Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-07-02
LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c.

question / had some reason loI hot uoihS W.
Ii was the great Bycicle race day. And so,
when the business of the office was over
quietly rambled along twelfth street until l
found myself in Iowa Circle, and, though
not altogether lovely" in the midst OF not
less than ten thousand" never enjoyed
anything of the kind more. The whole
thing was superb-the weather, the scene,
the audience, the racing. From the grand
stand the view, 10 a West Nirginian noun
taineer, like myself, was enchantlng-the
splendid quarter mile sweep Of the circle;
the asphalt course, kept clear by mounted
policemen. whose smooth, white surface had
The appearance of a silver cord, or a stream
gliding through the thronging crowds on ell
Their side; the palatial residences around,
every window of which was filled with ma
tional flags and handsome women, and
men. I'd say handsome" men, or brave
men. or something of the sort, but Sarah
Bernhardt saws "Ze American men are not
nice" and | guess she ought to know.
Nv seat on the grand stand was number
94-exactlv in front of the Judges stand
and the Band. Ordinarily this would be
u~nimportant. Ordinarily n cipher Is unlm-
portant. Location sometimes considerably
| changes things. %. %, and theseatS around
and i'm front of me were occupied by-What
/ Shall say? My good old friend, your ia
Their. had he been there, would say" a lot
I Of angels" or. "a bevy of beauty, or some
| thing of the sort. 10 me the beautiful
/ crowd had the appearance OF a lot OF batter
cd cream-strawberries and cream. Jenny
| sons Garden of Roses, or Tom Mo0reS
Throne of Bul-bul will give you an ide9.-
And now enters the grand stand 4 most love
~ lady. A sight! one Of those sights that
makes an old bachelor wish that he was
voune aSaiu. and drives him, when the days
business and sport Is over, and the crowds
Asxo scattered. TO wander, and ponder, and
reflect and dream: and sadly admitting that
The past cannot be recalled, take his revenge
on fate by singing
There was a time, there was 4 time
When | was yOung,-and 50 forth.
But the beautiful lady! "Moil,' said one
of nv n~eighboring strawberries, look ut
Sue! Isn't she splendidly frescoed today
1T is we'll for her" replied a beautiful lit
tie buttercup (No. %, that the day IS not
showcrv." Now what on earth did that
mean? Some of your lady readers perhaps
know.
The racing was very good-but thcpapers
have described il. The time mado-on long
five mile ra~ces-ayeraged $40, wdich seem
cd 70 me TO be remarkable.
This Is Il very beautiful city. have seen
a great many cities in my time. But that
was a long time ago; and no doubt they
have all improved. In the United states to-
day there is no such city rs Washington;
and travelled foreigners have told me, since
came here. that il holds its own with the
Il. 4 -r.E.n a. - IN,~n.. % Irsn.a -
nothing about the city that Is not beautiful.
Public buildings. avenue, parks, statues are
here. rot crowded together, but everywhere.
Everywhere through the city Is seen the
same taste, that-tor instance, makes Il cul-
tivated lady's drawing room so delightful
In exc wear here, one hundrei and nifty
thousand shade trees were planted. Last
year 6ihcGi thogSuRd were planted, and IT'S
the intonnoa t. plant twenty-five thousand
during the coming year.
As YOU have relatives here, and spend n
good deal Of tine in the city ut all seasons
Of the year, YOU viii BE able to Judge Of the
correctness of the fellowing remarks:
A stranger occasionally visiting the city
during the sitting OF congress. and OF course
stopping at Il hotel, thinks be ksuvs Wash
ingtOn. Alas what does he know What
does ne see? Why simply what - to be
sccA fsOEz the CSPitOl steps, tie splendid dl-
ming room. and front door of the National
Hotel, and the avenue ThroT in, ifyou
please, the music in front Of the Presidents
House and IN occasional ViSit 70 tie Thea
tire. or Opera House, do n6t ky Church,
although this is a city Of beautiful churches,
and Of churclrgoipg Fcopie because stran-
gers seldom spend the SabcGth here, and
when they 10 @etlom sc to church, Well.
what them This Is not seeing Washington.
II : simriy cue stranger looking n Il lot OF
othejs most of whom are greater strangers
thaa himself. BY and by; however, when
Congress adiourns, and the important gen
tlemeA who make our la&s, q UAO are
readily recognized by tAcif fipc black frock
coats and the creases II front OF their pant
looms. proclaiming their Sax x Co, or
Easeman Bros. ancestry-by and by, when
thew go home. and thc great army of Stran-
gers whO fos 4 season have been living on
Their - promises and smiles, follow them,
then, if living here, with the same taste
| have, for instance. Ar rambling alcng
through quiet streets, constructing political
and social r%on,auceS, Of Jefferson, and Ad-
ans, aud Randolph, and Clay times, cat OF
the quaint old gabls ends of brick houses
houses that have Outlivcd modern improve
ments, You TOUld see window blinds drawn
up, that have been down, and doors Clon-
Ing thrt have beer closet, ana sweet faces
/ timidly i5oking out, and up and down, to
ascertain ''for sure" that the strangers had
left. After awhile assurance becomes dou-
blv sure, and then, On the avenues, apd in
the parks, and on the stOOps of their w
/ residences may be seen real old Washing
ton. Washington the venerable representa-
tives Of which are men, who in their youth,
/ heard Webster and Calhoun thunder in the
Senate, she less aged and still beautiful
members of which cherish the memory OF
/ Henry CLAY. and t~fssSUre above all thines
the autograph nlbum on which j. his be-
loved name, end the younger members Of
which. in a culture and refinement utterly
ut variance with that of to-day, instantly
sends the mind back To tho times Of Air,
/ Madison from whence they inherit il. J
might illustrate what have been trying 10
say, by the College at Georgetown and Sol
dicrs' IIome-representSlives of the past
and present of Washington. But when
should | cease. if | commenced speaking of
these two equally beautiful and suggestive
places.
Having said so much about Washington,
or rather about the two Washingtons that /
have referred to, land much more believe
me, remains to be said the truth of his
tory | am afraid calls for a further remark,
nor must the strong way in which the elder
of the two appeals to our sentimentalism
stand in the way OF its being said. 1t Is