The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-05-18
Our Washington Letter.

From the tide of Indignation and discomfort
there still comes up a murmur. The fact that
Fred Douglass has seen fit TO denouuce the
population of this city seems to be more than
long tired human nature here can endure. His
weak defense of his Baltimore lecture i'm Satur-
days Star only makes confusion worse con-
founded" and adds insult to that already pretty
well piled on, if Douglass can insult. We agree
with Don Piatt that it was only &C. negro talk.
ing to negroes" and let II pass as part of the
great farce through which ms nation we are
patiently passing.
Saturday last was the first favorable one this
spring for the U. 8. Bands to discourse its strains
in the grounds of the Presidential Mansion A
great crowd was there of well dressed and stylish
people The flashy dress of the Band, with their
faultless, glitterng musical instruments, grand
old trees with their slantng shadows, giving
shelter TO myriad twitering birds, made very
pleasant thoughts come up to us, thoughts of a
happy childhood, when we had on these same
grounds roamed and romped; when life wore
another aspect; when hope and pleasure seemed
concealed in every budding flower On the
velvet turf near where we sat, played some boys
at croquet. One of them was Scott Hayes,
youngest son Of the President a child OF five or
six summers clad in Il sailors suit of dark blue
CLOTH with straw hat, and looking pretty much
like his playmates None of the party seemed
to be cogniZant of any distinction, and enioyed
their game as any rght-minded little boys might
do, even under the shadow of the Executive
Mansion.
Enveloping ourselves in a very thin mist OF
humility, we sat for while upon the steps of
the porch on which were seated the family and
friends of the President, among which was their
governess, Miss Virginia Peyton, one of the
scions of noble house in the Old Dominion
The music was doed out rather carefully, and
the rests between each piece made one feel that
they might be necessary as they studied the
| rotund proportion of the men who "wore the
red"
The sound of the gospel was heard yesterday
for the last time in the time-honored temple OF
the Lord, Christ Church on the Navy Yard
Within its sacred walls have knelt several gen.
erations for worship, and here, for this is the
mother church of this diocise, knelt the greatest
and best man who ever lived here, George Wash.
ington invoking the guidance of the Prince OF
Peace. To-day the hammer falls with crushing
weight upon the old walls, but no one can but
be glad that soon beautiful temple will stand
in the place of the one we all so love. G cd
speed the work.
The long deferred extra session of Congress
has caused great disappointment here, and has
no doubt added to suffering now almost unbear.
able.
"Ah Sin" a new play written by Bret Hartc
and Mark Twain, representing the Heather
Chinee, has been creating great sensation
| among theatre goers. The people of this city
are more than ordinarily interested in this play,
as the above named gentlemen have for some
years made their home among them.
The bright sunshine and smiling sky makes us
feel that winter has indeed shifted her position
and can no longer linger in the tap of Spring
A friend from Fairbury, Nebraska, writes us,
"Tho grass hoppers are quite thick, but farmers
have great hopes so far for good crops the com.
ing season, and are doing all in their power to
exterminate them, Any time this winter you
could bring in a handful of earth and place it
by the fire and in a few hours have small crop
of grass hoppcrs Matched out by the heat" 4
few warm days, it seems to me would make all
nature teen with life in Nebraska. INEZ,