The National tribune., 1884-12-18

Van Buren,, and on the east side is a full length
portrait of Gen. Grant, while the south and
west walls are adorned with two handsome
French mirrors. Heavy garnet plush curtains
hang at the two south windows, and the front
of the fireplace is decorated with a handsome
Turkish rug. Bronzcs. vases of rare and beau
tiful design, and exqusitely wrought screens
occupy appropriate places, and complete prooa-
bly, the most artistically furnished room In the
country.
GEN. BUTLER MORTGAGES HIS PROPERTY.
Much interest was taken in real-estate
transaction which occurred during the week,
affecting the fine block of stone houses at the
southern side of the Capitol grounds, owned by
Gen. B. f. Butler-a mortgage of $4,000 hav-
ing been placed upon it. This property, which
is one of the most conspicuous pieces OF archl-
lecture on Capitol HILL has quite history.
Ii is reported 20 be built of stone brought from
Maine, the transportation of which the Cen
eral secured at peculiarly low rate. 1t has
been the residence of number of distinguished
men-amOng others, Senator Jones, of Nevada,
who entertained there President Arthur dur
ing the first few weeks Of his administration.
Ii is generally believed that the mortgage on
this property represents money used tor eX-
penSeS during the late campaign OF the Gen
eral for President Of the United States. lie
is said TO be also embarrassed by failure OF the
Pentucket Mills which closed down recently.
If it be true that he is embarrassed in this
manner, he has general sympathy without re-
gard to party affiliations. for the General is
much too old man Row TO lose property which
he can hardly restore during the remainder OF
his life, even if he have the untiring energy
of B. (. Butler.
HE WAS SURE CHANGE WAS NEEDED.
The visitor to the Interior Department is
usually puzzled by three immense grind-stones
of fine quality, which cucumber the eastern
apt of that .1,aonitIcant hnIllfnu. The
Commissioner of Patents (Hon. Benjamin But
terworth) is a member of the Government
Board of Commissioners for the New Orleans
Exposition, and in that capacity signed cir
cular requesting manufacturers and others all
over the United States to send in small work
ing models of machinery" of which they make
a speciality, for exhibition at New Orleans.
These three grind-stones came in response
from firm at Beres, o.. which does large
business in those articles. When Commits
soner Butterworth replied, pointing out how
these failed to fill the specifications of " small
working models OF machinery" the firm grew
very indignant and intimated to him, with
much emphasis. that change in the admins
tration at Washington was imperatively
needed.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Secretary McCulloch denies that he will
make any supplementary report on the tariff.
Gen. Grant says that at West Point he could
never succeed In getting either at the head or
foot of his class. He was within three of the
foot of the class in languages and within five
of the top of that in mathematics, and this
was as far as he got either way.
The hard times have so impaired the fortune
of an old-time queen of Washington society
Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague-that she has had to
give up her charming quarters in Paris and
seek for some that were much more economi-
cal.
Political circles were stirred up considerably
last week over Senator Bayard's visit to Presi-
dent-elect Cleveland, and every kind of specu-
la.ion is indulged in as to the objects of the
visit. 1t is generally believed, however, that
the Office of Secretary of State has been rendered
Mr. Bayard, bat that gentleman is as dumb as
an oyster on the subject.
The work of taking down the scaffold from
the roof of the Washington Monument was
completed last week, and the shaft now stands
in all its naked ugliness.