The Washington critic., 1888-02-04

paper men who set great store Dy the
sacred book.
~
SAYS the New York Press: Frank c..
Carpenter, the clever and entertain
ing Washington correspondent, is
puzzle to a good many people. lie has
none of the dash and audacity that
distinguishes some of his confreres,
but all the same lie manages to get
hold of what he wants to know, and
that without offending any sensibili-
ties. Mr.. Carpenter does an enormous
amount of work. In this respect he
ranks with "Gath" and Jo Howard,
though he has not the physique of
either. Slender, pale and high strung,
with keen, hazel eyes, and an express
sion of intense earnestness, he has
more the air of student than an
active journalist Carp was the
nom de plume or rather abbreviation
of his name, under which Mr.. Car
penter wrote for several years for the
Cleveland Leader. His letters were
widely copied, particularly the well
drawn pen pictures of famous men
and women. Foreign travel gave
him opportunity to make use of his
descriptive powers with such effect
that the American Press Association
made arrangements with him for
two letters n week for syndicate of
800 newspapers. In addition to this
the energetic young man has fur
nished many and original special nrti.
cles for different periodicals and for
the leading journals of Philadelphia
and this city. Altogether his busy
pen brings in an income of $4,000.
When Congress adjourns Mr.. Carpen-
ter will start on prolonged trip round
the world. He will take with him his
wife, a bright and pretty woman who
enters into his work with ready SYM
pathy, and q tiny, sweet-faced little
son already devoted to lead pencils.
x#s
Including the Marine Corps, says
f. w. A. in the Omaha Sunday Bee,
there are thirty different bureaus
connected with the Navy Department
in Washington alone. The head of
the navy is Admiral David ID. Porter,
whose Office is in his elegant residence
at 17l0 III street. Admiral Porter is a
medium-sized and rather portly
gentleman, with full moustache and
beard, which is now literally
sprinkled with gray. lie draws $l3,-
600 year for conducting the opera
tions of the Department, and adds
considerably to his income from the
Arlr Nf L. l.,
more proud of the success which he
has gained in literature than he is
of his naval record during the war.
| noticed him last week stand
ing absorbedly before large
bill board on Connecticut avenue, on
which was printed the advertisement
of Mckee Rankin, who was billed to
appear in Admiral ID. ID. Porter's
thrilling play of ALLAN Dare" This
is the novel which was so frequently
cut up by the critics a couple of years
ago, and which Admiral Porter con-
siders one of tie most sterling works
Of fiction of the age. 1t has not
proved so profitable to him as his
'Naval History of the Rebellion"
which was issued by subscription some
twelve months since, and has brought
in good returns in the way of royal
ties. Six commodores are also sta
toned at Washington in charge of
various bureaus where their duties
are by no meanes onerous. A dozen
coppsanders, twenty captains with
liberal allowance of lieutenants and
ensigns make up the naval con-
tingent in actual service. Those on
shore duty and leave overtop in
number those who have been fortu-
nate enough to find little en-
ployment in bureaus. / was informed
the other day that there were at least
200 naval officers at the National Capt.
tai and that this was no unusual figure
for the season. During the session
Washington is especially attractive to
the navy, and the gold-laced sleeves
and caps, which distinguish the naval
officers from those of the army, are q
drug upon the social market There
is quite rivalry between the army
and navy rs to which has presumed
social pre-emnence. If the marital
catches can be taken as criterion the
navy leads. There is an element of
romance about life on the rolling
deep which is peculiarly attractive to
sentimental girls, and which, when
added to straight figure and Il hand
some uniform enables the possessor to
venture boldly where civilian angels
would fear to tread.
W.
The fair wife of Secretary William
c. Whitney does nearly all her shop
ping in New York, says the Sunday
Sun, except in trivial matters, and
frequently on these expeditions the
Secretary is her devoted attendant.
They are not encountered on the
promenades, for they drive every
where. Those who know Mr.. Whit
ney only as Cabinet officer should
see him while on these little excur-
sions. What q metamorphosis1 He
stepped on board the Washington ex-
press the persopifcation of an ener-
getic business man; he steps into a
fashionable Fifth avenue milliners
companion Of Mrs. Whitney. Away
with armored cruisers and seacoast de-
fences. Bonnets are the order of the
day. To tell the truth he applies him
self now as assiduously to the study
of the latter as he did few
hours before to the former. He will
pick up a hat, inspect it from all sides,
criticise this shade and that curve,
and after his wife has adjusted the
wonder on. her head will repeat the
operation of viewing it from all sides.
He is very proud of his better half,
and she defers unquestioningly to his
taste in hats and other matters of per-
sonal' adornment. More than one
milliner in New York wishes in her
snnl that he Mnnld nXercisa this com