Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-04-22
LIFE AT THE CAPITAL.
HARDLY A MORE UNIQUE PLACE ON
THE GLOBE THAN WASHINGTON.

Social Life an Enjoyable Rush-A Goot
Many Public Exhibitions - The Best
Show in the United States AT the
White House-side Streets.
There is hardly q more unique Place thar
Washington on the globe Rome resembles
it some in the conco1rse Of strangers from
everywhere and the opening Of many Of the
pala oes to these, and in tho receptions oil
artists, bishops, and others But Washing.
ton throws open its doors to people without
any religious or special motives, and female
life here particularly in February and
early March, Is ike q fair. Tho women
start out in the afternoon and enter the
doors Of people with whom they have the
very slightest acquaint nee, or none at all,
and they drink tea or have q little lunch,
and the parlors are crowded, while tho con-
versation rattles on without regard tn sub
ject or end Some citizen Is ths first one
visited; next some army family; next some
rich stranger, who has conc here to cele-
brate himself, and they drop in at the cab
met minister's, and thus the so-called social
life is a mare rush, with enjoyments, no
doubt but with moe welcome and free
dom than this world has ever allowed be-
fore
THE SOCIAL ROUND OF LIFE
After the women come home to their
homes or hotels, and dine, they go out
again, perhaps. in the evening to some par
icular reception, as at the White House,
and there life Is repeated as In the afternoon
until m dnight or later. In some Of these
new homes they receive until about mid
night. and then have a ball, and dance
without much regard to time One finds In
the accounts of the French republic, atcut
the period Of the directory. simil n sketches
of what the Indies call court life. The so
cial round Of life in Washington Is really
the basis Of its revival
Many OF the people who have bought,
rented or built new and large houses here
designed to throw them open and get society
ana admiration, ana they VIII not be cheated
by the death OF ths great Mogul himself
IN re Is no head 70 this society and It Is there
fore, al the more headio1g. PERSONS who have
taken washington IN ana reject upon Its
future example to the the American people,
are Deg1nMnS 10 see that sometning Is re-
quired mere 70 put some mentality into this
round OF mere frivolous PieasnTe There
are a good many public exhibitions In this
f-S~- ,
large enough to hold great audiences. and
more safely constructed than heretofore
There are also lyceum halls, cole tions OF
paintings, rinks, etc, to draw the common
folks In
BY day there are public collectionsin most
OF the departments The patent Office,
which was for a long time the on'y standard
show here, now has imttators in museums
and Libraries Tor each OF the public depart
msnts The portraits OF the heads OF thes,
departments have been collected or painted
during the past few years he WASHINGTON
monument has been finished and is a show.
They have taken out OF the treasury tbs
bureau OF engraving and printing and put
it in a large commodious separate building.
BEST SHOW N THE COUNTRY.
The Smithsonian institution is hardly
what it used to BE- since the new National
museum has been opened, which is prob
ably the hest show in the United States II
is designed upon a useful and agreeable
plan. to show mankind in all his joys and
necessities from the humblest beginnings
upward. There YOU can see all the in t u
ments of music. from the bones PLAYED by
the negroes and the castanets Of wood worn
by the peasant girls of Spain and the gouris
Of the Fiji islanders. all through instru-
ments Of string and wind, up TO pianos
organs and big comets AMI drum.. You
can study the fishing proces= Is OF the world.
from human modelS with all kinds of boats