The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-05-01
THE TOWNS pHoTooaApH.


for il and the national game of baseball
appears to precisely meet the require
mcni. The game has gotten such a grip
ON the public that the varying fortunes
of the local nine visibly affect the
tempers of business men.
81 like to go around and collect after
the Washingtons have been winning,
remarked the young man who attends
10 that part of the business for jackson
4 Michcnor, publishers of the score
card in this city. Men pay up as If
they actually enjoyed 1t.
The baseball fever extends even to
the White House. Every day a youth
on bicycle leaves tie score card at
the Executive Mansion, where IL Is at
once eagerly inspected by group of
the attaches The card IL then placed
conspicuously on the mantel in the
waiting.room and left there until Il Is
replaced by another.
~
The efficacy of flowers in relieving
the monotony of indoor life is excmpli.
fled by the bouquets which are TO be
found generously distributed through
the rooms of the Government Depart.
mcnt buildings. AT every entrance of
most of the public buildings stands a
flower merchant with bouquets of pan
sizes, violets, crocuses, or lilacs tempt.
ingly arranged on trays The ladies
are the most liberal patrons, and their
good taste serves to materially relieve
the dullness of the days duties, not only
for themselves but for those around
them. Most of the flower vendors are
colored boys, but girls, and even grown
white men, are engaged in the business.
W.
As rule the average statesman knows
nothing about the art of making success
ful bets on the races. In nine cases out
of ten he rely on the judgment of some
friend and usually he has so many
friends that he finds II difficult to recon
cile the various dead sure tips" they
so kindly volunteer. General Malone
of Virginia, with his son Butler were
there. They are there every day. The
General is considered judge of horse
flesh aud he has the courage to back
his judgment He observes closely the
the animals as they are led out to the
track and having satisfied himself he'll
stroll on to the pool lawn and place his
money with the booknaker who gives
the most odds. The General is known
by everybody and in the crowd he is eas.
lily distinguished by his light slouch hat.
Representative Brewer of North Caro-
lima is another prominent statesman
who takes in the races. lie knows
something about the flyers" but then
he's always ready to listen to the fellow
who has the "cinch' to give. 1t very
often happens that he'll have enough
pointers to confuse him, and then he'll
fall back on his desire TO play the fa-
vorite. Hon. Archie Bliss Is the states
man who knows thing or two about
the racers. Intact, good natured Archie
Bliss knows the predigrees and records
Of nearly every stable In the country,
and he can tell almost at glance what
horse can do. Colonel Bliss Is regu-
lar attendant at Ivy City. He drives
out every day behind his pair of thor
oughbreds that can distance anything on
the road. He generally takes friend.
The Colonel often plunges and his
plunges are most always successful.
Sergeant Arms Leedom enjoys good
race as well as the most passionate de-
votee, and his smiling face can be
seen every day on the pool lawn
when the betting opens. General
Clark, clerk of the House, will occa.
sionally place So or $40 on his favorite
Just to give spice to the amusement. 1t
is amusing to see some of our states
men congregate in groups of four or
five, pull out a little slip Of paper with
the names Of the winners, and say
well, ] ought to be kicked. ! picked
the winners at breakfast this morning,
but just before the race started played
the, other horse. I'll never take an
other tip from Blank; he doesn't know
any more about horses than cat. /
told Blank Blank TO play the list |
brought out; he did so and won. Pm
busted now, but I've learned some.
thing" There are lots of fellows who
haven't the nerve 10 back their convic-
tion, and after each race they can be
counted by the score, not only on the
pool lawn, but on the grand stand.
Nv
The first pneumonia. dispensing open
streetcar rolled up the Avenue a few
days ago. 1t made trip or two when
q dusky cloud dropped over the bright
face of the sun and the rain came
down. II was only an April shower,
but II was enough, and the car hasn't
been seen on the street since. To sit
in an open car during a rain storm is
not very pleasant, and is apt to pro-
woke the most angelic of persons to
hasty remarks. These cars are not very
popular In Washington so early in the
season, though later in the summer
they discount the closed ones. None
but very healthy people should risk the
draught, and even for them the closed
car is the better. But then il Is SO
much easier to board them than It is the
other, and people don't I stop to think of
the consequences Kechew.h ha-
ch.o.o.
Pat" McCaull, as his friends de-
light to call him, has been in the city
for several days, and before the Presi.
pilgrimaees to the White House. He
Is one of the leaders of the old Read.
juster party of Virginia, and would be
taken for his brother, the well-known
comic opera manager OF New York
Both of-them were In the Confederate
army together, and when the stars and
bars were furled forever, the elder
brother went toNew York almost penni-
less, while Pat returned to his home
where he first went into the boot
and shoe business and then into politics.
He served several terms in the Virginia
Legislature, and also ran for Congress
on the Republican ticket, but was de-
feated, Like the proverbial spider,
however, he is willing to try again, and
very likely will in the next campaign.
II he does succeed in coming to Wash
ington Congress viii have another good
glory. Inllnr md the nnllnrine hnun nnnnn