The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-07-15

| WOLldl cOulu get through a season VIII
nothing but sun umbrella. Women
discard hats after o'clock and stroll
around the streets bareheaded without
even the apology Of scarf. They ride
down Connecticut avenue without hats
They walk down the business streets
without hats to the theater, and stroll
up at II o'clock, stop at a soda fountain
and stand there with head uncovered
They walk way down Pennsylvania
avenue and through the parks bare
headed. They walk to church and at.
tend prayer meeting In the same COM
Portable state. They fill the horse cars,
and it is amazing that women who dis
play such supreme Indifference to hats
can be slaves in winter and parade such
monstrosities as hats in the theater. In
the popular ice cream resorts not one
woman in dozen will have hat on.
The city seems to have gone out of the
millinery business. There is more free
dom, so far as hats and dressing go here,
than at nine-tenths of the summer re-
sorts, and that is why Washington peo-
pie manage to survive.
Men are as happy and unconventional
as women. What would be thought if
Jay Gould or Willie Vanderbilt sat on
the corner of a street tipped back in a
chair until midnight or later, and yet
that is the kind of sight seen here every
night. A favorite corner is that above
Newspaper row, by the Ebbitt House.
For years it has been the custom after
dinner for the hotel patrons to occupy
the broad sidewalk. There are two or
three trees and there is row of chairs
tilted back against those two trees every
night. 1t is great political corner, and
was always Major McKinley's favorite
lounging place on hot nights. The gov
ernor was a magnet and drew many
well known men there. If any one
wanted to see Mckinley that was the
first place to look for him, and he was
sure to be found the center of the side
walk group. At the next corner below
is Wizards, and here every night is a
congressional group of southerners and
westerners There is Tarsney, of Mis-
souri,, talking over the house work with
Dockery. Morrison, of Illinois, and his
wife are generally there, too, with hand
some Shiveley, of Indiana, and his pretty
little wife. Wizards is the greatest
place for women who are interested in
politics, and these nights the group al
ways contains Mrs. Tarsney, who knows
more about Missouri politics than any
other woman living. Mrs. Dockery is
close by her, and the only thing that
breaks up the party is the late supper
that is feature of Washington hotel
life.
The doorsteps of the cabinet houses
are never deserted. The Mobiles use
theirs, although they have a side lawn,
a great rarely, where a fountain plays
and the ladies walk about or lazily
swing in hammocks. When he isn't
over to the White House Steve Elkins is
pretty apt to be found hopping his
brown brow on the doorsteptof his mag
mansion on Mcpherson square.
Around the corner on Vermont avenue,
where Secretary Foster is keeping bach
elor's hail. there is jolly couple. Uncle
Jerry Rusk comes over from his house
Oh the other side of the circle to see how
many cigars Mr.. Foster is smoking.
Then they tilt back in couple of chairs
and tell stories. Sometimes Senator Al
ison comes over and joins them, but he
s prone to occupy his own brownstone
steps next door in lonely grandeur and |
,all back and forth to the cabinet couple |
when he has an idea. Secretary Tracy
S never found on his doorstep. He goes
,ver to the Metropolitan club and takes
IN airing there. The postmaster gen.
rails house is supposed to be vacated
or the summer, but to look at it no one
would ever suspect that the postmaster
general had it all to himself. 1t looks
by large family and it is a
pleasure of Mrs. Wanamaker's to keep
t so. Evenings the lights are turned
ow, but the blinds are open and through
hem can be seen vases filled with fresh
lowers and other signs of habitation. al
hough no one but Mr.. Wanamaker Is
here.
One of the drollest ideas for keeping
DOL is the favorite practice of several of
he legations. The South American
eople have fondness for horse cars
nd electric cars. These sitting hot
lights several of them form parties, and
he secretaries with their wives and
take car, have ride and
lind up on the terraces of the Capitol,
yhere if there is breeze to be found in
he city it is there. They stroll about
ne capitol and walk or dream in the
Moonlight till midnight. Then they
-alk down in the cooler night after the
reefs have grown quiet.
The family in the White House keep
cry quiet these days and nights. They
ave late supper and then adjourn to
ne south veranda, where the president
nokes and entertains such people as
ome in. If it were not for this piazza
fe wouldn't be worth living in this
leather in the White House. The ladies
I the family seldom make evening tot
ties now.
One of them is always with Mrs. Har-
son, and the other with the president.
ometimes the president goes down with
lem and strolls through the grounds,
ut it isn't the fun it might be. There
re more mosquitoes to the square inch
4 the White House lawn these nights
ian in any other part of Washington,
Icept on the Potomac flats. The marsh
g rises and it isn't the healthiest resort