Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-12-22
Special Cor of the Cincinnati Gazette.
WASHINGTON GOSSIP,
Society and Political Events at the
Capital.


WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Society and Political Events at the
| Capital.
Washington has reused herself, finally,
| from the arowsy state of inertia, into which
/ sine iaaseS after Congress folds its tent,
ard from which h-the drivingin of Congress-
| ional stakes, preparatory to pitching politi-
cal canvas, alone arOuses her. The avenue,
at the fashionable hour for promenading,
really resembles Broadway, not only in the
number OF its pedestrians, but in the ele-
| CANT costumes seen. The not meager
| sprinkling of blue-coated sOldiery, and
more oStentatiouS uniforms of the officers,
| helps TO enliven the moving mass, which
starts toward the Capitol about 2 o'clock,
| and walks backward and forward between
! Treasury and Capitol, until the provoking
| IL short-hved sun, surprising the chickens
| in going TO roost, sinks behind clouds of
crimson and golden glories, and bids US
all an early good night.
THE HOUSE IN WINTER COSTUME.
Monday ushered in the last half of the
44th Congress, and as is usual on such Oc-
| casions, crowds of- eager visitors were in
| the galleries as early as o'clock The
| House and Senate Chambers looked little
more presentable than when our Centen-
nial guests were here, when everything re-
minded one of a gigantic house cleaning,
with carpets up, chairs tOpSey turvey, desks
| awry, and an indescribable sense OF deSOla-
tion and confusion pervading everything.
| don't know as / can fully indOrse the
carpet of the House as great improvement
on bare floor, for its cOloring reminds
me most forcibly of the blue-green mold
lo1
aside, and nibbled with such evidences Of
satisfaction by epicures.
WHAT ONE SEES IN THE GALLERIES..
We have ample time for observing. our
next door neighbors while awaiting the as
sembling of the members. That lady with
severely compressed lips is knitting away
for dear life, upon long, blue-ribbed
worsted stocking, probably intended for
one of the numerous little wretches at
home, so soon out at heel and toe. The
| young lady just in front of us holds in her
| dainty white hands piece of canvas upon
which she is working slipper design.
| From the smile on her lips, and the spark
| ling gem which flashes from a very tell-tale
finger, we are left TO surmise, that some we'll
be.oved masculine will thrust his Christ
mas toes into very pretty and comfortable
covering, and fall into charming reveries
before the comfortable fire, as TO the merits
| of the giver Hands and eyes are busy
| everywhere, and books and needles seem to
| strive for the mastery. We have neither
| book nor needle, but take our fill in watch
| ing others.
THE MANIA FOR PUBLIC sPOONEY DEMoNSTRA-
| TIONS.
One would hardly deem the atmosphere
of the House, especially at this hour of our
country's perpleXities, at all conducive to
sentimentality or spooniness. But, even at
| a party have seldom seen more billing
and cOolng, than | witnessed on Monday
| in tbs various House galleries. | know
| Washin fOn has become almost as famous
resort for bride and slssIn as Niagara,
and | suppose that fact accounts, m part,
| for the various couples, obliyious OF all
| save each other, who gazed rapturouSly in
| to each Others eyes, and hold with an ''un-
| til-death-do-us-p part" clutch the hands of
| those so. recently linked together, by mat
rimonial bonds. A very ordinary looking
woman, large-featured, and of dark COM
| plexion, held very good-lOoking man in
| absolute thrall. He seemed as fascinated
with his big-faced inamorata, as bird Is
supposed to be, when gazing at the bril-
| liant oIbes of Ewes tempter. "When by
| gazing fed, " he would reach over and fond
| " pat the hand of his enchantress, and she
| would endeaVor to look perfectly uncon-
scious, and vet ooy Behind me, set
couple in the first quarter of their honey
| moon. ''She" asked questions in cooling
! sort of voice, and she gave the most as
| founding information, in the manner befit-
ting tLe lord of her future destiny.
] ACONUNDRUM SOLVED.
''What does the Sargeant-Of-Arms do?
| | overheard her inquiring, why, when
tb,a members rise out of order he puts them
down twas the majestic reply. ''But why
is he called Sargeaat-of f-arHSg she persist.
ed. Because he is a ways armed IN case ,to ot
trouble" answered the happy ana nteih-
gent Benedict.
FLOOR SCENES.
Looking down upon the floor OF the
House, our attention is attracted by the
fast assemb ing members, and the oddlty
of the personal appearance OF some OF
| their number. There stands an old man,
with his Observation-Disclosures beaver set
rakishly on one side of his irOn-grey hair;
another-looks as if his vocation, previous
| to his election, had been driving a cart, or
earding horses.
THE HoMIIEST MAN OF THE HOUSE.
A bright blue suit, surmOunted by a reg
ular old farmers crush black hat, pro-
! claims that BLUE Jeans Williams" has re-
| turned to his Congressional duties. He is,
| without exception, one of the ugliest men,
in face and figure, have ever seen. He
suggests the likeness Of an exaggerated
Brother Jonathan" His body Is long,
lean, and lank, and his ungracetul arms
hang as if spliced on to his ungalnly body,
and worked by rusty hinges. His hands
are brown and callOus looking, and his lace
is utterly devoid of any expression OF cul-
| ture. intellect, or refinement. His skin re-
sembles. in color and texture, that of the
Egyptian mummies at the Smithsonian.
His hair is coarse and black, and he has
shaved off the scraggy little beard he last
winter wore under his chin, probably his
economical habits prohibiting his longer
supporting such an unnecessary luxury.
! Upon being asked why he wore such u
| ,t,abby-looking suit, Blue Jeans replied;
81, = good enough for home, and ought to
ba Sd enough for Congress-" The In
Ji.S9o q. >ysrnOr shambled here, there and
eyarvwbere arar~ offering the "horny hand of a
granger" to a! his confreres.
THE HANpsoMEsT MAN OF THE HOUSE.
For an instant Blue Jeans stood side by
side with Ex-Governor Walker, OF virginia,
and a greater contrast can not be Imagined
than that afforded by these TWO congress
men. Mr.. Walker Is conceded 10 DC tne
handsomest man in the House, ana "nlie
he is not exactly my style Of masculine,
beauty, vet he possesses a fine figure, and
an aristocratic face and bearing. His hair,
which is luxuriently thick and wavy, is sill
, very white, his skin is dark, and his eye
brows, eyes, and moustache are jetty black
His hands are white and tapering, and a
he olasrad Mains with blue Jeans" al
% think anything 5,
,couth as Mr.. vii
~ rh,r Nati,n,a