The Evening critic., 1881-10-07

| WE HAVE perused with much amuse-
ment and some instruction the elaborate
observations of one Mewraw Halstead,
touching the projects and policy of the new
Administration. II appears that when
/ Halstead had seen the remains of the late
sexton of Lake View, he avaied himself of
five minutes to catch the Lake Shore train
East, and in due time landed at the Forty
second street depot in New York, some
what travel.soiled, but cheerful. II is u
matter of minor regret that Mewmw should
have neglected to state whether he waited
for bath, breakfast, and clean shirt before
taking cab for the unpretending Lexing-
ton-avenuc residence of the new President.
Perhaps he simply brushed his hair and put
on clean collar in the dressing-room of
the slcepng-car while passing the lowlands
of Westchcster, and crossing Spuytcn Duy-
vel
BE this as it may, the appearance of our
Mewraw at the Presidential front door on
Lexington avenue was carly and exigent.
At all events, the writer hereof, who hap
pened to be in New York when our New
raw arrived, was informed by an eyc-wit
ness, not altogether without tingc of jocu-
larity, that there was an occult reason for
the urgency displayed The story goes that
there was a race between our Halstead and
the Truly Good Deacon Richard Smith to
see which should first "get the car" of the
President and that our Halstead beat the
good Deacon only by a few minutes-that
is to say, the Deacon, who came unsus-
pectingly over the B. & o. from Cincin-
natl, was delayed by the slow ferriage at
Desbroscss street; whereas our Halstead,
coming by the Central route from Ceve-
the few squares intervening between Forty
second street and the city home of Mr.. Ar
thur.
1t is said that Deacon Richard Smith
took the next train West on learning of his
discontinue.
We mention this episode by way of reas-
suring the American public that there is
still patriotism left in the bosom of Ohio.
Recurring to the observations of our
Mewraw, we seem to discern in them sew
eral evidences of a. change of mind. For
example, we find the name of distin.
guished ex-senator spelled out in full and
prefxed with q respectful " Mr., whereas
it seems to us but day since our Mewraw
was in the habit of spelling the distin-
gushed ex-senator Konk,' and exhort-
ing some able-bodied person ut this end of
the line to knock him down and drag him
out. " But that state of things seems now
to be dliunde. At this writing our Mewraw
ascertains that Mr.. Conkling-nec "Konk,"
as it were-has been "misjudged all this
while. Tho dire necessity that he be
hHOCkcu uOWu anu uiiBpcu OuI HAS uc-
parted. His behavior is in all respects
commendable, and, in fact our Mewraw has
just found out that " Mr.. Conkling" is by
no means the same individual who used to
figure in his perturbed journalistic brain as
Konk."
We are not permitted to doubt that this
late, though jealous, repentance has pro-
duced the desired effect upon the Presi-
Dental mind. If Mr.. Arthur is not an
obtuse man he must discern that our Mcw-
raw will be a most valuable pilot to an Ad-
ministration which, navigating tortuous
channel perplexcd with shoals, needs to
make short and quick tacks to claw of
shore.
Halstead has certainly displayed ability
to claw off a lee-shore under jury-masts and
with his rudder broken, the like of which
occurs nowhere in the annals of political
seamanship.