Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-05-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tF'om Oar Rtgalsr coyr,,.a.o,,t !
WAsmSerps Nav an.h i.


ing one in Washington. Tbs .;,v was
iuli Of strangers, brought here through
different interests. The spring races
brought sporting men. large excursion
pirlits from different c;,;ess L.Ir,,i 10
crowd the hotels, aud the veteran. II the
Army of the Potomac came 18th their
wives aud children to bold their annual
re union Blue skies and L,;,,ht sun-
'h'ne' exqulsItely tempered BY soft breez
es lent their assistance 10 ,bs ou,.door
events Transporting, aud made me eondi-
tl'ns Of successful sport. parade and ex-
curslon, faultless. The broad smooth,
bard streets Of the city are ;sal suited
TOR Pageantry, and Wednesday was the
day on which the old soldiers sccompa-
uied by the local mi itary, formed pro-
cession and tramped to the old martial
strains. II was real gala day Many
hotels public buildiags, and private
residences were decorated for the occa-
sion; flags hoated on the breeze. and
people crowded the sidewalk to see the
parade. The procession pasIed in re-
view before the President. and the vote
rams were given reception THE White
House afterwards, but they we're slight
" offended by the failure Of President
Arthur to attend their proceedings at the
National Theatre Wednesday evening,
after having been waited on by COM
mlttee Of invitation and having sisnihed |
his intention TO be present. The exer-
clses were delayed by waiting for his
appearance, but all that time he was far
away steaming down the Potomac on a
little moonlight excursion.
While wealthy and cultivated people
are daily attracted 90 make homes in
Washington by the advantages which i
possesses over any other city in the
world, her own people are too apt to pass
Them unregarded by. The visitor from
the bleak streets of Boston or Chicago,
the dirty ones of New York or st. Lou
is, the narrow ones of Philadelphia Or
Cincinnati, is surprised and delighted
when he strolls through these broad
avenues lined with living green, rests
his eye on the parks and circles, and OBJ
serves the high culture aud artistic ar
rangement of the parks and gardens =
The park south of the Avenue is larger,
more varied, better cultivated and more
beautiful and interesting that any park
in the country. There are Propagating,
Agricultural, and Botanical gardens,
with a wonderful variety Of trees and
p ants to attract the eye and interest the
mind. Beside these are the Lafayette,
Lincoln, and Franklin squares the nu-
merous circles. cultivated andkept with
care and taste absolutely unknown out
side of Washington. In tbePropagat-
ing garden are 125, 600 bd plants,
which are now ready to be. tmsplanted
to the parks, circles, suuais, l~a Seser-
vations. Coleus IN endlts, statisty of
varigated foliage, innunerable gerani-
ums, vincas, lautanas, iuchias, steiras,
by the thousand, are awaiting their time
to bloom in the open air, but the display
Of tulips, crocus, hyacirths, and the
earlier and harder plants has been beau
tlful beyond description,
In few weeks the gigantic palms
and the great sage plants, pandanas ard
other exotics which during the winter
have sometimes graced the parlors of the
Presidents House will crafty the eye Of
the poorest in the parks and circles.
The treasury Department has its own
cvnservatories in which are nurscd the
rare plants which beauty the spaces
around it The front of the State De
parImcnt is charming spot in summer
when the roses are in bloen The Pres
ideut's grounds are dotted with beds of
beauty, but the grandcst floral display is
on the s'ope ofthe Agricultural grounds,
which form a lawn of exquisite beauty.
On the plateau fronting the building.
with its broad walks and decorated tow
ers, a legion of tulips and hyacinths are
in flower to-day. They look to the eye
as though endless pennants of red, white
and blue had been laid about the ground.
The air is redolent Of the sweetest of
perfumes Two hundred stately willows
adorn the walks in front of the grounds,
while intersparsed over the lawn are eve
ry variety of hardy trees that will grow
in this climate Eastward are the
Smithsonian grounds, with their grand
array of mouarchs of the fores., the ivy
clad tower of the institution wildly re-
calling some ancient castle. Still furth-
or to the east Of the Hall is Arnory
square, which in point of attraction is
hardly less than the Agricultural
grounds. The public reservation ends
with the square occupied by the Botaui-
cal Garlen. where are collected the rarest
and finest palms and ferns thatican be
found in any conservatory in ne world
All these beauties are free ID the poor
est citizens of Washington. without the