, 1884-02-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From u Regular Corr respondent.
WAsuINaToN Eehrnarv :

gN-A
past has been the most brilliant and
eyenttul of the present season, at the
capital. On almost every day society
made its endless round Of calls during
the morning and afternoon, did its full
duty at receptions and dinners and
then danced court to Terpslchore until
after the ''wee sma' hours" 1t is re-
markable how many events can be
crowded into one week here at Wash
ington. until the social whirl is nearly
overcom with sheer exhaustion. But
it cannot stop, and it will whirl away
with accelerated speed until decorous
Lent applys its brakes. There is, how
ever, so much peculiar Lent at the ma
tional capital that, while there may be
less dancing for the forty days, the
dining goes right on, and after a few
days rest and devotion receptions are
picked up again. Altogether there
will be but little change before the
spring time.
The presidents dinner to the cabinet
was the most elegant in its taste and
appointments ever given at the white
house. The decorations in the great
east room were very elaborate. The
mirrors and crystal chandeliers were
wreathed in smila1 and the windows
were concealed by pyramids Of ferns
and palms. The scene in the state
dining room was magnificent. The
table was a marvel Of florists skill. In
its center was placed an immense OBJ
long mirror representing a mimic lake
upon which here and there were light
Indian canoes of birch bark laden with
orchids. Above this, formed entirely
of a~zalias, carnations, roses, h~yacinths,
and trumpet flowers was a wonderful
structure fashioned after the hanging
gardens of Babylon. This center piece
was several feet long and nearly two
feet high, and, in a way, suggested a
temple more than a garden. At either
end of the table we're cart wheels of
flowers. Between these and the CEN
trail ornaments were placed the large
gold bronze candlesticks, always used
on state occasions. The green and red
rarlors were used for dressing rooms
and the Marine band of forty pieces
was stationed in the vestibule. The
guests were received in the EAST room
and as the band played Hail to the
Chief" the president, with Mrs.
Frelinghuysen on his arm, led the way
to the dining room. The much de-
layed festivities at the white house will
now follow each other in rapid success
sion.
Death again put its finger of silence
upon congress in the early part of the
week. The Mackey obsequies were
held in the house of representatives
and were very impressive. Congress-
man Mackey is the seventh member
OF the present house of representatives
who has died since his election and
was the only n of the seven who
lived long enough to occupy his seat.
The other deceased members are
Messrs. Herndon, Ala, Cults, Iowa, /
Heron, La, Pool, N. c., Updegraff,
Ohio. and Haskell, Kan. Mr.. Haskell
died after congress had assembled, but
he had not been sworn in.
Apropos OF congressional ~obsequies,
the wierd light Of investigation is to be
shed upon these events. 1t has begun
to be too expensive for z to
bury its dead. The average congress
man is indeed a bold investigator. |
Nothing a deter him when once ne is
imbued with the restless spirit which
caused Christopher Columbus to make
himself famous. He will even rum
mage around graveyards, fearless of
spooks, ghosts and other horrible things,
and he thinks little OF stopping a
funeral procession, il his fancy leads
him that way. The house is evidently
not disposed to look with favor upon
congressional wakes. At one of these
entertainments recently the total sum
Of expense was So, SOL, and the mourn
ers were so overcome with grief that
nothing less than a 1900 lunch was ade-
quate to assuage their sorrows. Now,
the lean, hungry, fint-hearted repre-
sentatives who were not on the funeral
committee, and who were consequently
left on the good things, cry, Scandalum
magndtum, see what they eat. Oh,
smell Of this bottle; learn what they
drank. o temporal o moresi
1 hear that Mr.. Blaine's history Of
"From Lincoln to Garfield will be is
sued simultaneously in English, French
and German, and that Mr.. VIM. D.
Eaton, formerly a Chicago journalist,
Is supervising the translations Of the
work into the foreign languages, as
sisted by a force of ten translators.
MI. Blaine gives Mr.. Eaton S., 900 for
this work and a royalty of Is cents
upon each volume sold In Germany and
France The work will be in two vol
umes and is now nearly completed. 1t
bids fair to enrich the Maine states
man. He is to receive from the pub
Usher S75, 1000 cash and a royalty of 10
cents per volume. LENox.
McEwen's Oyster Ocean open day