especially newspaper men.
But the order WIS Of no avail. The moment we
sat down man cavalierly approached me with
broken Bon jour, mon Prince" lie
Herald reporter, and wanted to know every
thing-where was going, whence l had come,
how old was, how much weighed, how many
years had been married, how many children j
had, and what not. 1 got up from my chair,
thinking thus to snow him that did not desire
TO continue the conversation, but he at once got
the best OF me by bluntly asking whether II was
true that aspired to become the ruler Of
united Cuban Mexican En- pire. felt my blood
rushing TO my face from indignation, but at the
same time saw that could not possibly leave
| this question unanswered. I repeated to him
all had told he Richmond reporter. who. as
had meanwhile learned, did not say a word Of
what ! wanted him to say. but 1ed his ar
ticle with stupid personalities. Tho Herald
| lao a.. II
arrived to my rescue with the announcement
| that the barber was waiting for me- / got rid OF
the irrepressible interviewer without giving him
another chance OF nquirins into my weight, my
| size, and the number Of my children.
The barber who awaited me up stairs was an
other nuisance. He had perfectly unbeaTable
smell about his person, his soap, his brush, and
his razor. l could not get rii Of that smell for
more than two hours, aud with the aid of all the
toilet waters ] had. i don't know Ct "a more
disgusting operation than that OF being sh wed by
an American, and especially by a negro barber.
God knows that the majority Of our own bar
bers are tiresome and clumsy enough hut the
BARRIERS Of America beat them all to pieces in
their ability Of disgusting and driving Grey
their patient. often wonder how the cOncep-
ton OF that sublime aosurdity, Figaro, could
have originated.
when l had recovered from this mlserable
shaving operation and the heat Of midday had
a little receded, went down stairs TO
take drive. The lobby OF the hotel was ~ I'd
| ed with loungers. several OF whom barred our
way and BEGAN to introduce themselves, uncere-
moniousy taking hold OF my nand, passing II to
one another, aud shaking It. Gen. so-and So,
Senator So-and. SO, Judge So-and-So, all Of them
speaking nothing but English insisted upon
| futher talking even after they were informed
that did not understand the first word Of what
they had to say. when they had given up talk
| ipg on their own account they began TO iutro-
| duce To me some of their friends, apparently
assuming that their own acquaintance with me
was Of quite long standing l am told that
they dealt In the same way with the Enreror OF
| Br I'll when he was here. A Congressman, he
| had never seen or heard OF before, stopped him
| on the steps of the Capitol with this simple ad-
| dress MIR. Emperor want to introduce you to
AT old friend OF mine. and thereupon,n the most
natural way, proceeded with the Introduction Of
| Dom Pedro TO his less cheeky old friend.
| The city Of Washington produces much
more leasant impression than the people we
have 50 far seen here. 1t greatly reminds one
OF Versailles, not only from its being tho seat
OF the Government, but from the manner IN
which the city ia laid out. The buildings are,
of course far from resemo lng the venerable.
| handsome structures OF the latter city. They
are constructed In quite a different stye: but
several Of them are immense, an, IN their
way remarkably fine. The white House Is rob
ably the most Insignificant Of the Governments
buildiugs, and cannot DO compared with the
| Palace OF the Prefecture, where NJ. THEIRS used
| TO have his temporary residence. The Capitol
IL, with the exception Of the English Parliament
| House, probably the largest building Of this
class iu the whole world. hut 1 could not call
It the handsomest. Maybe It loses some Of It's