Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-10-10

coats and enriches collar and harness with
its ferry gold.
And most of all at night, when the
trees are all breathing again, and the
broad streets are quiet; when the great
army of workers is gone TO It's boarding
house quarters, and the little regiment Of
do nothingsi is broken up into squads to
hunt the beast of Boredom with laughter
and sometimes with tears when the stars
play hide aud seek with the moon round
the corners of the silent Capitol, and kiss
the great liberty on either cheek, high in
the cool, dark blue air when the moon
beams run quivering through the rustling
leaves, and weave white lace across the
darkening pavement; when the soft lights
stream from the windows of the White
House, across the broad lawn, and
through the trees, to the high railings of
theavenue when the darky boy and girl
hand in hand, pour out their little tale of
woe to the passing dandy, trotting beside
him as he strolls along in white tie and
black cloak, on his way from dinner to
reception when the herdic cab backs
up under the trees against the curbstone,
swinging wide its selfopening doors and
throwing its bright flash out upon Wis
ion of fair hair, and satin, and white lace
and slim silk clad ankles, just as the i'm
passive English footman opens the door
of the house and lets out a blaze of other
light; when now and then, the over
smooth, honey sweet voices Of colored meu
echo very softly from back streets to the
resonant little drumming and twanging
of banjo. There is assuredly something
in it all that suggests romance, something
that delicately stirs the heart with pre-
moniton, as it were, of some other heart
waiting for it somewhere, in shadow or
moonlight, or monday sunshine.
There is this fundamental difference be-
tween the general aspects of Washington
and New York. The latter, cramped for
space on its narrow island, has increased
by building higher. The former unham-
pered by limits Of nature, has spread over
an enormous area of naturally fertile
land. There is, indeed, an even greater
regularity of plan in Washington than in
New York, to which the ruler and square
were applied, so to say, after the city had
grown out of infancy. But in the capital
this regularity is not forced upon the eye
by the unbroken succession of blocks sue
ceeding blocks, for miles, in wearisome
similarity Of architecture, and with such
a monotonous absence of landmarks in
some regions as to puzzle western path
finder.
On the contrary, the lines are every
where broken by the variety Of detach-
ment where dwellings stand alone, and
feathered all along their length with
graceful trees. In New York, business is
the main fact idleness and its dwellings
are incidents. In Washington it is the
other way for business is only incident
al, government is the main occupation,
leisure is the common ri j ut Of many, and
idleness is the privilege Of not few
More than New York, too, Washington
is subject in its aspect to the influence Of
the seasons, in proportion as there is more
of nature to be seen everywhere, more
grass to turn brown and green again,
more trees to lose their leaves in winter
and to bud in spring, more sky, since the
streets are wider, and the houses lover
And in winter in Washington brings the
white surprise Of snow rather than the
discomfort of sullen and dirty slush, and
a sudden thaw and quick-succeeding
frost will cast the trees in brilliant ice, as
il were, making of each twig a miracle
in crystal, and of every gnarl and knob
and withered berry a crown diamond set
in virgin silver.
The poets sing of a fountain whose waters
bring back lost youth
But no one has ever found it. Still there's a
germ of truth
In the deamers' fable Of fancy, for there exists
to-day
A draught that banishes sorrow and drives
despair away.
From women whose lives have become 2
burden, on account of diseases to which
women are alone subject. The well-known
"Favorite Prescription" prepared by DR..
,,,o,- he ol,la IN hriuO ha oh youth