The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-09-02
THE LAST CABINET DAY.
THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE SHOOTING.

A special correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Times in Washington writes as
follows, under date of August 22nd:
A long residence in Washington
proves the sad fact that ''court life at
the capital of a republic is precisely the
same as in monarchy, except in the
change of its duration. AS the time to
accomplish results is so very brief the
odious process becomes more patent and
less care is taken to hide all the art and
skill practiced by the parasites who sur
round the Executive and who change
his nature in very brief time unless,
like sold Hickory" or Abraham Lincoln,
he cannot be veneered by his surround
ings because the identity is too strong.
When citizen enters the White House
as the political head of the nation he
never hears another familiar word. From
the august Secretary Of State to the scul-
lion in the kitchen it is 'Mr. President"
Not only the inclination downward of
the head with the bending muscles of
the knee, but even the voices of the old
friends become humble in tone and de
ferential in spirit Cringing servants in
the shape of Congressmen--in fact, all
other mortals who have favors to crave
creep and crawl before the face of
majesty. BY and by the strong and de
| signing of either sex elbow all the rest
away, and form Gordon around the
Executive, culoring all in the shape of
everything which reaches his ears and
eyes until he is no longer himself and is
rs blind us bat hung to the walls of the
Mammoth Cave.
TIE LAST CABINET DAY.
In proof of the above assertion the
writer will give the readers of IHe
Times II description of the last day at
the White House before the attempt was
made upon President Garfield's life. 1t
was Friday, the last "Cabinet day" in
the annals of this administration. 1t
was the first day of July, hot and sultry
beyond desert ption. The breeze which
swept through the open doors of the
Mansion came like the breath from an
open oven. The spray from the foun-
tains turned into vapor in its ascending
| flight and reminded the beholder of boil
ing geysers in a volcanic plain. Inside
the White House a crowd had congre-
gated to improve the opportunity of the
last chance before the President should
| depart on his summer tour. Both branch
es OF Congress, army and navy, Cover
nors of States and Territories. with the
odds and ends of humanity all unknown
to fame, were collected in an indescriba-
BILE whirling kaleidoscope AT times the
stairs leading to the ''throne room" would
be turned into cataract, but instead of
| animacule in the water il was humanity
in the air. The stairs free from the de
scending mass would be instantly filed
with the same kind of material in an up
ward flight, to remain until hope was
dead, and the first result would be
enacted again. 1t was understood that
the President would see the people be
tween the hours of ten and twelve, al
though il was cabinet day" But, t,alas,
the ''people" meant the Cabinet officers,
for not content with seeing their chief at
the twelve o'clock council, it appeared
that each had a little private business of
his own. AT ten o'clock, or rather five
minutes after, the coue of the Treasury
Department deposited Secretary Win
dom, apparently fresh from the hands of
his laundress, faultlessly attired in thin
nest of summer covering, on the Execu-
tive porch. The fragrance of perfumed
bath still clung to his handsome person
and nothing could be compared to it but
heavens own dew clinging to morning
glory. With mischief dancing in his
hazel eyes and wave of his fragrant
hand to the little woman whose duty it
is to press his official name between
leaves OF lavender, he disappeared. Then
came Lincoln-"Bob" the people call
him, not tall like his late father, but stal-
wart of limb and broad of shoulder. a
strong, handsome face, which lights up
with the same expression which we all re
member who had the honor of standing
in the presence of Abraham Lincoln. A
moment and he is gone. And now
Games Postmaster General james, look
ing neither to the right nor the left, with
his eyes bent as usual in one direction
Built on the narrow gauge plan, long,
slim, shallow and slender, ophidian and
dazzling, one listens for the death deal
ing rattle. Cold chills begin TO creep
along the great nerve centres. Ileglides