National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-05
THE PASSING CROWD.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE SCENES.
A Walk on the Great Promenade on Pleasant
AfternOon-whO VIII Be Met-Ths
Rich and the Poor, the
Young and Old.

1t was the fayOrite amusement OF cele-
brated writer 10 sit by window at the evenide on
one of the crowded thoroughfares of London and
watch the passing throng hurrying to their respect
i've homes Tales of Woe joy, glsdneSs, hope, sor-
row, snd fearcould be read upon the different faces
as plainly if written there in bold characters.
Princes OF the blood, mobiles, careworn merchants,
happy youth fashion, and old age passed rapidly
before him, each proving an interesting theme for
his facile PEN A walk through the streets of Wash
ington, though entirely different from a London
scene, is quite as interesting There noprinees,
no nobility, no millionaire merchants: but there
are distinguished men, fair women youth, beauty,
SORROW, and suffering to be seen, for human nature
is pretty much the same everywhere. Take Penn
Sylyania aveaue
SOME BRIGHT, PLEASANT AFTERNOON,
about four roclock-probably the first person to be
met may be some distinguished Senator or mem
Der who has been making the halls of the Capitol
ring with his ele9uence and whose speech even
while he is walking Is being flashed from city to
city from town to town, al over thisyast country
and yet he is walking to his home in as plain mat
ter-of-fact way as the weary lab0rer returning
from his days toll See the fine lady approaching
attired in rich satin dress, trimmed in the most
elaborate manner; around hershoalders is drawn
a handsome mantle; fashionable hat gFaces her
head and jewels sparkle in her ears and at her
throat. The complacent air with which she walks
is really amusing, and especially when it Is
known that the dress is entirely new to her. Sheis
THE WIFE OF WESTERN POLITICIAN,
and in the far country home her best gown was
never anything better than plain cashmere; but
when in Rome she must do as the Romans do"
and nobody is of any account in Washington IN
less they wear fne clothes, and what does it mat
ter if the style does sit awkwardly upon her?-she
is satisfied and every one else ought to be- Right
behind her is a slender figure, with pale, sad
face the material of which her dress is made is of
the cheapest kind; but the spotleSs collar and
cuffs the air of quiet refinement proclaim the real
lady, Her history is touching. The daughter of
4 brilliant man who once made his mark in public
life, sue was at one time the pet ana joy of happy,
comfortable home. But turn OF the wheel of for
tune deprived her father of his wealth. and, death
claiming him soon after, there nothing left for
the daughter TO do but to take up the burden of
life for herself and widowed mother She pro-
cured 4 aelerkship in one of the Departments, which
labor she has performed in the most acceptable
manner; but, being only woman her salary Is
small, and the struggle to make one salary do the
work of two for the little household has paled the
cheek and saddened the brow.
THERE CONES A HANDSOME YoUSG hAs,
wearing a suit Of the latest style delicate gloves
cover his hands which are soft and fair he twiris
graceful cane, smokes a fragrant cigar, and has
all the airs of perfect swell" He would be
taken for the son of millionaire, or probably an
attache of foreign legation and if strangers were
told that he is only Government clerk on salary
of 81, 300 a year they would imagine Washington
was paradise for poor people, where so much
style could be supported upon so small an income;
but they do not see behind the scenes-they know
nothing of the board bills unpaid, Of clamorols
washerwomen, of dunning tailors, of the poor old
father and mother in distant State, who are so
sorry Washington is such an expensive place to
live in. as their son might spare little from his
salary to help pay Off the mortgage ON the old farm
or purchase the needed fertilizers for the next
crop.
A carriage dashes past; in it is seated beautiful
woman; the lovely complexion, the soft hazel eyes
and the waving brown hair are fair 10 look upon;
the rich India shawl and the creamy white bonnet
are exceedingly becoming TO her. She is the wife
of a young promising member of Congress, and is
tasting the sweets of Washington life which to an
ambitious woman are so fascinating What the
end may be no one can tell but history is said to
repeat itself and the past has revealed the happy
bright loving young wife, after ten years of fash
ionable life in the Capital, transformed from the
woman to the vain frivolous !
heartless woman of society. The fashionable lady .
rarely walks here as is customary in other cities
the distances great that she usua rides upon
shopping and visiting expeditions but the French
boanes are to be met every day in jaunty aprons
and ruffied caps wheeling the handsome little car
riages, with their bright-eyed rosy-cheeked oecu-
pants and the funny part of it is. not one in ten
Of them were born in France, but the majority of
them first saw the light in Erin's Emerald Isle or
way down in Dixie" among the cotton fields, the |
rice plantations, and the canebrakes.
THE oFFICE-s SEEKER"
is one of the peeularities of the streets OF Wash
ngton One meets him at every turn-arOund the /
steps and doors of the hotel, in the Departments |
1t the CapitOl-he is everywhere; and il is sad to
see the eagerness with which he clutches every /
ray Of hope; how he longs and prays for the /
looked for vacancy; how implicitly he believes all |
The promises made him, and remains day after /
lay, week after week, until his money is all spent
and his credit is gone then is obliged TO return
home or take menial position to keep him from I
starvation.
The colored people are another peeuIiarity |
IF the streets here. The step from slavery
% citizenship was a very great one, and has |
wrought wonderful changes in the life the race.
There seems to be almost as many social grades !
among them as among their Caucasian brothers.
There is the Senator in handsome broadcIoth and /
3potless linen; the fashionable lady, in sweeping
rain, snowy hat and tinted gloves; the old
fashioned house e-seryant, in gingham dress, volu-
ninous white apron, and bandana turban; the
laborer on the street, whose ragged, soiled gar
nents would have shamed plantation laborer i
Ind the Tollicking. saucy boCt-black, who viii
shine EN- up, sir" for almost anything you may
:boose TO give him.
Sorrow and suffering are not absent from the
treets of this city but somehow they are not pre-
ented in such Objectionable forms as are found
elsewhere. The streets are so wide, and there are
omany parks that one is not brought in such close
ontsct with them as in New York, Philadelphia,
nd other cities.
One beautiful picture must not be omitted, and
'robably no other city in the country can furnish
counterpart for where csn you find such clean,
mooth, hard streets, and such bright, golden sun
hine? Just the thing for the merry, happy, laugh
ne children with the modern amusement of
oller skates and what beautiful sight It is to see
hem, from the little fair-haired boy, who can
carcely be trusted alone up 10 the pretty graceful
chool-g girl, whose evolutiOns are as rapid aud as
duplicated as those of the professional skater
owen I@Oyejoy.s EIeqaenco
Loveioy always suggested to me a
.oundhead of the days of Cromwell. He was
thoroughly in earnest almost if not quite fanatical
u his politics. His courage was Unfinching and
e would have died for his principles. He had
lunt, masculine eloqueHce rarely equaled, and
n the slavery question, as a stump speaker, t
-Ould he diffioult his SIIUarior : 4