Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-04-16
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Washington Social Aspects as Seen
bV ROn Piatt Through Cynical
epectSeles.
Washington Capital.l
There is so little going on in the
social world of Washington that it
is almost impossible to get at any
thing worth putting to record or
commenting upon.
The season is beautiful. The
soft Southern airs blow through the
sunlight over the Kidwell bottoms,
and between potions of quinine aud
gin we expand our lungs and re-
joice in our living; yet there is a
dulIness broodiDg like a fog over all.
One feels as if one could sleep away
the hours that are SO quiet and SO
slow.
One fact to be noted is the
change one year Of new admins
tration wrought upon the National
capital. The old familiar faces of
the Grant regime have nearly all
disappeared. Gone are the gay
equipages. the flash of diamonds,
and flow Of lace. The wild excite
ment, the feverish life that drove
like mad the whirling hours away,
have given place to sober, rather
tame, and certainly no more refined
sort Of existence,
BELKEAP AND robson.
Sometimes, at rare intervals, one
or two of the leading actors appear
like ghosts, haunting their old
places, that know them no more.
We were sitting at the Club res
taurant Johnny Chamberlain's,
the gambler) the other day smoking
a cigar, after a mutton chop, to be
had at no other place this side of
London than this restaurant, when
Belknap and Robson met upon the
pavement in front. They stood,
before entering, for few moments,
and we could not resist the thought
and feeling that came upon us Gt
the sight of these once prominent
men.
Belknap appeared as burly, sol
emn, and dignified as ever. His
gray, or rather blue, eye still looks
at one curiously. which always
seemed to say, " Well, who are you,
anyhow, and what do you want?"
His skin is clearer than of old, his
full flowing beard and hair as neat
ly combed as in the days when one
navigated round his full stomach to
bow to his beautiful wife.
Our Rotund Robson is also as
rotund as ever, with a darker,
richer tinge in his stained
countenance. The late jolly Jack
Tar hides his eyes behind heavy
glasses, but he gives one now, as
ever, proofs of the good living to
which he is addicted. What stores
of fat capon, delicious terrapin,
heaven-croated and angel-cooked
canvas-backs, and succulent soft
shells and Holsters, have gone to
make up a secretary of the navy.
Belknap and Robson were the
roistering swashbucklers Of the
Grant regime; and right jolly fell
lows they were, so tight on wine and
loose on contracts. They were
captains, they were, in their day.
Rich men courted them and fair
ladies smiled on them; while the
great crowd followed, llattered,
sought aud sued, and the great Off
cials took it all as if to the manner
born.
And now how changedl Time
was when they could not thus stand
upon the street without being sur
rounded by an admirihg crowd.
Now no one ever notices the two.
Passers-by scarcely glanced at the
once potential gentlemen. And
they came into Chamberlain's for
lunch like ordinary mortals-nay,
like the spirits of some old Indian
chiefs coming back to haunt their
once happy hunting-grounds, now
converted into cornfelds and mead
ows.
THE DIPLOMATIC DUCKS.
4 There is considerable talk Of o
mi. 1 enrt nhnnt lhn iraalmant the