New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-26
Major POORE'S BOOK.
cvrrcuEs OF WASHINGTON LIFE.

pooRF. Sol /. Svo. PIP. o+''
bard Brothers.
Ma;or Poore. Journalist and Government clerk
has been for great many years one OF inc pos.
lrown figures in Washington. He mas seen tne
rise and fall of more than one generation OF slaves
men and the passing of SO many Presidents that VIC
ran imagine him looking at each arriving cno'
MAGISTRATE with superior but kindly smile anu
sav,nc Here comes another transient. MAUI
Poore seems TO stay on forever At a judiciouS'y
ripe period of his life he stopped growing Old anu
.;nce them like some of the choice Madeira OF when
he write, with so much feeling. he has only been
accommodating bouquet and aaver. He ba: hah an
.,or,nous list Of acanantances. for his occupation
has brought him into contact with public men VI
all parties and bis personal qualities nave DauO
him welcome in a wide range OF soc'e'y' rs
genial disposition has led him rather to tne Jouina
ism of gassip. anecdote and personal news ina" "
serious political discussion and the same ''a'."'
hu,nor has kept him from thousand OF 'no'e SINS
against propriety which the personal Journalist Is
forever committing. The present volume "
miscellaneous selections from his capacious scrap
hooks and equally capacious memory Is intehueu
.,lslv as sketch of individuals ard manners po'
as a contribution TO political history. III may o'
objected. indeed. that some OF the relofouoeS "
importsat political events arc singuiarS e"io''''
.na oa.h.od-to say no worse Of them but one
vould rather Judge the author by subjects "hich h0
has taken more pains TO remember.
The period covered 10y this FIRST volume eA'enuS
froIu the election oil John quincy |'u""'' "
the eve of the Rebellion.
wen Congress first met at Washington there
WAS hut one hotel there and one in Georgetown.
Others were however. soon erected ana MY -eignt
xenrs n 90 there were half "A dozen. ihe iaNVIte
ablisbment was the Indian Queen hotei' whlcn
occupied the site of the present Metropolitan iIoo,
snd was designated by a large SWINGING sgn upon
which figured Pocabontss. painted IN gaine
coors The landlord Jesse Brown, VINO useu 10
come to the curbsione TO welcome tue c9iI i
rnests" was a native of Havre-de-Orace anu psu
served his apprenticeship tC taverD-keeplng al nay
srsrown and in Alexandria. A glance at the ttav-
eIl,1s "a they aighted and were ushered ny MN
INTO the house would enable him mentaIy 70
ass On each one 20 ROOM tue advaD,aecS va
he would describe ere seeding its oeailhea occuI'
tbsre nnder the piiotage OF coloied servant;
Wbeu tue next meal was ready the newly arrive"
enest was met at the door OF the din'ugrOom oy
Mr. Brown. wearing large white apron VINO ee
H. table where he carved and helped the prlnclpai
dist Tie excelleDces OF this-hSh OF Desn or iowl
lie would announce as he would invite those
..ated M the table send MP their plates Tor what
he knew TO be their favorite portions; anu he
rouid also invite attention to the dishes on "thei
rsrts Of the table. which were carved and helped
tr the suests who sat nearest them y have
delicious quarter Of mntIog from the iahey %
X,rginiar Mr. Brown would announce I'D sud
tor,an tome which could lie heard above the clater
Of crockery and the din of steel knives ana toIks
Ie, me seed yon rare slice Mr. A." Colonel
T.. vii You not have a bonef L" Mrs c. send up
your plate for piece of the kidney MIS- ~.
there FAT and tender monsrei S""sp AT ba me se
potatoes" Colonel r., Will yon heip " 'na'
Chicken pie before your
The expense OF living at the Indian Queen was
not great Ths pr'ce Of board was 81 rs per day
$40 per week. OF S35 per month Transient guests
charged 80 cents for breakfast Ine sane . ,o
wbiskev were placed the dinner table IN decant,
ers to be drunk by the guests without anritio
It'd INTO Alexandria was supplied for So sherry
brandy and gin were 81 50 per bottle and .,ansioa
run 81 At the bar toddies were made " 'th una
dnlerated liquor and lump sugar. and TIE charge
was II IL cents drink. On The f"nTtD OF JnIN,
the 22d of February and other h"nuays nah"rn
Brown would coucoct foamlng esg,nogg IN man,
moth puucb-bowl once owned Oy WashlnGto ton. anu
the guests OF the house were all invited 10 partake.
