Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-17
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

the President. The exodus of peO-
pie to the mountains and sea shore
has this year been greater than
usual. Those who leave Washing
ton in the beginning Of the warm
season and do not return until after
frost, tail to see the Capital City in
her loyeliest aspect. The tempera-
ture here during the summer months
is quite as cool as in far higher lati-
tndes. The streets, with their
smooth surfaces shaded by the over
tapping branches Of trees, form
beautiful vistas, at the ends Of
which may be seen a cool fountain
or majestic statue. All unsightly
objects are hidden by a luXuriance
verdure unparo 'leled in any other
city of thi, &c. The parks, for
whose beauty Washington is ia
nous, are n delight to the eye with
their many cOlored flowers and
shrubs; and altogether one Won
ders where a pleasanter place could
be found to spend the summer.
Already a few familiar faces on
the streets denote the return of
some OF the old habitues. The
President is expected to be at his
post again in about week. 1t h
still a debated question whether
Secretary Manning will be able
and willing to resume his duties.
The crank has not felt it to be
his fashionable duty to leave Wash
ington during the summer months.
The other day a looking, well
dressed gentleman walked with an
imposing air into the White House.
On being asked his name and bust
ness, he answered haughtily, 81 am
the Emperor of America, and | de-
sire that thirty millions IF money
shall be Immediately brought me
from yonder building'-pointing to
tho Treasury. The dOorkeeper,
with mock obeisance, and profess
ing his allegiance, persuaded his
Majesty to enter a carriage, and he
was quietly driven to the Insane
Asylum. There he should be placed
in company with another crank,
who has been there for several
years, and whose claims are even
more extensive than those of the
would-be Emperor. He believes
that he is the Monarch of the World,
and unlike the Respondent Alexan-
der the Great, he does not weep for
other worlds to conquer.
The employees at the White House
are very busily engaged just now
getting the mansion ready for oc-
cupancy, Every summer during
the Presidents vacation 1t under
goes thorough cleaning. All the
carpets are rolled up, the window
curtains and draperies taken down,
and chaos and the chambermald
reign. The woodwork in the house
is being painted and regilded, both
in the private and public apart
ments. Then there are to be some
changes in furniture, the wear and
tear of which in the rooms open to
the public necessitates frequent re-
newal. Everything will be COM
pleted and the entire house in or
der by the time Mr.. and Mrs. Cleve-
land return. though 1t is not proba-
BILE they will occupy it at present,
as their country home is also rapid
ly approaching completion, and it
was the Presidents original inten-
ton to spend the rest of the hot
season there.
Mr.. Bayard is the only Cabinet
officer in the city at present. Mr.
Lamar is in Vermont, writing a
speech, it is said, to be delivered at
the unwilling Of statue of John
g. Calhoun in Charleston. The
statue will be unveiled provided
any solid ground can be found for
it. What a spectacle and what a
theme for the poet, the historian
and the moralist. A bronze Cal
houn looking on the skeleton ruins
and the pulseless heart of secession,
amid sulphurous fumes and infer
nal perturbation.
The Secretary of War has not
been in the city for weeks. Adiu
tant General Drum has been acting
secretary. There is great rejoicing
at the War Department over the
capture of Geronimo and his band
of red anarchists. 1t is said at the
War Department that they will
hang. Indeed they ought to hang
This refined and civilized means Of
exit has terrOrs for the untutored
savage that mere familiar shooting
cannot equal. To die like a CHRIS
tan malefactor, with benefit o
clergy, fills the mind of poor LIZ
with unhowlable horror, and turns
the sweet memory of Drained babies
and tortured, disemboweled womer
to ashes in his mouth. BY al
means let them hang, and let Con
gress honor General Miles and Gap
tain Lawton with vote of thanks
--~~.-~