Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-20
Literature and Art.

ciety at Mrs. Dahlgren's, though not SO
L. rgely attended as some of the others held
earlier in the season, was, nevertheless,
the gathering point for quite q number OF
persons of taste aud culture. The lterarv
feature of the evening here was the reading
Of p1perS, as follows; On Walpoe, by Mrs
X b. Mohun; on Nomenclature, by Prof. r.
II. Gill, Of the Smi thsontan Institution: a
translation from the German, by Mrs. Chap
man Coleman, which were followed by choice
music, rendered by Mrs. Nasle, Mrs. Camp
ana MT Potter and these In turn by suitable
refTeshmel Is aud some time spent in social
converse, after which the guests reluctantly
separated at d late hour.
The other attraction, the reception given
by the Artists Club, in Vernon Row, was
the means of bringing together a very
large attendance OF intelligent and appre-
ciative people. The crowd was so great, in
fact, that at times it was almost impossible
TO examine the paintings on view with sat
lsfactory position and leisure. AROther diff
hculty seemed TO Ue Inadequate light, on
account OF which scant justice was done to
the merits of some of the pictures. But even
win these drawbacks, the entertainment
" as great success. I'm the lumber and char
acter both of the pictures shown and of those
VINO came 10 inspect them. IL shows what
our local artists are capable OF doing when
they act together, and IL illustrates also in
the most satisfactory way the constantly
Al q rapidly growing Interest in art at the
national capital. We regard IL therefore "a
an suspicious and significant event, and
trust that the entertainment will be repeat
ed at an early day. We may aid for the
benefit of those not preSenG Saturday even
ing, as well as those VINO were there but un-
able TO see the paintings under such con-
dl'iOns as trey could wish, that the club
room will hereafter be open at all times
during the day, and that persons intere5ted
in the subject OF art are invited to visit It..
with their friends, as frequently and freely
as they may desire.
TIE musical feature of the reception was
an exceedingly agreeable one. Choice Sc
lections OF vocal and instrumental music
were eXqui.itely rendered; the Artists Club
Itself supplying some OF the best pc. formers.
What with the attractions of the pictures,
tbc music, al nd the social intercourse, among
so many bright cultivated people, the as
semblage fingered long after the announced
hour for Closing the reception.
GEN. MKIGS SAILS FOR HOME-A teIe-
gram to the n. Y. Tribune from this city
says: The President, after having recalled
Gen. Meigs. telegraphed hira that he might
as well remain abroad until the end of the
fiscal year The dispatch was sent from
place TO place, and was finally returned by
The company with the Information that il
cO1ld Tot he delivered, as he sailed from
Southampt0 on Tuesday last on his return.
Gen. Rufus ingalls, Will vacate the office OF
QuaTteTnlaster General, and will return to
his Old post in New York about April 1. The
President has given Gen. Ingalls, permission
70 remain in Washington at the head of the
Qu8rterr1aSter's department until Ger.
Mtigs completes his report of his European
trip; but Gen. Ingalls,, who is tirel of the
labor ard responsibility OF the position, pre-
fers not 10 stay.
SILVER COMING.-The Treasury depart-
ment viii receive during the present week,
from San Francisco, fourteen tons OF silver
CON, to prepare for the circulation OF silver
This will amount to half million dollars.
The amount OF silver IN the vanltS of The
Treasury at the present time is less than
thirty thousand dollars. Orders were re-
I'D = NlRtf Sp n Ia " fnr
fractional currency. The amount OF frac.
tional currency still in The vaults is So
0CO 600. though rome has been printed since
the middle of last month. Since that time
the acquisitions upon the Treasury from
banks and other offices TO be sup
piled with fractional currency amounted
to three million dollars. Several persons
have visited the Treasury recently with va
rioUs amounts of silver coin, wishing 20 have
1t exchar ged for notes. The department
has in ali cases refused TO make exchange,
the law declaring that this class OF coin is
neither redcemahle nor eXchangeable, and Is
legal tender tn the extent OF s. ouly. The
presented have varied from five to
nifty dollars.
CCsT OF THE GROUND FOR THE PRO
PosED EAST FRONT OF THE TEEAsU aY.-
IL answer to the Senate resolution of March
l. asking the Secretary Of the Treasury for
as to the cost of extending the
east front OF the Treasury building Secretary
Bristow TO day forwarded report of Super
Information Mr.. Potter says the land neces-
sary 10 be purchased forms the east front OF
18th street. between New York and Pennsyl-
vanfa avenues, being the western boundary,
ard line running parallel thereto, sixty
feet distant forming the eastern boundary,
the northern and southern boundaries being
the building line of Pennsylva and New
York avenues. Mr.. Potter gives the valua-
ton of the entire property facing on 18th
street, by the owners, as folOws:-JOhn w.
Marin. sl50COO; w. s. Thompson, 500 0Oo
oil MY
$4,000; Citizen's Bank, S1O0.0OO; Metropoli-
tan Bank, s125, 900; Mrs. r. B. Scott, 5000 OOO
Q. A: Cragin, $1,000; and the estimate re
depth of sixty-one feet. as follows
John w. Nairn. s1O0 O0O; w. s. Thompson,
$50 COO; Moses Kelly, $50 ,2I2; Geo. w. Riggs,
tan Bank. 100000; Mrs. r. B. Scott,
$780, 200; w. w. Corcoran. 1915. 402 so; G. A
CTaein, SIS 600; total valuation of this guam
tty OF land required for the purpose specified
IN tire resolution, 81 ,O39 $3.50 Mr.. Potter
says the probable cost would not m aterially
differ from this ii the land was purchased Oa
condemnation.
SENATORIAL CHAIRS AND THEIR HIS
ToKY-Many of the seats occupied by grave
and reverend L. s. Senators have an juter-
6sting history which is known by but few
and 10 none better than the veteran Captain
Isaac BsSsett, assistant dOOrkeeper of the
Senate, and one of the most valuable EN-.
Iloyes of that body, who has seen forty five
" ars OF service I'm his present position. He
II is who, with the AID OF Assistant Sergeant
al Arms James L. Christy, keeps the pages
WlIhin the bounds OF decorum, and whose
irr'her business IL is to announce message
hearers from the President and the House of
Representatives to the Senate. Captain Bas-
set, who is general favOrite with the Sen
atOrs, retains many cherished "reminiscences
OF great men who have passed away aud
who formerly occupied seats in the Senate
Among these are Daniel Webster, JOIN G.
Calhoun, Henry Clay, Thomas Benton and
Stephen A. Douglass. The chairs and desks
Of these distinguished men are still in use In
the Senate, for IL is q notable fact that while
the furniture OF the House of Representa-.
tives is frequently changed. that OF the SEN
ate, with the exception OF the carpet. re-
mains substantially as it was half century
ago. 1t Is tire that when rev state has
been admitted new chairs and desks have
been made for the incoming Senators, but
they have been invariably fashioned after
the old model Some of the old chairs have
also been reupholstered. but most of them
have never been repaired, being apparently
as good to-day as they were when first placed
In the chamber The chairs aud desks OF
Cass, Calhoun, Webster, Clay, Douglass AMI
Benton, as has been stated, still remain in
the Senate chamber and are In daily use,
but exactly which they are or who occupies
them az present Captain Bassett declines to
tell. for the reason that IL the fact was known