WashiYgton was a shabby town in those days
and its public amusements were but measTe
There was small theatre, however. IN which great
acting WAS occasionally witnessed. for nearly all
the brightest lights Of the Amer stage appeared
IN IT, Entertainments of another class were sell
dom lacking:
Congress had placed on the ststute-hook stringent
penal la against gambling. but Trey we're neoa
fetter unless some poor dupe made a complaint 81
fonl play or some 3eeced blacklcg sought ven
Ceanre through the ana oil the ufana Jury t ,ion
the matter was usually compounded by the repay
meni of the money. The northern siic"",A VI
peansyyauia-ave, between the lh,sian QIoen
Hotel and the Capitol gate, was IOed WIN lar
hanks where good suppets we're served ana well
supplied sideboards were tree to all Corners IL was
a tradition that in of these rooms Sehatoi
Siontford Stokes, OF North Carolina, sat down one
Shmrsdav afternoon TO play game Of brag with
Nonlioy Bailey then the Sergeant at-Arms of the
Senate / hat body had adjourned over as was
then its custom from thursday until Monday 50
the players were at liberty to Keep on wan thel'
game only stopping occasionally for refreshments
The game was continued Friday night and Satur'
day. through Saturday nigh. and all day sunday
md Sunday night, the players resting Tor shatcl
of sleen as nature became exhausted. Monday
morning the game was in full! blast. bnt AT IL
Oclork Bailey moved adjournment alleging thai
his official duties required his presence IN the sen
ate Chamber. Stokes Demonstrated but tue ser
geaut-at arms persisted and rose from me ts"ie
the Senator gambling and declaring that had ht
supposed that Stokes won d have Thus premaiure.y
broken up the game lie would not have sat down tt
play with hun.
Whist was regularly played at many of the Con
rressional messes" and at private parties room
was always devoted to whist-playlng. Once wheI
the wife Of Henry Clay was chaperoning yonni
lady Boston. at party given by one OF his as
sociates in the Cabiuet. they passed through tn
card uoin where Mr. Clay and other gentlemen
were playing whist. the young lady, 10 her furi
tan simplicity, inquired is card pavIng com
mon practice hereP Yes" Iephsa Mrs. LAY
Hthe gentlemen always play when they get to
gether." Don't il distress you" said the Boston
maiden. ito have Mr. Cay gamble r !" Oh dear
nor compOSedly replied the statesmans VIE, h
most always wIDs"
Society rather exclusive, and the Southern
Senators generally claimed the control of it, Th
circles of fashion, however. were extremely small
Few Senators or Representatives were accom-
panied by their wives; and the Washington as
semblies" would have been impossible bat for tn
families of the diplomatic corps and of army am
navy officers These festivities were highly cere
monious:
Admission was obtained only BY cards of invita-
tion, issued after lDup consultations among th
COMM tteemen spd. once inside tue exclusive rIDg
the beanx and bellies bowed beneath tue disclplI
nary rule of q master of ceremonies No gentleman
Whatever may have been his rank or calling wa
peiIe'ttod the floor unless III full evening dress
with the adornment of pumps silk stockings, all,
flowing cravat un less he belonged to the army o
the navy. in which case complete resimentsl
covered a multitude of SINS The bal. commencing
ppon the stroke OF 3 precisely: opsued with "a rol
ticking country dance aud the lady selected for th
honor of opening he festivities was subsequent!
toasted Is the resoing divinity OF fashion tor III
Tilie" varied 5y the basket dance" and. on exceT