Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-02-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. s.

| w WASHINGTON, ID. u, feD. ..
The social activity of the capital
after short but most brilliant sea.
Son, was brought to a CT ose with tht
events of last week. The early ad-
vent of lent this year reduces fash
ishionable society somewhat pre-
maturely to sackcloth and ashes
| but the retirement cannot be un-
welcome, for the votaries of pleasure
are among the hardest toilers in
Mother Earth's vineyard. And now
the bellies who have with great per-
sistency flourished in the germans
and appeared night after night in
decollete costumes, dividing up
dances with different partners and
slipping champagne and snufling
bouquets worth their weight in gold
between the desultory lapses of the
conversation, will don their meek
est and most unostentatious attire,
take out their gilt-edged prayer
books and put in an appearance reg
ularly at every evening service, TAX
ing their full part in the litanies and
acknowledging their full dement's
of things they ought not to have
done and of leaving undone those
things which they should have done.
Not that all the devotees of society
in Washington are religiously or de-
votionally inclined, or conscientious
about the keeping of religious sea-
sons, but it is fashionable to observe
lent and the fashion is the more gen.
orally followed because of the abso-
lutte physical requirements which it
meets. Among the noted weddings
closing the round of events are those
of Miss Bayard and Miss Brewster,
the step-daughter of the attorney
general, who has taken his name.
In all the social evolutions of Wash
ington few have been so strange as
Mrs. Brewster's fate. A few years
ago she was a poor treasury clerk
supporting three or four children by
her daily labor. She was always
lady, being the daughter of distin-
gdished man, Robert j. Walker.
She lived a life of great seclusion,
and it consisted of working days
chiefly, and very hard working days
at that. The day after her divorce
from Mr.. DIES Landes was pronoun-
ced she married Mr.. Brewster. Re-
Gently her scamp of first husband
has died. Miss Brewster's wedding
is to be very fine. 1t couldn't be
anything else with old Benny Brew
ster's well known proclivities. His
big yellow coach will convey the
bride to and fro and there will be a
hurricane of style and fashion.
Nearly every State has in Wash
ington an associatiOn-that is all the
citizens of a State who are here in
office. or in any capacity, band to-
gether to run the politics of the
State as far as they can, and to have
social reunions during the winter.
The Ohio association convivialated
and bibulated one night last week,
when the town was secured for
Ohioans. The result was a reason
able success though Ohio is not as
largely represented at the capital as
it was in the good old days of Ruth
erford and Mrs. Hayes. But the af-
fair turned out pretty well. Among |
the first to arrive was Deacon Rich
ard Smith leaning affectionately
upon the arm of Mrs. Butterworth.
Judge Lawrence, comptroller of the
treasury and president of the asso-
citation, as soon as his eye fell upon
the truly good man, charged down
upon him and demanded a speech.
Mr.. Smith was extremely coy-he
couldn't-he wouldn't-he had a
cold-but the association refused to
take no for an answer, and so he
submitted few very sensible re-
marks that were very we'll received.
Judge Shellabarger also spoke. He
is the partner of Judge jeremiah
Wilson, land they constitute one of
the best law firms in town. At pres
ent they are engaged in trying to
keep the world from finding out
what a humbug of lawyer Colonel
Ingersoll is, in the Starroute cases.
Some idea of the cost Of the con-
tested elections annually thrown in
to the house of representatives may
be gained by glance at the bill in
troduced in the house to provide for
the payment of the expenses OF con-
testants and contestees of seats in
the present congress. 1t is the Gus
tom to allow a lump sum to each
party in the contest, provided he has
a reputable claim and can show a
reasonable bill of costs. The bill