The Washington critic., 1886-01-23

on an Orucr from tnc students OF the
University of Virginia in the spring of
1871. 1t is large canvas, three.
quarters full length, representing Ice
in the uniform of II Confederate gen
eral. Elders third portrait was made
in 1871 for the city OF Savannah. 1t is
full length figure and represents Lee
standing in sodierly attitude in com
plete uniform aud accoutrements
Artistically 1t is the best of the series.
At the request of citizens of Savannah,
Robert Il. Lee, jr., the generals
youngest son, who bears n strong
physical resemblance to his father,
came to Richmond and posed to Elder
for the figure. But there is
one other likeness of Lee still, |
believe in the possession of his family,
that for me always possessed u greater
interest than any portrait of the world.
famous general II is the picture OF Il
young lieutenant of engineers in the
full bloom of manly strength and
beauty. ] have heard a story, but do
not vouch for its truth, that, when
Lieutenant Lee proposed for the hand
of Mary Custis, her family urged that
the heiress of Arlington" and of
"Whitc House" on the Pamunky
should look higher than to an alliance
with u young officer who yet had his
spurs to win. When look upon this
picture of Lee as he was at % | do not
wonder that the fair kinswoman of
Martha Washington chose as she did.
That full, dark, silkcn mustache of his
was alone enough to make her envied
of half the bellies of the Potomac coun.
try.
@"@
There are six pairs of dromlos in
Washington this winter, says carp"
Of the Cleveland Leador, and the
curious mistakes which are daily occur
ring are the gossip of society and the
hotels. Tom Reed, the leader Of the
Republican side of the House, has a
counterpart in the leading photo
grapher of Washington, and the joke
of it is that the general air and the
voices of the two are precisely alike.
The other night Stanley Matthews and
a fellow Congressman of Reeds saw
this Photographer at the theatre and
took him for Reed. They went over to
him and addressed him, but he knew
nothing of the subjects upon which
they asked to be posted, and il was
were interviewing the wrong man.
Texas and the frowsy- headed fellow
who writes cards in the lobby of the
House. Wellboln has been taken for
the card writer time and again, and
he grows angry, it is said, every
| time such mistake occurs. The like
ness of Gay, the sugar millionaire Of
| Louisiana, TO Senator Sherman, is very
striking, and Cleveland and Manning
are sometimes taken for one another
have told you stories of how O'Don-
nell of Michigan has been mixed up
time and again with Assistant Postmas-
ter. General Stevenson, and there is an
ex-member of the Pennsylvania Legis-
lature here, who is noted for having
sold his railroad pass for an overcoat,
who looks exactly like the angular
| objector Holman, of Indiana.
M*#
"Thc Chinese Legation" continues
the same correspondent, "has been
having peck of trouble over dance
which one of the papers announced
they were to give. There is no place
in the country where society adven-
turers are so common, and there is no
place where people push so much and
so hard to get themselves invited to
social parties. The Chinese Legation
is composed entirely of gentlemen, and
it would be contrary to the etiquette
of diplomacy for the Minister to give a
dance in such way at which ladies are
to be present. Nevertheless, the social
world here took it to be true that the
Minister was going to give ball, and
for the past week the parlors of the
legation have been thronged by lady
and gentlemen callers, each anxious
to pay his respects and all
after invitations to the ball.
Men acquainted with the Minister
have been besieged to procure invita-,
tions for their lady and gentlemen
friends, and am told that the Chinese
Minister is wild with the trouble which
has been brought upon him by an in.
judicious newspaper statement. If in,
deed there should be anything of the
kind 1t will be quiet one in which
the attaches alone take part and with
which the Minister has nothing to do. ~