The Washington critic., 1886-07-03
WASHINGTON CRITIC
wAsuiNGToN, JuLY 3. 1895.
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Mrs. Cleveland sets her husband
some good examples when she goes to
church, says the correspondent Of the
Lonisville Pest II may be remembered
that Mr.. Cleveland, as seen at church.
did not bow his head when the prayer
was offered; did not Join in the hymns,
or even open the hymn book illgeicl
through the sermon, and was evidently
glad when II was over and took NJ
particular part In the exercises, except
to drop n crisp now bill in the biskot
when II came around. Mrs Cleyelaul
does all these things differently. H'se
too many Of her sex, she appears to
have 10 attend lo the prayiny FOR tbs
family. When she goes 10 church. as
soon as she enters the new aul takes
scat she drops her pretty head upon
her daiatily glovcl hand aul dcyOlcs q
moment To- silent prayer. Then She
settles herself for n quiet attention
upon the service, u0ddlng pleasantly
TO Mrs. Sunderland. the wife OF the
pastor, whose pew Is Just alongside
that OF the President. She knows, OF
course, that she Is the target FOR every
eye In the church, and though she
tries to conceal her embarrassment. she
Is not able TO do 81 entirely. When
the pastor gives out the hymn, she l.
glad TO turn her attention 10 the
hymn book and forget the un.
comfortable feeling which IS the enituril
result of being stared at When the
congregation rises. she rises also, fol.
lowing the hymn thron "a from bcgin
ming TO end. Sometimes, though not
often, joining in the singing. When
the minister leads In prayer, her head IL
bowed. and It drops i little lover when
he pays for The Chief Magistrate OF
the Nation" and adds petition for
"Tlosc that are dear To him." The
announcements of the church meetings
which follow the prayer are listened to
with womanly interest, aud when the
sermon begins after the second hymn
has been sung. she is all ntsention. She
does not iidget about alone up in the
corner and rest her head upon her
hand M Grover does, but sits straight
and quiet listening to the sermon from
beginning to end. OF course, she fan &,
herself constantly, for she would no.
be woman If she did not. She seem
Ot'uoipHuIlN w iCll'uibti tlltJ Sllt Is
being stared at constantly and bites her
dainty handkerchief, which she holds
In the same hand which carries jewel
ed smelling bottle, wedding gift from
one of the Cabinet officers. When the
basket goes around she drops her con.
tribution modestly into it, and when
the closing hymn is given out finds not
l,1x Il. 1,,N tI,n Il Il.
responding in metre with it and follows
them closely to the end. When the
services end then comes the most try
ing time for Mrs. Cleveland. All eyes
are upon her, of course; she has at
tracted more attention than the
preacher even during the sermon, but
she only divided attention with him
then; now, however, she is the central
and only figure of the moment All
eyes are upon her as she moves down
the aisle, and every neck is craned to
get look at her face and figure, She
tries to appear unconcerned, bows to
the church people near her whom
she knows, talks a little
to those nearest her, and Is evil
dently relieved when the carriage door
bangs and she is hidden from view of
the crowd that are gathered on the
sidewalk to see her pass from the
church door to the carriage. Through
out her conduct is full of dignity aud
gentle grace. She dresses for church
with excellent taste, but absolute plain
ness, usually in II dark gray or black,
small pin at her throat, but nothing
else in the way of ornament, high
black straw hat, tas,cfully. but quietly
trimmed, black gloves of undressed
kid.
a.Hs
Says the correspondent of the Gin,
cinnat Times star: Congressman
Dougherty Of Florida, who is serving
his first term in the House, has n SUI
preme contempt for good many OF
the little tricks Of so. called legislation.
He was a member of the Florida Legis
lature nearly II full decade, and wa:
Speaker during one or more terms, aud
is therefore pretty familiar with this
sort of thing. Yet he docs not like it.
81 never see the House in one of its
wrangles," he said, without thinking
of the dog fight at Gilead." "What il
that" your correspondent asked. That
is scrap of local history" he laughed,
"from which all other events date in
that section. Ask any citizen there
when any event of importance oc-
cured, and he will tell you that it was
"a year after the dog fight at Gilead, OF
scar before that event, as the case
may be. You see Gilead, which is a
little place in my district, is a great
place for big meetings, as they are
called in the country. One day, about
len years ago, when | was making my
first canvass for the Legislature, wen
over TO Gilead, where there was big
meeting going on. OF course the dogs
all go to church in that country, the
same as they do In the country al
most anywhere. had small thirty
pound bulldog, who followed me over
there. There was a lot of dogs lying
about the door, and one big fellow
right in the door of the meeting house
, and Just as | entered, the dog at the
door collared mine. Then there was
music. My dog grabbed the other one
laid down, shut his eyes, and held on
A lot of fellows rushed up and began
kicking them to make them let go, but
they might as well have kicked stone
wall. | tried to get in to choke my dog
forI knew that was the only way to MAKE
him let go, but before could get my
work in the twenty other dogs lying
about the door had jumped in for 1
hand in the fight, and for a while there
was the liyeliest dog fight right there
that ever took place inside the walls Of
church Finally | got my
dog loose, and taking him away
tied him up to prevent hi,
pitching in again, but by the time
NOT hnclE tho Innn Ind nnt inin Il nnht