The Washington critic., 1886-07-20
WASHINGTON CRITIC
WASHINGTON, JULY 20, 1886.
TOPICS OF THE DAY.


down the Avenue, says the correspond
ent of the Chicago journal. Some of
them go with their own teams, some
with hired carriages or cabs, many of
them In street-cars. Congressman Bol-
man, for instance, sets an example In
economy to his fellows by riding in q
street car William Walter Phelps
goes up to the Capitol in his carriage,
which he keeps here, and rides back at
the close of the session in hired con
veyance. Mr.. Randall lives so near
the Capitol that he does not need to
ride, but when he has occasion to
20 to the departments, as he does
nearly every day, he goes In the worst
looking old carriage that you ever saw.
If you were to hunt the hack stands
and auction shops of Washington over
you would not be able to find worse
looking rig than that In which that
great Democratic leader iogs about the
streets of Washington and drives con
tentedly up to the White House to hob.
mob with the President on the state of
the country. Ben. Lefevre of Ohio
generally rides In a cab or hired car
ringe, though occasionally you see him
in s,reet-car. Senator Vance gen.
orally goes to the Capitol and back in
"a herdic. SO does Senator Cockrell,
who has a big family, and knows
better than TO be spending his
money for carriage riding Senator
Sabin keeps number of car
riages, and always drives up to
the Capitol Ills carriage is
generally waiting for him at the
close of the days session. Senator
Malone has fine turnout which takes
him to the Capitol and calls for him at
night. Senator Stanford of California
usually rides up to the Capitol in his
big, close carriage, drawn by fine
pair Of blacks, theseat of the carriage
ornamented by pair of stolidlooking
English flunkies, who look so much
alike that they might be taken for
twins. The carriage always comes for
him In the afternoon, and any day
about time for the session to close you
may see The team waiting near the Sem
ate entrance, and the smooth, full
liveried footmen standing expression
less and statue.like with folded arms
awaiting the arrival OF the wealthiest
Senator.
~
Speaking of the Marine Band, Towle
Of the Boston Traceler says: 1t Is
conceded to be the very best In the
service, and yet first. class musician
receives $50 per month, and the sec.
ond-class men $35. AS u natural con-
sequence the members are obliged to
earn their living by outside work. The
band Is q mere training school for
private organizations. AS soon as a
man has played in it for any length Of
time, and manifests any Improvement,
his services are sought after by private
organizations in other cities, The result
Is that the band is in q constant state
of unrest. Notwithstanding this fact
the band performs some brilliant work.
The bandmaster is John Philip
Sousa, who years ago was one
of its members. Mr.. Sousa' $
father was also a member, and is now
on the retired list Sousa was born in
Washington. After thorough musi-
cal education he went to Philadelphia,
and subsequently Travelled all over the
country. AT one time he was one of
the first violinists in the celebrated
orchestra which Oifenbach conducted
when he made his last tour Of this
country. Later on he became con.
nected with number of theatrical and
musical enterprises, and finally six
years ago he was offered the position
which he now occupies, and accepted
It, Sousa is not only "A thorough musi-
clan, but is one of the foremost of our
American composers. He has written
within the past five years three operas
and hundreds of other varieties of
music. Aside from his duties of band
master and his labor upon the works
above mentioned, he has arranged for
the use of the Marine band over 5000
sheets of music. lie is one of the most
rapid workers in the profession, and is
constantly receiving demands for the
product of his brain and pen from pub
fishing houses all over the country.
Sousa has standard orders in the prin-
cipal publishing houses of Europe for
the very latest music, aud the conse-
qucnce is that he generally produces
novelties far in advance of bands in
other cities.
4"#
although Mary, the mother o
Washington, is still waiting for her
monument" said n Kentuckian last
night, as "Macf" of the Philadelphio
Record reports the conversation
"hanks to the fact that she is depend
ing on Governmental action, Nancy
the mother of Lincoln, has already Sc
cured very handsome monument
thanks to the munifcence of an Indi
ana wagon-maker. His firm make
more wagons than any other firm in
the world, and naturally he has made
great deal of money Several thou
sand of his dollars he has expended IL
the erection of simple but beautiful
shaft out in the woods near Lincoln
City, Ind, on the spot where Nancy
Lincoln was born. The old shanty il
which she was born has long sine,
passed away. If it were not for tn
monument no one woull re
member it. BY the way" H.
said, "you know, / suppose, that /
was Senator Joe Blackburn father-in
law, old DR.. Graham, who died las
year at the age of 100, who establishe,
the legitimacy of Abraham Lincoln Il
an affidavit which Is on file now some
where in Washington, 1t was mad
about the time that the monument t
Lincoln mother was erected. No on
would ever think of erecting n monu
ment to Llncolns father. He was
type of the low.down, no,count poo
white trash of that poverty. stricke
region. | reckon he killed his lirs
wife by hardship and privation--nC
but what he loved her in his dull, rud
way. but he was shiftless to the core
worthless, lazy, impractical and genel
ally a ne er. .do-well, lie deceived hi
.--,'..-l IL. III. ..-nr .nullI LLn oil