Tolland County press., 1883-02-08
WaslaiMgaon Letter.

AltSI W6ckS O1 SlUOu huu A1UWuAuSs eug sun has encs more been pleased to smile upon Washington, and the magic of his power is everywhere apparent. The beau tiful asphalt streets, for weeks past so de- filed by slush and dirt, are now clean and dry, and Pennsylvania Avenue, thronged with thousands of elegantly attired prom. enaders, has assumed it's gay, bright, busy life.
 The prospect of tariff legislation is now more encouraging. Both ends of the cap itol are talking tariff fnriously, and begin to realize that the present congress is ex- pected to dc something with the bill. Since Monday, the house, in committee of the whole, have had the bill under the five minutes rule. As yet they have not completed twelve of the one hundred and forty pages of the bill. The schedule now under discussion relates to chemi- calls, and will excite less dispute than any other. At this rate of progress the bill will be about half finished by the fourth of March. The opposition to the bill is not factious, but to almost every article made dutiable about dozen amendments are offered. The senate is making more progress. It is now discussing the iron schedule, which is considered the nest difficult one of the bill. In the hope that the senate bill can be disposed of by the middle of next week, sessions are now held until midnight, and brilliant light may be seen in the dome of the capitol, indicating that the senate is in session.
 The subject of an extra session is being discussed among members of both houses of congress, and opinions pro and con are expressed. The Democratic members of the house profess to have no fear of the president calling an extra session in case of the failure of the tariff bill, and say the noise about it is s'stuff and nonsense" to frighten the democrats into acquiescencs in the passage of such tariff bill an the republicans want.
 Every day of the week now an array of carriages that would do honor to first class funeral may be seen stationed in front and around a dozen residences. But these occasions are not in the least m0urnful or even serious. In each house so designated, under brilliant gaslight, 2 lady, usually assisted by several other ladies, all elegantly attired, are 'sreeeiv- ing" her friends. Greetings are exchang- cd, and every guest feels required to make few disconnected remarks and then pass on to be followed in turn by others. The guests generally remain standing, and
 many go from one reception to another, often attending half dozen in one sven- ing. Mrs. Speaker Kiefer told me yester- day that she made 5000 calls last session. This is what the fashionable circles of Washington call sociabiiity. The resep- tioa given by the British minister in hon- or of the Marquis of Lorne was one of the most brilliant features of the season A dinner party was first given, followed by a ball for which over four hundred invi- tations were sent out. The legation build ing was brilliantly illuminated and dsc- orated with palms, plants, and flowers, bright Lghts burning on either side of the large portrait of Queen Victoria at the head of the grand staircase in the main hall. All the members of the foreign le- gations were present wearing the decora- tions of the orders to which they belong with plain dress suits. The ministers of twenty-one great powers were there, and three embassies represented by charges d affair. It was also attended by the president, the cabinet officers and their wives, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house, and by many ssn- ators and representatives. The Marquis visited the capitol, the war and navy de- partment, the agricultural department, and other places of interest. He was, en- tertained at dinner by President Arthur, and also by General Sherman.
 This being the last week before Lent, an effort is made to crowd all the gayety possible into that little space of time. There IS no end to hops, balls, receptions, and entertainments of every description. The cabinet ladies hold their last recep- ton this week, and indeed receptions gen. erally will be discontinued during Lent, but only to give place to milder kind of amusement in the shape of fairs for char itabIeIRurpeses-excellsnt places, by the way, Tor flirtations. and then. toe. there will be plenty of dancing of quiet kind, so that gaiety is not over with yet.
 The president held his first public re- ception of the winter on Monday evening. from eight to ten o'clock. Many stran- gers were present, and, as is usual on these occasions, the jam was immense. But when the hour for closing arrived, all had been presented, numbering over two thousand persons.