The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-04-10
THE TOWNS PHOTOGRAPH.


In connection with the organization of
new Postofflco Department guards the fol
lowing timely story is told; During the
war the Postoillce Department improvised
military organization for the protection
Of that building In connection with IL an
amusing episode occurred Mt the residence
of the Postmaster-G General, Governor Den
nison. A detachment of the company was
detailed for guard duty there. The en-
bryo soldiers felt the importance Of their
duty. A corporal Of the guard, who with
his men had been on duty at the Postmas-
ter's residence for about six hours, was re-
lleved ut 8 O'Clock p. IN. by new detach-
ment, the corporal Of which, feeling the
importance of his position aud with the air
of q Napoleon, gave positive instructions.
to allow no one to enter the house, either
from the front or rear, without giving the.
proper countersign. A lady Of the house
hold having left the house prior to the re-
lief of the guard was returning, and was
OF course without the countersign. Sud
denly from the alley IN the rear of the
house was heard fearful screams and loud
calls In stentorian voice for the corporal
Of the guard. That officer promptly
responded TO the cry and found the valiant
guard, who had demanded the counter
sign, with his musket in close proximity to
the lady's breast. The corporal took In
the situation at once, released the lady
from her dilemma and escorted her into
the house. The yigilant guard was COM
plimented for his strict adherence to mill
tary rules and discipline, and afterward
was rewarded with honorable mention In
general Orders.n
a@a
Perhaps the finest growth Of ivy in the
city, save that which makes old st. Johns
Church the picturesque structure II is, was
tho luxurious tangle that clambercd over
the front of Louise Home, ON Massachu.
setts avenue. This building, itself au ordi-
nary sort Of brick structure, was, with Its
beautiful ivy-clad front, the only pic
turesque thing that graced stiff and stately
Massachusetts, avenue Its whole FIVE miles
stretch from Kalorama to the eastern COM
mons. The circles, Scott and Dupont, and
Stanton Square, are but formal, artificial
looking affairs at best, and entirely lacking
in picturesqueness. Aud now this splendid
spread OF ivy is being cut down and the
bare, red brick wallis In their despoiled
nakedness, look uglier than when the
building was new and the Ivy a little shrub,
with tender pale-green leaves scarce visi-
bic beside the massive foundations. A fine
ivy is something that neither money nor
skin can produce, and time alone can re-
place the magnificent crown OF Ivy that
took fifteen years to grow aud was tho
glory OF Louise Home, so far as its ex-
ternals are concerned. II seems almost
sscriligious- to see those workmen with
their hooks and knives stripping the brick
walls Of their picturesque, dark-green cov-
ering, leaving the bricks dirty and discol-
ored, with the ivy's tenacious tendrils cling
ing to their every irrcgularity. The building
stands in the centre of rlotous garden OF
trees and shrubs and vines, and the big Ivy
clad structure in the centre, with its high
flight Of stone steps, made that square the
one beauty Of Massachusetts avenue. The
occasion of the vandalism is not known.
So long as Philanthropist Corcoran, who
founded the Home, was alive the ivy grew
and spread itself year by year, story by
story, over the front OF the building until
the red bricks were well nigh hidden by its
mass Of leaves. Every lover Of the pic-
turesque--and who that is civilized is not
ones-wili be sorry to miss theivy.
~
heijmy in the Criminal Court this term
is likely to become something OF social
body. One Of the mta who hold the fates
Of Offenders IN their keeping Is "a good
looking youth, who Wears gracefully the
best Of fashionable clothing. a gentle,
unassertiye mustache curls gracefully from
his upper lip, and, altogether, he lisa type
OF the genial, happy class of young men,
who have to do only what they choose. He
is Mr.. Richard Wallsch, one of the best
known and popular Of the young society
men of Washington. He appears to
thoroughly enjoy the novelty OF his new
situation and adapts himself to circum-
stances with the utmost ease.