The National tribune., 1889-05-09
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOingS at the Ma
iiOnal Capital.
4 rrAuTrFuL KoMAv.

Ing cossips have much To say at times, was ia
Washington the past week for a couple Of days,
and I was fortunate 10 get a glimpse OF her.
She is, without qualification, the most Deau-
tiful woman / have ever looked upon IN the
world, and a wide range Of travel has permit
ted me TO look upon many women who were
generously endowed with rare gifts OF beauty
This Is Sonora Barrios, the widow OF that
wonderful man who was President OF the Re-
public OF Guatemala, and whose ambitious
dream was TO unite ali OF the Spanish-speaklng
Republics OF AmeriCsi under one central form
OF Government and rule them all himself
In the summer Of lSS2, for the first time IN
the history Of this country, two Presidents OF
Republics met each other and grasped hands IN
Washington. One was the stately and dlgni-
fed Chief Executive Of these United States
President Arthur and the other was BarriOs.
/ was then engaged on a morning paper here
and it became nay take" to chronicle ali that
was of interest in the visit Of the Guatemalan
Executive, and so j. came about that, by the
aid Of a member Of Barri0ss staff, witnessed
that meeting in the Blue Room Of the White
House when Secretary Frelinghuysen present
ed the visiting 10 the resident ruler.
There could be no stronger contrast IN men
than there was between those two. Gen. Ar
thur was over six feet IN hight, erect and we'll
rounded IN figure. decidedly handsome IN feat
nre. aud graceful, even. in every movement.
Gen. Barri0s was scarcely more than i've feet
SIX or seven inches tall, very broad across the
shoulders and very deep from breast TO back,
while the body and hips were spare and mar
row. ana the legs were TOO short for the body,
ike Gen. Phil Sheridans; his head was mas
sively set upon rather d short neck, and the
face, clean sh2ven- except for a bristling black
mastache and short chin taft was square and
ragged, giving one be idea Of its being rudely
carved from a block OF blackjack. The hair
was very black, trimmed very short, IL mill
tary style, and bristled up 6ercely as if pro-
testing against the shears. But the eyes! when
YOU looked at his ewes you seemed to see moth
ing else Of the man; he seemed ali eyes, and
they had fierce glare that must many time
have made soldier and political Zoe trembie.
There was no single characteristic alike in the
two Presidents. Gen. Arthur's voice was soft
and rather musical, and bis speech modulated,
while Gen. Barrios's was quick and sharp, and
has words came like so many vocal explosions.
1T was to tell better Of the wondFous beauty
OF his wife that have written 50 much OF her
stern and unprepossessing soldier lord, for l
saw his piercing eyes soften into liquid light,
and an expression on has face that smO0thed
and rounded each rugged feature 50 that he
was trans .0rned into a handsome man when
she came into his presence.
1t was this way: When Gen. Barrios came
to the United States TO interest this country
Ia iBteTp0sing Ia the political euarrels between
Guatemala and Mexico he brought with him
his confidential staff and his family. The
family consisted Of Sonora BarriOs with
her four children then, but while resting IN
New York from the journey from San Fran
cisco, another baby was born July 4. 1882.
Leaving the Sonora and her babies in the
house lie had leased In New Eork-Which she
afterWard purchased, and resides in now
BaTrios came 10 Washington with his retinue
which Included sturdy I6- year cid boy, who
was his left-banded son, and living photograph
OF himself This was abont the second week in
July, and Ia a very few days-three or four,
the State business he came for had been salts
fsctorily completed. Then came the time for
formal entertainments and President Arthur
extended an invitation TO his brother Presi-
dent to grand State dinner, which was as for
mally accepted. Every one here knew of the
new arrival Ia the Barrios family on our indie
pendence Gay, and all regretted that the almost
clildwife might not be here But they did
not know Inc powers OF the Spanish-A American
women. Gen. Barrios sent Col. Stevenson, his
Artillery Chief, TO New York to escort Sonora
Barrios 70 Washington. and on the afternoon of
July is she stepped from President Arthur's
carriage at the door of the Arlington Hotel.
There, just IN the broad doorway in the en-
trance hall, stood Gen. Barrios waiting, and as
his vie came up the steps he stepped forward
quickly ana gathering her into his arms kissed
her Passi0nately half dozen times, utterly un-
mindful OF The many looking on, and all the
time murmering endearing expressions to her
IN Spanish.
That was the time ] saw his eyes and face
become beautiful, and I have never wondered
III the least al 1t; think il would have affected
q rough block Of granite.
tried dozen times that night, in writing
ont my sketch Of the distinguished visitors TO
give q pen portrait Of Sonora Barrios and
utterly failed TO do anything like Justice to my
subject All the time, however, / kept on tell
ing The others ia the editorial rooms about her.
.ff rr,..-, J.
me numerically about nay enthusiasm ] had
no good defense, but the next day the exchange
editor-elderiy and long married, happened TO
get look at Der, and that night was as en-
fbasastie as ].
never saw a woman who combined in her
Sell 50 many points Of extreme beauty; dark
eyes, long, curved lasbes, oval face masses OF
soft, dark hair, tiny, shell-sbaped ears. mouth
as delicate and tender as little chiids aud
curved like sculptoris dream Of beauty. and
throat and bust and figure that would shame
tbe Venus Aediei. /, ike many and MANY
thousand others, used to think poor Adelaide
Nelson, the actress the perfection of human
female beauty blt there was hardly more com
parison between her beauty and that of Sonora
BaIllos than there was between Gen. Barrios
and President Arthur
All the reading public knows that since Gen.
BarriOs was killed IN battle Sonora Rarrios is
one 81 tie gealthiest widows IN the world
many t-----iSt4-i4ts sub 1 fancy there Is MANY
man that would be glad to possess the hand
OF the beautiful widow, children and all. with
out penny Of the millions
MAJoR-GENERAL TO wATCHNAN
BTeTet Maj. Gen. John H. Gleason. u. s
Volunteers, who was one Of the last ColopeIs
o. the 63d \. y, ia the famous Irish Brigade
Of the Second Corps, was last week appointed
as WatchEan on the night force at the Pension
Bureau. Gen. Gleason, who is a native OF
County IIpperary, Ireland. came to the United
States when still boy. and grew up so vel
with the country that be IS giant In stature
being little Of six feet six inches IN hight in
has shoes, lie was very young when the rebel.
lion broke out, and enlisted in the ranks of thf
CD, IA which he was speedily made a Sergeant
and II A1tietam had become a Captain Dnr
ing the siege Of Petersburg he was promoted
% Colonel and breveted Maior-GeneraI. anf
was mustered out after the surrender to return
e an oiice IN one Of the New York city courts
With that readiness Of soldiers the world owe
TO center nicEnames upon their comrades. Gen
Gleason was always known TO the officers an,
men Of the Irish Brigade as Big Jack" an,
his comrades SO designate him 10 this day. /
seems pity that more deserving place coul,
not be found for so good a soldier.
TEE RETTREsIEST OF ENLISTED MEN.
The Major General commanding the Arr,
las published, for general information. iii
Army Regulations. as amended, concerning Tia
retirement OF enlisted men. In brief the
provide for the combination of service in Tn
Army and Marine Corps IN making IN the "a
year flerioa Teuuired for refivaracr+ e. -.