Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-06

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n "twice-told tale" to speak of them in
III whore than general terms. The few old
1ks% homes which remain, however, should
be kept alive in the memory of our citizens,
that those who succeed us and the new resi-
dents who come to find . home amid the
charming surroundings of our lovely city may
be reminded of those who made Washington
famed for the refined, genial hospitality which
prevailed in those early days. The wealth
which now displays itself in such lavish ex-
penditure on decorations had no existence
then. California had not given up her hidden
treasures The liquid light was undreamed Of
which has yielded up its millions. The virgin
forests of the great northwest we're untouched
by the AK of the lumberman. The great rail-
roads, producing millions, had not yet bound
the Atlantic to the Pacific nor added the fabu-
lous wealth which they have bestowed upon
their owners. There was no such overweening
wealth here then. Gen. Van Ness. Mr.. Beuja-
min Oge Tayloe and one or two others were re-
garded as rich, but the citizens gener-
ally were in the enjoyment of a competency.
The social life of Washington was made up
OF the officials of the government the army
and navy officers and their families, with the
Senator's and Representatives in Congress who
resided here, many OF them the greater part of
their terms. The foreign legations of course
ADDED most charming attraction to the social
life Of that day. l am speaking now OF fifty
years ago. when / first remember that life,
whose impress has never left my memory. Re-
tnrning TO the old homes l find so few of them
left 1t saddens me and renders me unwill-
ing to admit they are modern improvement
under which generic term many innovations
creep in Wandering round the city, en-
tranced with its beauty, find but very few OF
the time-honored homes, around which cluster
so many delightful memories The Decatur
House, which Gen. Beale has had the good
taste not TO modernize. The house Glenn Hill
built and which must surely re-ocho the sounds
OF merriment with which it was wont to ring.
Com. Shubricks, Mr.. Corcoran's, of course, and
the next door to 1t, where Mr.. Thomas Richie
lived and Senator Slidell, and, by the bye. Mr..
Benjamin lived and entertained most gener-
ously In the Beale house and Mr.. James L. Orr
resided there when Speaker.
On the other side of the square the Ogle
Tayloe house unchanged, where Senator Cam
eron lives, and the Blaine mansion, redolent of
Mr.. Lincoln and Seward and the period 90 full
Of sadness The house where Mrs Madison
and Com. Wilkes lived, on the corner. now a club
house, though it is somewhat unchanged is I'M
like my early memory of it. Where now the
Shoreham rears its many stories, on the corner
Of II and 18th streets, stood the house
built by Sam Harrison Smith, the founder of
the National Intelligencer, and then out 14tn
street, the house of Mr.. Charles Hill, on the
corner opposite the Thomas statue, now. l be-
lieve, the Newport" At the time ] am speak
ing Of there was only house or two between
Mr.. Hills and the Columbian College and the
race course. Yes there was one which lives in
my memory, and time can never efface 1t.
THE OLD KINaMAN PLACE.
The rambling old home of Mr.. Kingman.
Like himself that house was "sui generis" Mr.
G. G. Willard, who owns the property and lives
there, has exhibited generous regard for that
dear old home, and only improved it with ex-
cellent taste, not destroyed it. He has pre-
served all its quaintness its originality, and in
doing so he has endeared his home to those
who in the long ago found there SO much en-
ioyment. There is not house in Washington
which is SO redolent of delightful memories as
that queer old house, where all the men of
distinction in every walk of life who visited
Washington or resided here found the most
genial welcome. Sunday especially was the
day when the house was crowded. There
have met Mr.. Seward, Mr.. Cushing, Mr.. Robt
]. Walker, Reverdy johnson, Cost johnson,
John P. Kennedy and his brother Anthony,
represented Maryland in the Senate, Mr.. Man
gum, Mr.. Webster, and Glen and Charley
March and George Ashmund and George Evans
OF Maine and others of that period, and later
on John Mitchell, Thomas Francis Meagher,
Jack Savage, Alexander Dimetry, Albert Pike.
Assistant Secretary of State VIM. Hunter, Rob-
ert W. johnson, John Brougham. Murdoch.
Barry Sullivan, Forney, Forrest and indeed
every celebrity who came to the city in those
days naturally gravitated toward Kingman's
How quietly and with what cordially he dis
pensed, his hospitality. The old home was
neutral ground. The most antagonistic ele-
ments met and mingled round his generous
board.
Mr.. KrNaMAN's PARROT.
Mr.. Kingman had parrot which was great
favorite OF his and was, believe, nearly his
age. Mr.. Kingman was q staunch democrat,
but entertained every one, and no political
differences were alluded to. During the i'm
parchment trial Mr.. Wade and others of the
impeachers found themselves at Mr.. Kingman's
The thoughts which were uppermost in the
dinner they talked only upon general objects In
pause at dinner the parrot shouted "Hurrah
for Johnson "Hurrah for Johnson The
discussion was opened by the bird. Mr.. King
man was in the habit Of going down into his
wine cellar to look after his wines,
but as he grew feebler Mrs. Kingman
objected to his going there, fearing he might
fall One day, while Mrs. Kingman was up
stairs, he went into the cellar. Coming down
stairs Mrs. Kingman opened the door and
looked in. The parrot yelled, "Old Kingman
in the cellar"
Mr.. Kingman was as a newspaper corre-
spondent the contemporary Of Nathan Sergeant,
who wrote for the Philadelphia North American,
Mr.. Joseph Il. Chambers paper, under the
cognomen of "Oliver Oldschooi," and also of
Matthew l.. Davis the friend and bographer
Of Aaron Burr, and who wrote under the sig
nature OF the Spy In Washington" For years
Mr.. Kingman contributed to the Baltimore
Sun under the signature of "Ion," which be-
came SO we'll known that frequently letters
came to him addressed "Ion." That race of
correspondents died with him. He was the
last
would almost expect to meet my old friend
on the threshold if l entered the door, IL seems
so little changed, but alas only two others re-
main to cherish the delightful memories with
which the old home teens
AROUND THE EBBITr HOUSE.
Coming back to the old part of Washington,
for 14th street is all so new and beautiful,
come to the "Ebbitt" House and its additions.
Classic ground, every foot Of it. Next to Eb-
and another smaller house stands, was q house
which was set back from the street some dis
lance, and built by Mr.. Clotworthy Stephenson,
who was q contractor for opening the streets
Of the new city when Maj. L'Enfant COM
menced under Washington's eye to develop
the plan which has since been carried out so
admirably. In the Gazette published here in
1885, Mr.. Stephenson advertised this property
for sale, but subsequently gave it to his niece,
Mrs. Cummings, and here the eminent priest,
Father Cummings OF st. Stephens Church,
Burr also resided when be contested the presi-
dency with Mr.. Jefferson.
The original Ebbitt House, two three-story
bricks, was built by Mr.. johnson HELEN. the
nephew of Mr.. John Quincy Adams who lived
opposite where now the Adams building