The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-11-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Approach of the gay Season-Pecul-
iarities of Life at the CapitoI-The
Short Term of Congress-President Ar
thur and his Reported Engagement

iarities of Life at the Capitol-The
Short Term of Congress-President Ar
thur and his Reported Engagement
From Our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, November 3, 1884 |
1t is an odd fact that the best Sign of !
the approach of the gay season in Wash |
ington is noticed at the auction sales.
These competitive entertainments are
very popular in this city and draw big
crowds. They are especially diverting
to certain classes of woman who love
bargain as much as they do bonnet,
but they are also source of excitement
and interest to the very large number of
people here, who exc out an income by
renting rooms, or taking boarders. There
is hardly parallel in any other city of
the country to this, in this respect. A
reasonable estimate would say that at
least one half of the dOmiciles of Wash
ington are occupied by more than one
family. The principle reason for this is
found in the fact that incomes are usu-
ally small. A clerk with a salary of
$1,000, 200, or 1,400, and an increasing
family, cannot afford to rent good
house for their exclusive use. He solves
the problem of how to live we'll on
small income, by sub-letting apartments
in large house the rent of which he as
sumes, but reduces in this way very
often so that his living rooms cost but a
nominal sum. The unmarried clerks and
clerkesses, and young couples, and vs-
tors for ''the season. make up his ten
ants. Now, as winter approaches and
the city fills up with people, the vacant
houses are taken and the problem of
how to furnish rooms because an active
one with this class. Hence the auction
sales, and the customers. One would
think that some time the secoud hand
furniture would fail to materialize and
spread itself over the large store rooms,
and out into the street and half way up
and down the block as is the case on
auction days here; but it is always there
The half Worn carpets and chairs, the
faded settees and sofas, rheumatic tables
and jldse bric-a brac, all eloquently dumb
about the things and events with which
they have been associated, are on hand,
and are eagerly bought and cartcd off to
commence life over again in sort of
way. 1t is wonderful where it all comes
from, but it is good illustration of how
changeable an office holding community
is. There is an opportunity for an i'm
a@inative writer to trace the career of
furniture from a cabinet ministers to
Dinah's front parlor if he wants to-
Such mutability appertains to Washing
ton curios. But the subject is left for
the romancer, with the assertion that
the movement of old furniture is the
tirst important sign of the coming Of the
gay season
The second Or short session of Con-
gress is usually an unimportant one. 1t
meets in December, large slice is cut
out for the holidays, and it expires March
4th. This leaves little chance for active
business, and besides the House is prac.
teally disorganized. Those who have
been defeated for the new term do not
care to work. Their interest is dead.
Those who are reelected are busy with
schemes for getting better committee
places, and so the session is usually
tritling one. The laxity which prevails
is, however, taken advantage of by the
lobbyists. There are more steals carried
through and more bad legislation is en-
acted. The salary grabs and special
grants of all kinds, have all Iassed on
the eve of an expiring congress. 1t al
ways happens when the dominant party
is overthrown in Congress that the sore
heads signalize their retirement to pri-
vate life by gouging something from the
Treasury. This soothes the pangs of de-
feat and eases the pain which attends the
overthrow of their ambitions.
Preparations are being made at the
White House for a very lively winter
The rumor which announced Mr.. Arthur's
marriage with Miss Frelinghuyser. has
been very annoying and veXatiOus to the
lady III question. 1t is almost absurd
to deny the truth of such a rumoi, but
the two people most interested are often
put in most embarrassing attitude to-
wards each other by it. This is the case
i'll this instance without doubt Their
interest i'll each other was Il little more
than friendly, and the prospect of such
an alliance could not have been distaste-
full to lady of middle age. But the
gossip of rude tongues mas almost es-
tranged them. Attentions which before
We're easy and natural, are now awk ward
and embarrassing, and friendship
which might have developed into some
thing warmer, has now been nipDnd IN
the bud. People are the same whether
Presidents or publicans, and trEe love
won't grow when everybody is watching
for it. 1t grows like the flowers, quite
unconSciouSly. Lemon.