The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1882-08-26
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
AN INTERESTING AND NEWsY LETTER By
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


Editor Lake Charles Echo:
People away from Washington are
apt TO think this a Yey dull season with
us, bat the National Capital is never
dull, and if we who really live here did
not have breathing spell after the wis
dom that is dropped around AS by the
solons of cur nation. and the flibaster-
ing and parliamentary tactics endured
for over eight months, there is no
knowing what the consequences might
be.
Secretaries Lincoln and Teller have
made it lively here by their aetiOn ex-
Guiding women from obtaining appoint
ments in their departments, in the
eight hundred appointments TO be
made. Consequently the women have
d0aned their war paint and organized
a WOman's National Labor League for
the purpose of concentrating the work
ing woman's influence throughout the
country, and members and senators
are threatened with the exposure OF
the names and characters of some of
their special favorites appointed here.
The Star Route trial still drags its.
winding way, and is apt TO beveTy con-
fusing TO the average brain, when the
thermometer is sfooling among the
nineties, to read one paper and have it
copelusiVely proved that the other side
are all liars, thieves, robbers and other
cheerful members Of society and then
read another one aud become impressed
that it was the other side again that
deserved the chrome in the above
characters.
There are still o few members Of the
house and senate that walk around the
deserted halls of the capitol.
,You may break you may scatter our con-
gress If Yen will,
But q ghost Of a few will Anger here sill.
Mrs Garfield has presented the Ohio
State association with a hundred year
lease of the house owned by the late
president, and in which he lived until
taking possession of the white house,
to be known as the Garfield house
The house in question is in one Of the
best and most valuable portions Of the
eity--a plain but substantial double
house with q pretty yard at the side.
Since his death it has had q sad look,
as if the grief of the country was felt
even BY the inanimate walls where the
happy family so long resided. not allow
ing the sarmol of public lie to
break INTO the sanetity otFhome. Col.
A. il. Rockwell, commissioner of Pub
lie grounds, who was the warm, loving
friend Of the late president, is often
seen stnolling by the deserted house
. in the gloauoing" and leaning sadly
over the little fenee-Eailing.
The comedy and tragedy of life is
more forcibly illustrated here in Wash
ington than, perhaps, in any other
city. The house formerly occupied BY
Belknap when secretary of war, where
bis lovely fascinating wife Teigned
queen and gave some Of the most bril-
Liant receptions ever given, to which
the leading people of the country
|. fought for Invitations, is now to fall
into the ranks of oardingr houses, and
the dining filed with the recol-
! leeti0ns Of superb lunches, aesthetic
dinners, with ghosts of brave men and
beautiful women, will now resound
with the cries Of the hungry boarder
for more hash, aud more substance to
his soup. 1T is the common late of
most Of the houses, celebrated in times
past, to end up in the inevitable hoard
ing-bouse. The handsome house lof
Chief Justice Chase, where Kate Chase
6prague ao gracefully presided, is now
the refuge of any. one who can pay q.
monthly room rent, and has even gone
through the nortifcatien of having
the gas turned of for non paynent.
To what uses do great houses come al
lRgti IQur CORRESPONDENT is Wfitinq.