Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-31
Walt Wh1,man i'm Central Park

Walt Whitman sends to the NJ Y Tribune this
tlne afternoon, to 6.-Ten thousand Vehicle,
careering through the Park this perfect after
noon! Such show and / have seen all
watched it narrowly, and at my leisure. PR
yate barouches. cabs and coupes, some fine
Observation-Disclosures footmen, fashions foreign
ers, cockades on hats, creSts on panels-the full
oceanic tide OF New York's wealth and gen
able circus on grand scale, full OF action and
color In the beauty OF the day, under the clear
sun and moderate breeze. Family groups,
rally elegant-much ''style," yet nothing, even
In that direction, that fully justified ITSELF
Through the windows OF two or three Of the
so ashy and listless. Indeed the whole AFT air,
must say, exhibited less of sterling America
either In promise, spirit or cOuntenance, than
had counted on from such select maSs-spec-
leisure, and the aforesaid 'gentility," 1t was
tremendous. Yet what l saw those hours q
t. ok two other occasions, two other afternoons,
TO watch the same scenel adds strength to
thought that haunts me every additional
glimpse get Of our toploftical general or rather
exceptional, phases OF wealth and fashion in
this country, namely, that they are Ill at ease
and far from happy; that there is nothing In
them which we who are poor and plain need at
all envy, and that instead OF the perennial
typical redolence Is but Of soaps and esselces,
very rare may be, but suggesting the barber
hop-something that turns stale and musty in
Horseback Road was prettiest Many grouss
(threes were fayorite number) some COUPLES.
some singly-many ladie5-frequently horses or
parties dashing along on full run-fne riding
the rule-not a few really first-class animals
AS the afternoon Waned the wheeled carriages
grew less, but the saddie-riders seemed to In
crease. They fingered long, and saw some
charming forms and faces, the handSOmeSt girls
and the finest looking young men.
The Scenery Near Washington.
One OF the popular trips here at this season for
days recreation, Is to Great Falls. And the
particular thing just now is to charter the barge
"Gen. Meigs," and make the journey on the
pose, and having the right OF way in preference
to other craft, IL makes the journey or 20 miles
in three hours. TO one who has never made
such voyage. it is quite novel and interesting
The scenery along the way Is charming.
On one side are green woods and rocky cliffs,
and on the other is the beautiful Potomac with
its green Islands and the bluff Virginia shore
beyond. And the barge Is In great demand
The other day member OF the English lega-
ton chartered 1t, and taking a party Of some
20 Of his friends, and his own servants and edi-
Dies and Wines, they h aoa most ENJOYABLE pic
ing and returning, among the rocks that look
down upon the roaring waters of the falls,
which are white With a,,1 foam for quarter OF
views to be seen anywhere. Caleb Gushing used
to say that 1t was hardly surpassed In the world
and, In order that he might have right and
the shore, and often rode out on horseback to
visit it. We also have the river which Mr. Sum-
ner used to enjoy so much and along the bank
OF Rock creek and over the Tenallytown road,
where from an elevated situation, some six
miles from the city, one gets the view of the
white dome OF the capitol In the distance
view which Mr.. Curtis once described In the
Easy Chair as resembling that OF st. Peters
which one has when approaching Rome from
certain directi0n.-l Wash. Cor. Springfield Re-
pttblicnn.