Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-13

II W3WX sonel knoWleuge as re-
lated in these columns
| SlN My esteemed friend,
q ! q u Mr.. Hamilton Clements
Of the Department Of
State, mistakes the locality mean when
speak Of the Mr.. Gibson who kept paper store
| on Pennsylvania avenue between the establish
ment OF the Messrs. Calf and The STAR Office
have heretofore mentioned Mr.. Richard Glib
son, OF whom Mr.. Clements speaks so feelingly
| and who was his teacher. and who lived for
years IN the house corner of d and 18th streets
Mr.. Clements says: THAT gentle, kind and
| amiable old gentleman, Richard Gibson, the
painter OF the panoramas of Quebec and Mag
ara Falls, and which we're presented to the
pupilc at the 'rotunda,' which. maybe you re-
member was constructed for them and stood on
the reservation at the corner of 18th street and
pennsylvania avenue. These works excited the
greatest enthusiasm, as you will learn by refer
ence to theNdtiondlI nelgencer of that date fifty
years ago. The rOtunda was occupied by Mr..
Pauley, after the removal of the Quebec and
niagara rails panorama, by his flying horses,
which have little doubt you oftentimes rode
upon for penny or two a ride"
THE PANORAMA
referred to and the flying horses are wildly
recalled to my memory, and subse auently Mr..
Vanderlyn, the painter of the Landing OF
place. Pauley's Museum was removed. with
the flying horses, to a building on C street next
to the Bank of Washington, where one of his
attractions remember was Miss Honeywell,
the lady with no arms who cut profles with
her toes. In a second letter from INV con-
temporary, Mr.. Clements, he confounds VIM.
L. Bayly with the Mr.. Gibson who kept O paper
store near HE STAR Office but. bless me, Mr..
Bayly was a modern, while Mr.. Gibson occupied
the store alluded to when was small boy,
md Mr oy-lr 4
anu came some twenty years later. Mr.
Clements says: THE house YOU cite as occu-
pied by Gibson was previously occupied by
Mons. Dupont, whose mixture Of snuff was
famous the country over" OF again. my friend.
MIR. Duport and afterward Lewis johnson, and
James p. Mexican, and then VIM. +. Bayly,
was next to Calls. Mr. Clements does not
recall the panorama Of Vanderlyn. and says:
He did have the superintendence of some
panoramas in New York, but it resulted in
disaster to him.
NOTED PAINTINGS.
He painted "Ariadne" and "Caias Marius in
the Ruins Of Carthage" which were exhibited
here, as have often heard Mr.. Gibson speak
OF them. recall them and their exhibition
secured Mr.. Vanderlyn the order for the paint
ing In the rotunda. The "Ariadne" was in the
collection Of the latesJames C. Mcclure The
exhibition here Of columbus at the Council
Of Salamanca" by VIM. H. Powell, now in the
collection of Mr.. James Brown, the banker.
secured him the order for the "De Soto" in the
rotunda, as tho exhibition Of "Washington
Crossing the Delaware secured Lentze the
order for Westward the Star of Empire"
CHANGE IN SOCIAL AND OFFICIAL LIFE
The material changes which mark the prog
ress OF the age in Washington, celebrating
landmarks Of the past and leaving in their
place Improvements combining beauty and
comfort, are not more radical than the change
in the tone and manner Of social and official
life. The heavy, dignifed official went out
with the Polk administration. 1t had elm
gered superfiuous on the stage" from a period
long anterior to that epoch but like ruffied
shirts, knee breaches and the minuet it dsap-
peared under the new dispensation, which dates
from the close of the Mexican war and the set
tiement OF California by the Argonauts
DIGNITY IN THE SENATE.
Up to that period the Senate was very dig
nifed body. There was no invasion of the
youthful spirits which now prevail. In keep
ing with that dignity cloaks were the fashion
then, and hence the name of ''cloak room"
which remains as reminder Of the time when,
not unlike the Roman toga, Senator Benton,
the Senator from Missouri, wrapped in many
yards OF broadcloth, strobe (Col. Benton always
strode he never walked) into the Senate cham
Der, every inch Senator" He was one of the
handsomest men Of that period, as unlike the
young bloods Of the Senate today as were Cicero
or Cato. The merry jest, the prac teal joke, the
sparkling repartee, were unheard amid the
rumblipg of forensic debate They were re-
served for the dinner table, the social forum.
Some few Senators Of that period have de-
scended into our age, bringing with them the
ponderous appearance and the
INcApAcITY TO SEE Or RELISH JOKE.
Is 1t within the range of imagination to sup
TrS.l~ n, n.
ney Smiths suggestion Of surgical operation
to enable a Scotchman to get Joke into his
head would be indispensable in the case Of
Judge Davis: nor would be altogether useless
in the case of Senator Mcdonald, while Senator
Sumner would defy the whole college of sur.
geons to inoculate him with humor. The Sem
ate Of today is as unlike that speak Of as il il
represented different civilization. The toga
and the senatorial robes are today among the
curiosities in the national museum, where, with
the uniform OF Washington, they are cherished
as relics Of the long past. The grave and
reverend sigpiors' who today tread these halls
and display their eloquence are clad in shoot
ing jackets and getaways
INNOVATIONS FROM THE WEST.
The first invasion in the ponderous STYLE Of
the long past was made from two of the young
est sisters Of states when Oregon sent Senator
Nesmith and Nevada sent Senator Jim Nye.
Both have crossed the dark river. but the MEM
DRY of them will live while wit and hume remain.
No dignity. however intrenchod. could resist
two such innovators; slowly but inevitably it
gave way, and when the Hon. George Vest was
sent from Missouri to take the seat OF Col. Ben
ton the ghosts Of the past departed. Among
the ancient worthless Of that past there was
one OF the most distinguished, the Senator from
Maryland, Reverdy Johnson. who did not feel
he was soiling his toga in hearing or telling
good joke. He was as full Of wit and humor as
any Of those who came after him, but he was a
shining exception. There was . gentleman
who represented Oregon since Senator Vest has
been on the floor OF the Senate who was 40
impervious to joke that the Missouri Senator
told friend that when he told Slater anything
funny, HE looked at me as IL was case OF
yellow fever and he was a freezing ship"
AN EvENTFUL PERIOD.
Among the visitors in Washington this winter