The Washington critic., 1886-03-04
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The washington correspondent OF
the st. Louis Globe. Democrat, who saw
the recent amateur performance of
"The Russian Honeymoon" in this
city, has the following, among numer-
Gus other things, to say about it: Be.
tween the acts there was visiting to
and fro among the boxes and up and
down the aisles. Criticisms of the
play and the actors, and gossip about
Mrs. Potter enlivened the waits, which
were by no means longer than at a pro.
fessional matinee. much to the credit
of the company. " 'Osller Joe" was
being whispered about all around the
house, and one severe and high princ.
Piled woman of the loftest social posi-
tion sat grimly silent while group
about her chattered on this subject.
Finally one of the gossips, looking
toward this noble Roman matron, said
in tone of grived inquiry: "How
could a modest woman do such
thingY' Quick as flash came the re-
sponsive question: "Do you call Mrs.
Potter modest woman? Would you
~ w Sti uiSS Sity anu uCl III u puDlC
play house TO n crowd like this, selected
only by their ability to pay dollar and
their curiosity to see the woman who
read 'Ostler Joc?' When pallia-
tive reply was attempted by saying
that Mrs. Potter played for Charity"
the same severe matron responded:
For charity! Are you still so un.
sophisticated rs to believe that any of
these amateurs play for any other
reason than to crafty their vanity?"
~
81 WONDER" said one of the lockers
on in Venice the other day in the hear
ing of Mr.. j. A. Truesdell, we'll
known Western correspondent, II
wonder if Mr., Cleveland did not have
it in his mind to get such lot of pc
culiar names in his cabinet that it would
be impossible for any Of his depart
ment heads to practice nepotism with
out running the risk of discovery. All
of his cabinet ministers, with the ex.
ception possibly of Whitney and
Manning. have curious out-of-thc-way
names Bayard is name that you will
almost never hear outside Of Delaware
and Maryland. Villas is peculiarly
uncommon name, French as it is in
origin, although transplanted to New
Hampshire and Wisconsin. Lamar,
again, is just as peculiar and Just as in
frequent, although the Lamars are
spread across Georgia and Mississippi
and 'TnNng whom thn Snnrat a, %
uncle, Mirabeau Lamar was once
president of the republic. Endicoit,
although one of the oldest and best
names of Massachusetts, is rarely
met with. Garland, also, is n
peculiar name, seldom heard. None
of the Cabinet ministers have
done very much in the way OF
nepotism, although all of them have
gone to their respective States for their
most trusted advisers, Secretary
Lamar has his son Tor private secre-
tary, and Mr.. Garland has niece for a
stenographer. Mr.. Bayard's son is Sec.
retary Of Arizona, but not by any re.
quest of the elder Bayard. Colonel
Villas has shrewdly kept clear of ap
pointing relatives to office, because the
name would give him away at once.
The only thing he has done that could
be construed to be nepotism was the
appointment of his unclc's partner to be
Chief of the Stationery Division, the
| place where Joseph Burnside turned ou
to be defaulter to the amount of $40.
600 or $4,000. Now and then some
| relative of some one Of the members OF
the Cabinet bobs up as an applicant fol
place, but generally without success
Among the half.do2en applicants fo
the Buffalo Postoiflce is Henry G. Villas
cousin of the Postmaster. General. L
was said that the Postmaster Genera
tried to secure the nomination of kins
man of his for the late Congressman
Rankin's seat. This inference, how
ever, was rather gratuitous, as the Villa
in question is a mach older man thar
Colonel Villas, Is third cousin and Il
an independently wealthy man, who
probably never said two words to thu