The Northern Pacific farmer., 1881-04-14
COL. BOB. INGERSOLL.
The SundayEvening Gathering at His Home:
In Washington.

The SundayEvening Gathering at His Home
In Washington.
Letter to st. Louis Globe-Democrat
Among permanent residents added to the
city within the past few years, and over
which fact all save the preachers congratu-
late themselves, is Col. Ingersou and his:
family. This prince of pagans occupies
handsome residence on Lafayette square,
adjoining the house where President Mad
ison and his pretty Dolly lived long years
ago. On Sunday evenings the 1ngersoll
hoAle is open to their friends, and these
Sabbath symposiums are most enjoyable Of
all the weekly round of social affairs that
any season can offer. Ease and hospitality
liven the air from the square tiled hall into
which the veshbule opens to the remo-.
test sancti1m.
Before the church bells have ceased toll
ing the faithful to evening service people be-
gin dropping into this charming home, and
the smooth face and round he ad of the host
appears to the visitor in the hall with un-
hackneyed and cordial greetings. Added to
his own social attractiveness Col. Ingersoll
has delightful family to make it more in
viting to his guests. Mrs. Ingersoll is
bright faced and handsome matron on
whom the cares of life have sat lightly, and
whose clear cut and animated countenance
is perpetual study with it's quick play and
change of expression. The two daughters
are pretty and charming young girls, with
a quiet ease and modesty of demeanor that
quickly render them delightful entertainers.
It is the boast of their proud parent that
these two adaughters never went to school.
but there is the patent fact back of this that
to know Bob Ingersoll is liberal educa-
ton, and to have been a member Of his
g. s1x~ F@>s - hs~,1>
degree of culture.
The Ingerson parlors were pleasantly
filed last Sunday night. The house is ad-
mirably fitted for entertaining, with it's
three rooms opening into one another and
the dining room beyond. The guests sat
and stood in groups about the rooms, and
the host was everywhere to see that every
one knew every one else and was being en-
tertained. For wit, eloquence and repartee
Col. Ingersoll finds no superior, and with
a room full of friends about him his bon
mots and erigrams, are incessant.
At 10 o'clock the dining room doors slide
back and bountiful supper served. The
table was proof of the domestic genius of
Mrs. Ingersoll. and differed vastly from the
Carterers repasts that generally grace such
affairs. A huge and exquisitely decorated
punch bowl crowned one end of the table,
over which the host presided, and as the
crimson tide fell within the bowl, bottles:
of champagne went kissing into it or claret
gurgled out it's ruby richness, and mine
host stirred the ladle and kept up the run
ming fire of his speech. With the ladies'
seated and the gentlemen standing and
moving around, the greatest sociability pre-
vailed, and seldom is an evening marked
by SO many bright people and brilliant
sayings.
A score and more of celebrities, beauties
and intereresting people were gathered
there that evening, and the hearty good
nights and courteous urgings to come again
We're not the least pleasant features of the
occasion. Col. Ingersoll thu royal host
sped each parting guest with some bonmot,
and were they Of the male persuasion,
lighted their homeward from the box
es Of pet cigars that graced the table Of the
red parlor.