Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-07-01
Letter from Indianapolis, Indiana.
[For the STAuNToN SPECTATOR. I

For the STAUNToN SPECTATOR.
Dear Spectdtor:-You come to us regu-
larly, bearing tidings like a voice from
home, perfumed with the odor of mouu-
tain, stream, and woodland; with the chron-
icles of farm life and rural jottings. have
thought by way of variety to contribute
something from the home of my adoption.
The first accomplishment of an entertaining
conversationalist is to attract the interest OF
the one addressed. To do this, he must
carry his audience with him, individualize,
as it were, his surroundings, and make you
feel that you are with him at the starting
point. This is no less so with a writer. How
often little things will stimulate the tongue
or the pen. So this morning, this lovely
morning in June, the odor of roses and ILL
ies the fragrance of pinks and mignonettes
from the lovely blending of the rich colors
in the boquet before me, stimulate me to
write as these reminders of home are borne
on the senses. I look out through vines
and plants of window-garden and in the
clouds floating in soft, flmy mists, almost
touching the spires of State-house, church
es, and cathedral, then fling in colossal COL
umns so ethereal, so seemingly near the
grasp that you feel they would envelop you
or with q touch dissolve; my dwelling is
truly above the haunts of men. l feel that
I am law unto myself; our people are be-
coming so Easternized as to acknowledge,
cit is quite respectable and very convenient
to live in flats"
Our ianitor has Just been in and informed
me that he sswas thinkin' of acceptin' a
proposition to 60 out on de canal and gether
FERNS, and explained a musical instrument
he was was playing as he was cleaning rooms
l. = I'd, ~;
office: sit was an ordefone and it made made
ring our sojourn here of the many sides to
this negro question; We watch with no lit
tie interest the experiences of both white
and black. They are beginning to be taught
that they must "grub to get grub" as they
express it-they are slow to learn this, but
the sooner the lesson is learned the better
for all classes. We have never had any ex-
perience of impudence from them; on the
other hand they seem to search out those
from south of Mason and Dixon's line as
their best friends, as those who will give
them advice unbiased by anything connect
ed with politics. Apropos to the political
outlook caused by the present administra-
tion, "Little Big" told the truth too late
he should have told it to President Cleve-
land fearlessly and he would have honored
him the more-when he told friend after
talk with the President that if we were to
have State election tomorrow, the State
would 60 largely Republican. This is the
opinion of sensible, informed men, who are
not seeking office, but who have stood bold
ly for the Democratic party in this State
when it was as much as mans life was
worth to declare himself a Democrat. They
patiently waited for the salvation of the
party and the predomination of the princi-
pies they had advanced, victory seemed
sure, and these men are asking now "What
have we waited for?'' 1t is not for me to
declare a fact already known, that T. A.
Hendricks was necessary to the election Of
the administration now in power; yet four
months have passed and his State and city
have been comparatively left out in the dis
tribution of Office. Our postofflce gives en-
ployment to near one hundred; of these
about fifteen are Democrats, the remainde
Republicans. The postmaster himself is a
life-l long Democrat, and would gladly Civ
places to his own party, but che is unde
orders" and so it runs through all the diff
ferent grades of Office. A Democratic ad-
ministration held responsible for all mis-
takes which may occur in its various rami-
fications, run by Republicans, an acknowl-
edgment tacitly that the Democratic party
is not capable of running the government,
and that the Democratic party has not in
telligence or honesty enough within its
ranks to fill the offices to be distributed
This is the outlook here politically. We
feel, many of US, that the President wants
to do right, but his slight knowledge of the
machinery that must be we'll oiled with the
spoils of office to keep party in running
order For the lack of this oil the machin-
cry will rust so that it will not work smooth
ly, and eventually fall to pieces.
Our city at this season is very beautiful.
Any traveller passing along the outskirts or
on the Belt Road would no doubt be disap-
pointed in the appearance of the much
claimed beauty of this large inland town,
but take either of the street. car lines, which,
combined in their different routes, make a
travel of 35 or 40 miles, different branches
of these leading to Crown Hill Cemetery.
Irvington suburb, and the State Institute /
and stock yards, you could we'll take in the
beautiful residences, the wide, shaded
streets, the factories, stores, hotels, and all
the push and buzz of trade. You could not
but feel it is a good abiding-place. Central
ly located, with people quite liberal in
display and amusement, we have no dearth
of variety to keep alive the interest. Now
we have the "Shuetzenfest, or shooting
tournament, company of six hundred or
more of the best sharp-shoOters of the Uni
ted States and Canada, with their friends.
AS they paraded from the depot with mu-
sic, (we have music with everything here),
they were indeed afne-looking body of men.
The Knights of Pythias we're in convention
here short time since. The rapid increase
in numbers of this order is one of the many
proofs that the coming generation wish to
be one in fellowship. This is the season,
you know, of comnencements. The party
given the high class undergraduates at the
| D. D. Institution was quite success. Over
three hundred invitations were issued. The
tables were six in number, extending the
full length of one of the large study y-halls,
seated at once the full number of guests.
There were banks and banks of flowers, and
beautiful designs in parlors and dining hall.
All seemed to enjoy the annual feast. Speak
ing of parties, Mrs. T. A. Hendricks is not
a society woman in its hardest sense. but
she is very popular here where she is best
known. After her return from Washington
she sent out three hundred invitations to
her lady friends for reception from three
to six. She received alone. Her rounded
rich, creamy toilet. Her bearing is digni-
uOu, WAoh AelAFO PiOdodAuly WAlCh di dy .
makes one feel at ease with her, The inte-
rior of her home, which is unassumingly sub
stantial, was beautifully decorated with
white lilac, lilies of the valley and roses
Her dining-room was bower, the ices and
other refreshments delicious, her china and
glass ra1e and beautiful. She is always
ready in good works. The evening follow
ing her reception, our church, Of which she
is member, held children's fair. She
contributed the flowers, and so they formed
a double purpose. We have great variety
in different curiosities and entertainments.
At one time camp of Gypsies, serviceable
only as means of keeping good children
good and making bad children better during
their stay; circus, minstrels in great va.
riety. Now it happens to be the ''Mexican
Doctor" He has tent or tents on Vance's s
Hill, near the 'roller-coasting, on East
Washington street. His retinue consists of
brass band and forty retainers. He drives
through the streets in brass coach, and
wears millions of diamonds"(S. After
him follow the riff-raff, and he scatters PEN
nies. You will imagine the scramble for
these pennies; it reminds one, on small