Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-20
Friday Evening, Dee. 20, 1878.
MashingtOn Gossip.

WASHINGTON, December 15.-So
far as can be observed, the season at
the capital promises to be an unusual
ly gay one, and the society reporters
are having their faded and threadbare
swallow-tails redyed and %rejuyenated
and when the season for the seductive
German sets in, the ubiquitous pencil
pusher will go wiring in and out among
the bespangled beauties, each of whom
will insist upon being mentioned as
the belle Of the ball"
1t is a fortunate circumstance for
this citythat, being the seat of govern
ment, the beauty and fashion of other
cities congregate here, as the ladies
who have acquired a residence here,
by reason Of being born too early in
the present century, and continuous
service in the close and sitting atmos-
phere which prevails in all of the gov
eminent buildings, have degenerated
into a fabby, faced, hat-chested set
of creatures, so suggestive Of old maid
ism as to make them quite as unsuited
to run a series Of Germans with as
Bob Ingersoll would be to preside
over a Methodist parish. But in spite
of the physical defects above enumer-
ated, they are, as a class, a noble band
of women, whose lives, as a rule, r
so free from reproach as to entitle
them to ali praise and commentator.
But leaving the treasury girls to
younger heads and more susceptible
hearts, and getting back to things
political, we find there is a well laid
plan, having for its object the sending
of Colonel james o. Broadhead, Of
your city, to the United States senate.
This project meets with very general
approval among the leading men as
sembled here, to whom he is well
known as a close thinker, and a far
seeing statesman, sufficiently free from
political bias to enable him, if sent to
the senate, to urge tbe adoption of
such measures as would secure the
greatest good to the greatest number.
1t is safe to say that your Missouri
legislature could easily do worse, and
in casting about, i twill be found some
what difficult to find his equal.
The location of the custom house at
Kansas City has caused much strife
and contention, and monster petitions,
with thousands of names appended
thereto, are numbering up the base
ment Of the treasury building, and
meanwhile the pestered officials whose
duty it is to listen to the impOrtunate
pleadings of the Hunt men and the
powerful protestations Of the Van
Hornites are nearly crazed, and threat
en- to recommend that it be built on
wheels, so that the demented denizens
can roll the pesky thing around just
as the within seizes them. Their rep
resentative in congress, the Hon. Ben
jamin j. Franklin, preserves a digni-
fed and strictly impartial attitude in
the matter, and evidently feels, as he
claims, DESTROYS of a speedy solution
of the vexed question in such a way
as will inure to the advantage of his
contentious constituency.
The promoters of that truly great
national enterprise, the Texas Pacific
railroad, are here in full force, and are
laboring earnestly with the brethren,
irrespective of politics, to show them
that any aid and comfort they may
bestow on this great work will re-
dound to the good of the whole coun-
try. They will endeavor by all honor
able means to get their bill through
both houses during the present ses.
sion, and from present indications they
are likely to succeed. 1t is growing
in grace and strength daily.
The members have arranged foi
the holiday recess, and on the 21sI
instant will take their departure fol
their respective homes, where they
will toy with the %succulent turkey
meath their own vine and fig tree,
and discuss the political situation
with their admiring constituents, VIII
will set in open mouthed wonder mar
yelling at the chunks of wisdom a
they fall from the lips Of their adore.
oracle.
The hotels are in full blast, and ar
gradually filling up for the winter, tn
National, which has been recently re
built, taking the lead as the headquar
tiers Of the members from the Yves
and South, owing chiefly to its supe
rior bill of fare, which embeaces every
thing afforded blythe Eastern markets
The Office is managed by a corps O
gentlemen who are ever ready to lent
a willing ear to the humblest inquirer
and whose uniform courtesy IL tn.
subject Of much favorable comment
Theater-gOers have enjoyed a rar
treat during the two weeks engage
ment of John Mccullough, who ha
packed the house with the most high
ly intelligent audiences that eve
greeted an actor in this country, Fo
the coming week elaborate prepare
tions are being made for the produc
ton of Jarrett * Palmer's Henri.
VIII. with Miss Genevieve Ward a
Queen Catherine. Miss Ward ha
created a perfect furorc in the Ess
whenever she has appeared in thi
character.
Roberts Penny Lunch hes no
yet opened, owing to the failure Q
Congress to give her an appropriation
The failure Of this female pbllanthro
pist to run her pet institution durin.
the inclementd days will cause sufferin
among the poor, not to speak ef tn
serious inconvenience to which it vii
subject certain %mpecunious member
Of The press, who were wont to hois
in their diurnal nutriment unde th.
b~ene6cent rule Of the aforementione,
caterer. That she may never u on
Of beans, is the prayer Of yours.