Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-08-09
MARY JAMES LETTER.
IT Is MADE UP OF : VARIETY
OF CAPITAL STOflES.
The Warm Season and Those Who Stay
in Washington During Its Reign-A
Private Secretary-A Minister with q
Romantic history.


Private secretary-A Minister with q
Romantic history.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, July 19.-It takes us So
riety people long time to get away from
Washington, Notwithstanding we have
sporadic attacks of hot weather which are
almost past endurance met one of US
the other day.
"How do you stand the hot weather."
asked after the usual salutation.
"Oh," she replied with an intellectual
and literary cast of countenance, Il read
'Dant's Infernio' and that reconciles me to
my condition"
If Mr. Allegro Dant," as Dickey calls
him, were in Washington he would hear
good many things that would make the
English language a perfect puzzle to him.
A great many people are leaving Wash
ngton every week now, and they are
mostly wives and families of officials, the
season people" having taken their flight
weeks ago. The officials themselves, how
ever, remain, and find their consolation in
the fact that they only have to suffer the
weather, and not the women in addition
thereto.
twas my impression that all the women
| folks departed, but have discovered that
they do not.
when do you go away for the sum-
ner?' | said to one of these Spartan wives
not long since.
Il don't go at all" she answered.
"You are not going to remain here all
summer, are your l inquired in astonish-
ment.
Eyes, am," said she; my husband
has to stay, and I'm no better than he is,
and have no right to 60 away and spend
his money at the seaside or other pleasure
resorts and leave him here to the poor
comfort of boarding house or hot little
room in hotel. l can stand it if he can,
and besides, misery loves company, you
know"
told Dickey this, as an example of
heroic womanhood, and she said it was
case of jealousy and the woman was
afraid to leave her husband in Washing
ton. That's like woman, but it was
false conclusion. for the couple have
from congress long ago. / went to see
| hot enough to melt the Goddess of Lib
srty on the Capitol to tears, and the lady
had her house fixed up for the summer
with bare floors, cool furniture, screened
windows and other arctic paraphernalia
with such effect that summer hotel man
would have given half his capital to have
taken it away with him as an advertise
ment for the seasons business.
1t sometimes happens that senators
have right cute private secretaries and
who are also willing to tell the truth
about their superiors in Office. Not long
ago a man, who doubted this latter
luality's existence in any kind of p. s.
and had been frequently unsuccessful in
finding his man at home, called on a SEN
ator and came into the Office, where the
secretary was hard at work at his desk.
"Is Senator Blank in?" he asked, cast
ing his eyes about the room and implying
good deal in his tone,
mo, sir" replied the secretary, with
exceeding suavity.
The visitor looked at him doubtfully.
The secretary said never word, but got
up, looked carefully under the tables and
:hairs and sofa, then through all the
drawers of his desk and sat down again.
''No, sir" he repeated, "he is not here,
and If you don't believe me, you can look
for yourself"
The visitor took the hint and went
away without even saying good morn
ng." x*x
One of the most fashionable congrega-
tions in Washington-that is, that part
of it which remains, and has the courage
TO 60 to church-is enjoying the minis
tration of preacher who has remark
able history. He is here only as a substi-
tute, but he is very brilliant man, fine
speaker, novelist, and writer of theo-
logical works, and withal a seven day in
the week Christian worker. He is now
past the meridian of life, but in his
younger days he was a noted politician,
and held the position of attorney general
Of a southern state. In one of his cam
paigns he had difficulty with one of his
opponents, they fought on the street and
he killed his man. 1t was case of self
defense and he was not punished, but the
fact that the dead man left helpless
family weighed upon his mind, and being
unable to render any pecuniary assist
ance to them he left the state and went
to Cuba for change of scene. On his way
home again fearful storm arose, and
death came so near that he resolved
If he ever came to land again
to lead a different life, and atone,
if possible, for the past. That was the
Iol ul dA dAO uSudl W QO LII d plIlCu,
but in this case it extended further than
usual, and he at once set about preparing
himself for the ministry, and in few
years after his Cuban experiences he was
in charge of fine church in Louisville,
KY. His history was not known to the
people of his church, hut it was to those
who had sent him there, and they had all
confidence in him and in his zeal and
faithfulness One night he was called
across the Ohio river to perform mar
riage ceremony, and on his way back had
to wait long time for the ferry. It
began to rain, and, noticing light in
building near the wharf, he went into the
room and found there a spiritualistic
seance in progress. He had no faith in
spiritualism, but it was wet outside, so
he sat down far in the rear and watched
while he waited for the ferry. In few
moments the medium became nervous
and said there was spirit calling for
some one in the room, but he could dis
tinguish neither the spirit nor the per-
son called for, and then after several |
gyrations peculiar to mediums he |
whirled about and wrote on a
blackboard by his side the name
of the spirit, and asked if anybody |
in the room recognized it. The man wait
ing for the ferryboat did. 1t was the