, 1877-01-06
Letters 90 n Home Body.


worth while now even to attempt it
There is season for every thing, and,
out Of season, things are apt to meet
with Indifference and scom or, if not
quite that, to he so overwhelmed by the
rushing tide OF after events that they
are passed by, rs things pertaining to
another period-no longer of interest to
the hurrying world. So, as the Centen.
ninl tide has ebbcd, and all its pleasant
experiences are gone out upon the sol
tmn ocean Of time, we must content
ourselves with the precious things it
has left upon the sands of memory, TO
make us richer and wiser as the years
90 on.
| wanted to give you some amusing
and interesting items picked up on sew
eral occasions, when, by chance, !
dipped into the stream of Centennial
travel, and encountered people from all
quarters of the Union but the time has
gone by, We must keep abreast with
the events of The day. So, adieu to the
charming vision, with its fairy palaces
and floating pennons, its tlowery lawns
and green terraces, more beautiful with
their gold and crimson dyes melting
into the autumn haze. than even in their
summer robes of bowery green; to the
fireworks and the military displays; the
gathered wealth and handiw0rks of
many lands; the thronging crowds OF
happy people; to all the sights and
utterances, which went to make up the
flower and crown of the century's
achievement. 1t is all gone by, and the
people who came from far and near to
behold it, and were quite as interesting
in their way as any portion of the expo.
sition, have passed beyond our ken for
ever.
To the Washington center of this
| oIJlCAt, INV buNC
gone out, the Congressionals have come
in. Great is the caucusing, tremendous
the expenditure of nervous force, all for
the choice Of speaker. Randall, they
say, is the coming man, and that his
knowledge of parliamentary law, his
personal dignity, and power of COM
manding respect from the somewhat
turbulent assemblage over which he
will be called to preside, are to be se-
verely tested, is the general opinion. |
can not help saying, though it is high
ly presumptuous thing for the like of me
to say, of course, tnat inasmuch as he
always reminded me of domineering
and somewhat petulant old woman, it
seems cmincntly proper that he should
net the part of School maam Randall, to
the horde of unruly boys of larger
growth, who will sit in the semi.circular
desk rows before him. 1t would be
comfort to us outsiders, il constitutional
law only allowed, AMI public opinion
demanded, that Dame Randall should
initiate the example of his prototype of
the village school, and use his gavel,
which skilltully managed, might be just
as effective MS birch rod, or an oaken
ferule, to give knock now and then,
gentle or ungentlc, as the case might
require upon the hard head of some OBJ
streperous member, who refuses to be
quiet, or who displays scarcely con-
ceale,. longing to twine his fingers in a
brother members hair (when he has any,
which is not always the case). l am
sure judiciossly administered knock
of that kind would have been salutary
to Proctor Knott, two or three times last
session, and have saved him, perhaps,
from certain utterances, OF which he
must have been profoundly ashamed,
when he came to his right mind. Per-
haps he will be able to keep his temper,
however, this winter, since Mr.. Blaine
will no longer be in the House to shake
u rod rag before him.
| But Mr.. Cox, or Mr.. Sayler, may, in
spite of present appearances, become the
pedagogue in department and parlia-
mentary law. have my fears about the
former. He has not been well drilled in
DR.. Watts hymns, and is apt to let his
angry passions rise. 1t would be hor'
| -;ILa oh n.nL IN thn nrnnrinties and a ter