South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-12-02
Letter from Washington.
WAsnINeroN, ID. O.. Nov. 90


There is life enough about Wash
ington now. The clans have been
gathering rapidly for some days and
buzzings are heard which indicate the
renewal OF hostilities OH Capitol hill.
The chaotic condition to which vaca.
ton, neglect, dust and abandonment
reduced even the grandeur under the
Capitol dome, has suddenly disappear
ed and new life has taken possession
OF the corridors SO long deserted save
by the looker-on. During the past
week employees have been busting
and brushing, and new Congressman
strolling here and there familiarizing
themselves with the various ways and
by.ways OF the building which they
expect to make tremble with the thun-
ders of their e!oquence. The attend
ant retinue of clerks and assistants
are in theirplaccs and strangers, Office
seekers and loungers are everywhere.
Everything has been put in applepie
order: The Senate chamber is as
complete and tidy as a lady's parlor
warm, nice, dry. CHEEKY, comforta.
ble-and the Hall of Representatives
is scarcely anything behind; all is rs
elegant as for bridal party.
The renewal OF activity is not con.
fined to the abodes of Congress. 1t
10 everywhere about the city-the ho-
tells, the boarding houses and all pla.
ces OF resort. Congress makes Wash.
ington. For several months, except
ut the time Of President Garfield =
funeral, the hotel corridors have been
deserted and lonesome places now
they are thronged day and night and
one only has to visit the different
head quarters to meet hundreds of ia.
miliar faces that do not belong here,
and to see groups of office-seekers,
congressman and lobbyists button
holing each other for dear life, One
evening while the speakership contest
was at its zenith of uncertainty saw
IN the lobby of prominent hotel at
one time three candidates for Speaker,
two Tor Clerk Of the House, one for
Sergeant,at-Ar & about twenty-five
aspirants for lesser positions. There
were also two ex-governors and sew
erai ex-Congressmen aiding the can.
didates i'll their attacks on the poor
unsuspecting members-elect, Of whom
goodly number were in the crowd.
The Congressman is an important
parsonage at such time, and when it
Is all over and everything settled he
must feel lonesome-as though he
had lost his best friend.
President Arthur has at last gone
into the White House to live. Eve
rythlng is as neat and bright as q new
/ pm since the old house has been fixed
up. The President will-occupy for o
sleeping-chamber room that has
rarely been used for that purpose by
his predecessors, though Gen. Grant
occupied it for q short time. 1t is
very spacious, measuring about thirty
by twenty feet, and is over the private
dining room. 1t is fully as large as
the Red Parlor down stairs. During
Gen. Grants two terms this room was
known as Miss Nelie's room,' being
that usually occupied by his only
daughter. The chamber is on the
north side of the house and with
the smaller room adjoining occupies
the northwest corner. The eur never
shines on the large room. The small
one will be, so to speak, the Presidents
boudoir and communicates with the
larger one bya mahogany door The
question that has lately agitated our
society circles is. what lady will pre-.
side, Mt the White House, and assist
at receptions, etc?' But it has been
settled by the President, who says
that the wife of member of his Ca
binet-whose name is not yet made
public-will assist him in dispensing
the Inequalities of the Executive Man.
sion. In fact he expects all ladies of
his Cabinet to come to the rescue in
doing the honors. His married sister
has cares enough Of her own and the
unmarried one is not physically able
to perform the duties. There will be
none but formal entertainments given
at the mansion this winter that is to
say dinner parties and public evening
receptions. No one will be there on
whom the ladies can call socially as
they have been in the habit of doing
heretofore. Dom PEDRO.
------s . -
II has been dippantly said by Re-
publican newspaper, that "CoI. Ingsrsoll