The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-03-17
Our Washington Letter.

GFRoN OUR SPECIAL CoRREsPoNDEST.l
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 10, 1888.
painful impression prevails that the
halcyon days of the dilapidated reminis-
cences of departed military, political and
judicial glory who have made the nation
al Capital famous in years gone by are
past. They are less numerous now than
at any time since the war, though their
familiar faces are to be seen yet in con-
siderable force in aud about the hotels
aud the saloons on the avenue, and their
spe cics will never become extinct. There
will always he Majors" and "Colonels"
and Judges" enough in existence to 60
around with some to spare for the CON-
ing generation. They will always re-
main n feature of Washington life. 1t is
possible that some time in the dim past
they may have been persons of real i'm
portance and great men in their neigh
borhoods. Some of them are ex-con-
gressmen who haye served in the coun-
ellis of the nation without distinction.
When ungrateful constituencies turned
hem out of Office they preferred to stay
here rather than return to their people.
Others came to Washington to be secre-
tares, ministers plenipotentiary to for
eign courts, heads of departments, col
lectors of customs, and the like, and still
another class have been pursuing that
soul destroying iguis fatuus "claim"
until their brains are turne1. The time
was when they would have taken moth
ing short of million or diplomatic
position of the highest importance. Now
II seat at the right hand of the President
would not tempt them. They know o
better and easier way Of getting Lying
and they take more solid satisfaction in
"work;ng" a stranger, new congress-
man, or freshly landed statesman for
the drinks than they could possibly en-
Joy in any other occupation in life. They
employ more diplomacy in landing a
cocktail than man of business would
bring 10 bis aid in the purchase of years
stock of goods. They are always inti-
mate friends of presidents, senators, mem
hers, or distinguished army and navy
officers, usually brother or cousin or
q brother-in-law and none can cling SO
lovingly to stray lambs MS they. or sur
round longer drinks of "red Ticker. 4"
They hang their crooked cane on their
arms, and with their ablomens up against
O bar they adhere to that article of saloon
furniture with the teDacity Of barnacles
to ships bottom. They were more
numerous during the ten or twelve years
o ter the war than at any other period ip
the history of the city. and of late yenrs
many of the most notable specimens have
been taken to Abraham's bosom. How
the "Majors" aud the "Colonels" and
the Judges" live, none but they can
tell. They are absolutely without means
or credit and never do stroke OF work
from one years end to the other. They
show up at their baunts day after day
with unfailing regularity, appearing as
early in the day as they think it will be
possible to sponge drink and staying
a. long as there is the remotest chance of
being invited to take another might
cap Where they sleep or get the
clothes they wear, must forever remain a
mystery. 1t is their secret and it would
be barbarous to force them to divulge it.
AUGUST.