The Washington critic., 1886-06-03
WASHINGTON CRITIC
WASHINGTON, JUNE 8, 1886.
TOPICS OF THE DAY.


second term. Men who are strongest
to their fellows are often weakest be-
fore their wives, and Grover Cleve-
lands will, which stands out against
the politicians, may bend like reed
in his wife's hand. Miss frankie Fol-
som will be the first lady of the land as
long as Grover Cleveland Is President.
Her light will outshinc those of the
Cabinet ladies and the center of attrac-
and not that of Whitney or Bayard rs
1t has been this. Society changes very
materially here in accordance with Its
ruler, and Mrs. Cleveland may make or
unmake, socially, for a time at least,
many people. This means great
deal In place where society is
thought so much Of as at
Washington. 1t is wonderful
jump from the school girl to the queen
of the White House, and 1t will take
strong mind to maintain its equilibrium
under 1t. Mrs. Cleveland will be
toadied and flattercd as few women in
this country have been toadied and
tlattered before. If she can go through
1t all and maintain her common sense,
womanish ways, without being pulled
up, or made a fool of, she will do
wonders and the training will make
great woman of her. She has much
to contend with, and doubt not after
she has left the White House she
will look back at the artificial hollow.
ness of 1t ALL and wonder that she
could have liked 1t so we'll as she
did. I take 1t for granted that Miss
Folsom loves President Cleveland
very much. understand that she is
infatuated with him, and that Cleve.
land, on the other hand. is thor
oughly wrapped up in his love
for her. II this is so, their
life, after the White House expert.
ence is over, will probably be happy
one. Grover Cleveland Is said to be
worth between 100000 and 5000, 900.
He ought to save enough to make 1t
$3.50, 600 by the time his Presidential
term expires. Mrs. Cleveland will
have at least 10000 from her grand.
fathers estate, and this will make $780,.
coo. The income of this amount ought
to give Cleveland at least $4,000 a
year to live upon. He will probably
hold his country seat near Washington,
and will spend much of the time here,
where with Mrs. Cleveland he can hold
sort of post Presidential court while
the Republicans have the reins Of the
Government.
Nv
Says "Macf." in q recent Washing
ton letter to the Philadelphia Record:
We miss the song of the old crab man
this spring. The old crab man, after
singing himself into our memories,
swore himself last winter into the AL.
bany penitentiary. He was one of the
infamous witnesses who committed per-
jury in the Belt divorce case, and is
now serving three-years' sentence as
the result Of his subsequent conviction.
His crab and oyster shop has fallen
into other hands as black and knobby
as his own. But his crab chant fell on
a tongue which cannot sing 1t. Sew
eral old colored men are trying to sing
it, or some imitation of it, but none Of
them approach the late lamented Battle
Minor. All the pathos of slavery, all
the quaintness of the past, were In his
tones as he chanted his queer lines:
Talkin' bout debbl crab,
Talkin' bout hard shell,
Taikin' bout soft she'll,
Talkin' bout pocketbook.
The note at the end of each line was
just like the note at the end of that fine
old ballad, "Sally in Our Alley" q
rising, appealing note. He used to get
into the quadrangle in the new State,
War and Navy building about noon,
when the clerks had leisure to buy and
eat his crabs. He made great deal of
money just in that spot. One day q
clerk who was in his debt rashly Knocked
him from an upper window. Minor
simply added another line to his chant
in the Same minor key:
An there's man what owes me 80 cents.
But it delighted the clerks who were
leaning out of the offices all around
the square.
~.
The rainbow party is thus described
by the Chicago Necs: The latest So
ciety novelty is what is known as the
rainbow party. Already 1t has assumed
the proportions of an epidemic, al.
though 1t made its first appearance in
this city only few weeks ago. All
the young ladies in attendance wear
neat little aprons of such design and
color as the taste of the wearer may
suggest. The bottoms are all carefully
left unhemmed. Every young lady
has number, and duplicate numbers
are kept in box, which is generally
placed in the ncighborhood of the gen
tlemtn's cloak room In charge of two
young ladies'. The gentlemen buy
tickets which entitle them to draw from
the box. The purchaser having drawn
number at once sets out to find the
young lady wearing the duplicate mum
Der on her apron. The tickets are
generally 81 each, but at South Side
party given few nights ago they
brought s. each After all the young
men have found their aprons, or rather
their young ladies wearing the proper
aprons, the master of ceremonies AN
nounces the conditions. The young
men are to hem the aprons
and the one doing the neat
est, quicket and most careful piec,
of work is to receive n prize. The
young ladies supply their escorts with
needle and thread, and at the call o
time the fun begins with the efforts oI
the contestants to thread their needles
Young ladies are strictly forbidden t
thread the needles OF their escorts, anC
n violation of the rule compels the re
cipient of the favor to forfeit all claim
ON the prize, After the needles ar,
threaded and the young men are a
work the scene is none the less inspir
ing. At last time is called and com
mittee judges on the work. The prize
are sometimes quite valuable. At
west side party recently the young maj
tha l.