The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-03-02

supper, 81, or SIS in all, and $40 is a large
sum of money To the average government
clerk Though "full dress is required" it is
not believed the police will make gentlemen
unbutton their overcoats before entering the
hall in order that the cut of their under
coats may he aScertamed, nor is II believed
the man in a business or Prince Albert coat
who has succeeded in passing the guard VIII
be summarily torn from the grasp of his vile
or other most excellent companion and
elected from the hall.
PERHAPS there are persons likely to read
this letter who would be glad 70 know the
truth about this inaugural ball The truth
is, il is great gathering OF Tom, DICK ana
Harry. \ vast majority of the people who
attend il are from the lower walks of life.
All the shady elements of society, sporting
men and their ilk of both sexes, never miss
an opportunity to attend an inaugural ball.
1t is their only chance in four years TO go in
good society, and touch elbows with the most
famous men and most stately danes OF the
land. This class of persons is always phe
uomenally large in the capital on Inaugural
ton occasions. They are notorious for their
fondness for crowds, and an inaugural crowd
is just to their liking Every last one OF
them will he at the ball, as gorgeouSly atured
as any of their betters. Many degrees above
them in the social scale are large number
of other attendants at the ball-persons
of respectability but of humble em-
ployments-and these two classes furnish
nearly all the dancers. There are hundreds
of men and women in Washington who
refuse to go to the ball because they do
not wish to associate with the persons
whom they find there enjoying al
most monopoly of the floor. Many
others go, but to look and not TO dance, eX-
cepting, perhaps an occasional waltz. MOI
many of the best people" join in the cotil-
lions, unless they can make upa set OF
their friends, for the reason that nothing but
the best of luck could keep them out of bad
company if they were carelesSly 10 take their
places on the floor.
Certainly. my dear" said n senator's wife
in my hearing to her daughter you and
your cousin may accept invitations to at
tend the inaugural ball. but you must not
dance in the square dances unless you or your
escorts know who you are dancing with.
This state of affairs is not at all agreeable
to people of refined sensibilities, but there is
no way out of the difficulty. The inaugural
ball is for the masses, Whosoever will may
come. The five dollar note of the gambler
buys n ticket as readily as the five dollar note
of the cabinet minister This miscellaneous
character of the attendance is an evil which
the inaugural committees long ago gave up
trying to circumvent. An invitation ball
would be an abslrlity And, perhaps, after
all, it does nobody any harm to dance on the
| same floor with men and women who are
well dressed, well behaved, and assuming a
virtue which they have not by deporting
themselves rs gentlemen and ladies,
Two pressing questions in the minds of
| Washinlt5uiaus and visitors arc: shall we
20 to the ba.l.' and How are we TO see the
uarale" The population Of the District OF
Columbia is about 225,OOO -Four hundred
| thousand strangers are expected in the city
March l. six hundred thousand persons Will
want to see the inaugural procession. The
route laid ont for tho parade is nearly four
| miles long Counting both sides OF the thor
| oughfares there is about seven an! ouc-halt
miles OF sidewalk, or nearly 100000 persons
to tho mile. BY remembering that this Is
| equal TO twenty persons for each foot OF the
route. ono may gain an adequate conception
of tho great crush which attends the progress
Of the pageant Along the two miles and a
! little more Of lcunsy lVania avenue uayersed
| UytLn procession, the waves Of humanity will
roll highest Reserved seats in the many
viewing stands sell at II TO 81, but windows
arc much more precious. Single chairs at
windows bring from 80 10 SO, and window.
sell from So to $50 Rooms are held at $50
| to $3.50. according TO number Of windows and
acknowledgements Of position. OF course the
people who own windows are not at al aycrsC
to making as much money as possible out
| of Them In many cases they sell all their
windows, aud themselves take TO the roof
or the street A widow who occupic.
| two handsome rooms on the avenue has
rented them during the first week IN March
| for $3.50, and with the proceeds Is about to
take pleasure trip to Florida. The maugu-
| ration is IN old story to her, while Florida Is
new and attractive, and she not unrcasouably
| thinks hers is the better end of the bargain.
| Many owners of windows are preparing tim
bers for throwing out temporary balconies
in order to increase the capacity OF their OBJ
servatories.
| 1t is now thought fully $1,000 men will
march in the inaugural parade No car.
| riagcs excepting those used 10y the outgoing
and incoming president, the vice president
| and a few di-uitGricS, will be permitted in
the line No los cabins or advertising de
vices will add their pictmesqueneas 10 the
| pageant, as was the case when Harrison
grandfather was inaugurated Then there
were several log cabins in the procession,
while a factory at Laurel, a town between
this city and Baltimore, secured some chcal
advertising by exhibiting Il weaving machine
with operator at work The sides OF the log
cabins had suitable notices and inscriptions
| while their roofs were covered with white
flags. Fastened upon the backs Of each OF
the horses was a keg labeled Hard Cider
That pageant was about half n mile long rs
! it marched down the muddy avenue The
growth of the country may be said to be eX.
empliaad in the enlargement Of these inau
gural displays since the days Of old Tippe-
canoe. It is estimated by Gen. Hastings
who is chief Of staff to the grand marshal
| Gen. Beaver, that the column which es
corts Harrison the grandson from the Capt
! tol to the White House viii be seven miles
| long. Nearly one half Of the marching
| hosts will have reached the end Of the route
and there disbanded before the last company
has left the Capitol Seen from the dome OF
the Capitol or the top Of the Washington
| yyiI1 lg,lg h-n q