Telegram-herald., 1890-05-09

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sA-sa~4 s~s.-aasS ~s- "s~ WSrs FSs-
.-say a1sA - P-slA~ LIE
a,e~ciaz oozrusp7d~desas~t
WAssr.ou)S Nay l--ou the rocr e
the senate tie eshsg day s4w no ,essr
tasa ~ rx-ssn15ors, hats Ia hand chat
tng With frisa6s an viewing tie seenes
Of t1esr forn1E rriunphs OE casaPpoinr-
ueut.. These were Warner Miller. u
Gss YORK. ThOu4s J. CAagIasn, u
South CxreliAai JOsspA Z. Mcdonald. Of
Indiana, B,snchs 4 Bruce. Of Alssls-
sippi. Omar u Conger. of Michigan, and
Augustus H. Garland. II Arkansas The
presence u such large number Of for
ner senators reminded me that One Of
the odd phases OF hte Ia W sshtnzton is the
plentifulness u '-exos" We see 'sLes"
riding by IN th-ir carriages. or begging
dilaas on the street corner. They sat Op-
posIts us a. dlDneT. OF hang about the
b&Truoms waiting for an invitation -
step ~ and "a SO something
and oolors and previous conditions Of
Official servitude-al excepting the pres-
idsncy. We have 10 ex-presidents resi-
dent here, though NO have any number
or men who escaped that great office by
the skin of their teeth, and not OF their
own desire, but owing 70 circumstances
over which they had no control No
former presidents are here, but there are
ex-cabinet officers, ex-senators, eX-con-
gresslRen. x-oommissioners and ex-goy-
ernOrs galore; and a. for former wearers
OF the judicial erInine and those who once
issued martial cOmmands-the Judge"
and generals" and ''cOlonels" and ma
jors"-their name Is simply legion.
Men who hive IN the national capital
for a time as servants of the people do
not ike 10 80 away. They are fascinat-
ell by the Lazy luxuriousness Of the life,
the beauty Of the city and the social op-
pOrtunities here presented. That form
OF society which Is expressed chiefly in
good dinners and large, fertile punch
bowls most enthralls the men, while the
snowy afternoon and evening receptions.
the teas and the endless round Of dress
parades known as calling bind the WON
en- fast III their tolls. What! Leave
Washington and go again to the from
tier?' exclaimed the pretty wife of an
army officer at one Of Mrs. Oates famous
receptions last week. Why, if that IS
10 be my fate declare | shall commit
suicide Rather than go to the frontier
and leave dear, dear Washington | will
cut my throat" The pretty woman
meant every word of 1t, too, and she
made shivers run round the room by
drawing fruit knife suggestively close
TO the white skin of her neck. Then she
seized glass Of punch, quaffed it with a
laugh, and what had passed for a bit of
comedy in the minds of the spectators
came TO an end. But 1t was not all com
edy with the dashing woman, and her
poor husband. the army officer, is out
hustling night and day for the influence
which may enable him 20 secure tina,
boon of boCns in the service-waiting or
ders at Washington.
"A curious commentary on this fasci-
nation of Washington life" said Repre-
sentative Hit, who is one of the brillian;
coversationahsts OF the capital. was af-
forded by the surrender Of Gen. Lee al
/ Appomattox. was then living in the
I National hotel. which at the close Of the
war was the fashionable hotel of the city.
/ The house was filed with army officers
! and their wives, and when the news
/ came from AppomattoI and the people
in the streets began 10 shout and cheer
and haunt their flags with JOY / stepped
/ up 70 the parlors 10 see how happy the
ladies were. Imagine my surprise tC
+ find three or four Of them in tears, and
+ the others looking very sad ard solemn
What is the matter? l asked one OF
them. Have you not heard that Gen
Lee has surrendered to G~n. Grant?
Yes she replied. half crying, and that
is Just the trouble We know this means
the end Of the war, and tina! we must
leave Washington and 90 away % the
country 70 live again. and then this wo-
man. ike several Of her sisters, burst
into tears. actually believe" conclud
ed Mr. Hit, that half Of these gay
devotees Of society would bGve been
glad TO have the war CONTINUED a couple
Of years longer that they might have re-
rnained in the whirl of Washington soci
ETY."
With both men and wom<p fond Of
Washington life It is not surprising that
this is the place IN which the "eIes~ most
do congregate. \ man once famous and
powerful. whom many people thought
might himself become president # the
United states, now walks OF drives the
streets # Washington unknown TO nearly
al who see him BE IS a handsome
man. with iron gray hair. fine profile
~ Intellectual face. His name Is Bout
well Lawyer Boutwell," h Il called
D, the few who know him-sud be wa,
secretary Of the treasury under President
Grant. lie was then a social As WI a,
political leader. and was seen alInos-
daily at receptions and teas. Now h
eschews All such frivohties, and, Ike th'
average man II experience and sense
confines his social exploits "a the stretch
inS f his legs under ths mah0ganI
where there is plenty q god wine an
COOL company
Plenty Of other "exes" 4 the cabine
may be seen on the streets Il Washing
ton. William A. Richardson, who sue
ceoded Mr. Boutwell, II the treasury
lives Ia one 4 the hsnisomest houses il
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