The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-02-16
Our Washington Letter.

Ho,o the Nc'oS Of the Pope'S Death Vas Re
cCiUed in WaShington-A Turkish Lion at
our Republican Court-A Practical Joke
on the Newspaper Cor7eSpondents- -Eclloqq
IN Ne0 Role-BallS, Parties, and Society
Gossip.
WASHINGTON, D. c., February o, 1878.
The Pope's death, the " British Position"
the trial of the Louisiana Returning Board,
and the investigation of Door-keeper Polk,
| have formed the leading topics of interest
and conversation during the past week. A
majority of the Corps Diplomatique being
Catholics, the passing away of Pope Plus
TX, although an event long foreshadowed,
created no little excitement There, and was
the cause OF the postponement of several
| brilliant feteS that were to have come off
| during the coming week. Only the mem
| ber5 of the Italian Legation consisting of
Baron Blanc and Count Litta), however,
| have donned Grape as a part of their uni
forms, broad, black band of this material
being tied around the left arm lust above
the elbow; but it was noticed that at the re-
| ception given by Professor Henry, at the
Smithsonian Institution, on the evening of
the day when the first authentic news of
the death of the Pope was received here,
Madame Mantilla the wife of the Spanish
Minister, had discarded her magnificent
diamonds, and wore in their place black jet
| jewelry. Her white cashmere robe was also
trimmed with black as q mark of respect to
the memory of the dead Pontiif.
| At the Department of State considerable
| curiosity is mani ifnstad &c 70 what England
| Is going to do about it. The friendly rela-
tions existing between Baron Shiskiu, the
Russian Minister, and Sir Edward Thorn
ton, the British Representative, do not APP
| pear to have suffered from the recent com
plications, newspaper gossip to the contrary
notwithstanding and at the dinner to be
given this evening by Sir Edward Thornton
to the members of the Diplomatic Corps,
both the Russian and Turkish Ambassadors
have been invited. As Aristarchey Bey is
at present in New York, he will probably be
represented on this occasion by Baltazzi
Eiiendi, his first Secretary of Legation, a
sprightly little Turk, closely related to the
Sultan, and who dresses in exquisite style,
is married to a Partisan lady, and speaks
half dozen languages besides his native
Turkish. Baltaz2i, notwithstanding the
fact that he is a married man with one wife
here and probably some dozens more in
Constantinople, is a great fayorite with the
ladies, and much sought in society here /;
nor do the recent troubles of his native
country appear to have impaired his good
nature or taste for charteuSe to any remark
able degreel
Last week one of those little Jokes that
newspaper men delight to indulge in was
perpetrated by one of the "members of the
press" upon his conireres. While standing
in the lobby of the Riggs House (the most
fashionable hotel here, the idea struck him
to register the name of j. Madison Wells, of
the late Louisiana Returning Board, upon
the register. Walking up TO the counter, he
wrote, in a large, bold hand,
81. Madison Wells,
New Orleans, La"
J and then withdrew TO a corner of the lobby
to watch the result. In the course of the
evening number Of correspondents
dropped in, who, seeing this name on the
register, sent up their cards. and, while
, waiting below, went to the hotel telegraph
office, and telegraphed to their respective
journals the important news Of the arrival
Of Ex-Governor Wells, whose whereabout:
: had long been mystery, in Washington
! Meanwhile, somehow or other, ex-Governoi
Packard, who boards at the same hotel, had
been let into the secret, and the cards were
taken to his room. He summoned the
G anxious correspondents to his room, one by
D one, and blandly informed thom that Mr.
Wells had gone round to see Senator Kel
logg on business of an important nature
and could be found at the residence of the
l ! latter on G street. Thither the quill driven
p went, to be informed, in turn, by Mr.. Kel
n logg, that he had not seen Mr.. Wells, ant
I knew nothing whatever about him. Tn,
o newspaper men were incredulousi ther,
# was the name on the register of the Rigg
e House, and there was Governor Packard
a who had distinctly stated that Mr.. Well
n could be found at Senator Kellogg's house
d The result was more dispatches sent to pa
p pers far and near; and the wires We're KEEP
?, busy for more than two hours informing tn,
y people of the United States that Mr. Well
It had certainly arrived in Washington, an,
e was at that moment closeted with Senate
= Kellogg, devising means for the escape O
e General Anderson, whose trial was then il
d progress at New Orleans. The door-bell o
= Mr.. Kellogg's house kept on tinkling til
long after midnight, being pulled b,
h anxious correspondents in search of inform
l. alton; the Senator swore and threatened L
lombard his beleaguers with boOt-iacks an,
II other missiles from his bedroom window
n but all TO no purpose. He told me the mex
n morning that he had not slept a wink tn
- entire night, and threatened dire vengeanc
g against the perpetrator of this hoax.
Ne these lines should meet his eye, he will thei
'e know for the first time that his particula
n friend, Ex-Governor Packard, had leadin
NJ hand in this scheme 10 rob him of his sleep
10 Next day came the news Of the arrest of tn
W bona .tdc Mr.. Wells at Rigollet's Station, il
" Louisiana.
IF The social event Of the past week wa