The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-02
LETTER Prom WASHINGTON.

Mrs. Dunlway for the brilliant success
which "Davld and Anna Matson" are
SO deservedly enjoying at the festive
season, spite of political embroglios and
a market over stocked with literature.
The poem is charming and we'll told,
and the simple earnestness and quiet
energy Of the language is in most per-
feet keeping with the characters it por-
trays. We predict for the poem i'm
mortality, and for its author a laurel
wreath and a future.
Washington is itself again, the streets
being free from snow. The unprec =
dented cold which has afflicted Wash
ington this season eliminated on New
Years day in such a snow-storm as is
rarely seen in these latitudes. "Old
Probabilities" otherwise Gen. Myers.
had predicted "slight fall of snow,n
and the unsuspecting society beaux of
the National Capital prepared as usual
to make their duty calls upon the Pres
ident and Cabinet, and then to all the
ladies' Of their acquaintance. About
ten O'Clock the tiny flakes of the ex-
pected "slight storm" began to sail ma
jestically down and settle softly upon
the already snow-coated streets; by
noon it came fast and thick; by P. NJ.
foot passengers retired from an uneqnal
combat with the foe; by three, carriages
left the field, and by four o'clock visit
ing was discontinued; by nightfall, the
snow lay eighteen inches deep upon the
sidewalks, and our fairest bellies glanced
wearily at the empty card basket and
at the heavily laden refreshment table.
According to the local reporters, every
lady was "becomingly attired in silk''
of some shade unsuited to her complex
ion, and strange to say, everybody wore
diamonds, even the six-month -old baby
Grant, who received with grandpapa,
'attired (that is the correct word, I be-
lieve,) in a French muslin robe, and
diamonds in her ring, necklace and
bracelets"-but 1 will spare the sensible
readers of the NEW NORTHWEST. We
may pardon young mothers vanity,
but snobbishness in a newspaper is in
dispensable. Dear, rosy-cheeked, dim-
pled-chinned, laughing baby Grant,
was cruelty ever greater or art more as
suming than when it attempts to eclipse
natures loveliest handiwork, baby,
with solitaire diamond?
And now, that we are on society mat
ters and diamonds, we might as we'll
mention the last grand scandal-the
May-Bennett affair. There are 80 many
versions of this that it would be difficult
to even surmise the true cause of the
trouble; but, whether because Mr.. Ben
nett refused to meet his engagement
with the lady, or whether he insulted
her father, slapped Miss May in the
face, went on a spree, or determined to
once more lay his heart and fortune at
the feet of northern princess of the
genuine royal line, it is very unfortun-
ate for the lady that her brother thought
1t necessary to assault Mr.. Bennett and
make her name target for newspapers,
and the subject of club-room discus
sions and saloon jokes. 1t is unfortu-
nate, too, that the bride elect should have
been the recipient of twenty-six thous-
and dollar trosseGG, besides sixty thous-
and dollars worth of diamonds, aud it
is still more unfortunate, if, as it is as
serted, the lady really loves her faith
less suitor and now lies i'll of disappoint-
ment and intense modification,
Miss May has always been a belle,
and petted one at that, and it is to be
hoped that she will soon recover her
health and spirits and shine once more
resplendant in her own loveliness with
out the light of sixty thousand dollars
worth of diamonds to dazzle and bewil-
der her warm sympathetic friends.
Whilst Congress pretends to be set
tling the affairs of the nation, and is in
reality doing nothing, society has gone
mad over the Germans" not the peo-
pie, but the dance; Germans were first
introduced for their simplicity and
child-like amusement, but soon the gay
ribbon favOrs gave way to silken scarfs,
fanciful souvenirs, exotic flowers, and
now there has been introduced new
feature known as the "present favor"
the presents being gold and jewels, rings
set with pearls, costly sleeve buttons,
elaborate necklaces, and-well truth
compels me to say that ] have not heard
of any solitaire diamonds having been
given, although so common have these
become of late, that expect to see
report of such having been used as pend
ants to the ears of the milk jugs and
coffee cups.
The committee on District affairs have
reported adversely on the bill for the
establishing of girls reform school In
the National Capital; that was bad
enough and hard for the little band of
devoted women to bear, whose hearts
are engrossed in the accomplishment of
this noble work, but as if disappoint-
ment was not enough for them to en-
dure, Mrs. Briggs, the sharp "Olivia"
of the Philadelphia Press, dips her pen
in gall and scathes her sisters in gen.
eral, and Sara J. Spencer in particular.