Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-05-03


WASHINGTON, April %.
To the Editor Of the Free Press and Times.
This warm weather has the effect to create
an adjlurning panic in the breast Of many
a member of Congress. From physical causes
more easily understood than overcome, Wash
ington is warmer and more unhealthy 10
cality than many points farther sonth. The
Capital city is anything but sanatarinm,
even in Winter, and when the wan govern
ment clerk, after hiberna,ing in stitling, fur
nace-heatel department rooms, and sub7ist-
ing on the exeerable yictuals OF cheap board
ing houses, finds himself on the verge OF Il
hot SGmmer, inhaling miaema from the
swamps that flank the city on all sides,
he need not be accused of sentimental bill
iousuess, if he discerns mirages of tomb
stones, or feels sensations of cremation run
up and down his back. With the member
of Congress it is much the same. lie is
better fed than the government clerk
but he lacks acclimation. and the air tha t he
breathes in the Capitol is even more pesti-
lent than that of the apartments; and We
see men of powerful physique, like COLk-
ling and Blaine, or tough wi ry veterans,
like Christiancy and Howe, succomb to
malaria and subsist on quinine.
In spite of the millions that have been
spent in Washington to make its streets
solid and smooth, and to make its public
edifees rival the architectural sp,endors of
the old world, the day may yet come when
the Capital will be removed to more health
ful locality, and when the New Zealandsr, or
some other fellow, will wash his fish nets in
Babcock 5 artificial lake, and eaulk his boat
with pitch from its most aristocratic ave
nueS-
Last night, while riding on an + street
car, your correspondent was edited by a
conversation between statesman and 4 car
driver. As the car passed the Ehbitt House,
it was boarded by disiingue military Sena-
tor The Senator was to all appearances in
a state of exhilaratiOn, from what good
society calls good living, but what Mr..
Murphy calls by another name; and, from
sentences mutterei indistinctly. with eyes
half closed, it was inferred that he was
thinking of what he had recently done, or
had vet to DO, in the cause of education.
Suddenly, from lurch of the car, turning a
corner, or from gesture delivered in halt
dreamy oratory, his military elbow went
through the glass window, shattcring it
into small pieces. The driver, who is
also conductor on this line. approached him
with great politeness and said IL don't
know but may be to blame for this acei-
dent, but don't think was. and the com
pany will deduct half dollar from nv
wages III was to blame, of course. | must
lose the money! "0f course you WERE
said the Senator, but little later, under a
magnanimous imprlse. he drew from his
pocket twenty-five cents of the remonetizei.
and extending it to the driver said, "D-n
it, suppose We divide. that's all the money
I've got" The driver reluctantly accepted
the compromise when the Senator called
after him, "I'll pay you the rest when |
come this way again" and resigned himself
to the following solilOquy Ride on these
cars three times day, guess I'll take a car
risge after this" Then to the driver "0h,
You will know me, YOU will see me when
lOu W bhc Nhiit'ls Nod NAAA hSNh
the floor, guess you will recognize my face"
and getting of at the Arlington Hotel
d" Recognize my face. will you? Well just
take keen look at these whiskerS. you
will recognize me again, | guess
Social gayety has been resumed with the
expiration OF Lent, but the weather is
rather warm for violent dancing, and Wash
ington has been bereft of many of its
transient bellies who have gone home, and
are making preparations for the Summer
resorts. or for Europe. Last Winter the
best dressed lady at the Capital Il
give the opinion of another lady who ia
was Soung lady from Detroit.
To be eclipsed by lady from - frontier
caused the bellies of Baltimore and
Boston, some surprise. But there is no
reason why Detroit mOdiste should not
have as good taste as Worth, OF be "a sue
cessful in adorning the human form divine.
Then there appeared another belle from
Kansas, near the Indian reservation, who
made her own dresses, and was much ad
mired for her " style" as well as for her
intelligence and thoroughbred manners.
The facts are that the distinctions between
rural and urban people are not as sharply
marked as they once were, since newspapers
and fashion journals penetrate every home,
and the moral is. that taste like genius is
,ontlned to no locality Yours Mn