The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-10-20

| has often been for weeks at. time
Van Buren, had windows cut in the
south wall of this house, in order that
he might see the signals displayed by
jackson from the white house.
Almost all of the other II houses on
the west side of the park have been oc-
cupied by distinguished officials; hav-
ing successfully sheltered the families
of Secretary Levi Woodbury., of Van
Buren's cabinet; Secretary John C.
! Spencer, of Tylers cabinet; Gen
Sickles, NJ. c., and Vice President Col
fax.
Directly opposite, across Vermont
avenue, is a small two-story house, now
nest of business offices, where for
many years lived that fighting officer,
Commodore Morris, who commanded
| the Pensacola before New Orleans,
| showing the same energy that his
grandfather, Robert Morris, showed,
when as Washington's finance officer
he made the revolution success.
In the house number 10 have dwelt
several distinguished people. There
lived for years Maj. Rathbone and his
wife, who sat in the theater box by
| Abraham Lincoln's side when he was
slain. and whose subsequent life is too
sad to be recalled.
Diagonally opposite the park is the
home of the Cosmos cub, in the great
mastic building erected by James
Madison, when, in 1901, he came tc
| Washington and served as Jefferson's
secretary of state till he was elected
| president. Thither, 20 years later
| Dolly" Madison returned after her
husbands death, and there for Is years
she held court and dispensed, during
the remainder of sunny life, gra.
cious hospitality. 1t afterwards became
the residence of Admiral Wilkes, when
Slidell, whom he was soon to take of
q British ship on the high seas, lived
within a stones throw.
In the next two houses have dwelt
Secretary Window, Senator Fenton
and Col. Robert G. Ingersoll; and in the
next below, Admiral Padding, a son
of that obstinate soldier. John Pauld,
ing, who captured Maj. Andre The
house was built by Oglc Taylor and is
now owned by ex-senator Don Cam
eron.
The most famous house on the square
has been removed to make room for an
opera house. 1t was originally the
elite clearinghouse of Washington
and numbered among its guests John
c. Calhoun, when he was Jackson's
secretary of war and vice president, and
Henry Clay when he was Adams see,
rotary of state; then it became the prop.
erty of the celebrated Washington club
and the place where assembled the rich
and influential young men of the CAPT
tai. Sickles and Key were both mem.
bers, and the tragedy which associates
their names took place in front of its
door; later it became the residence OF
Secretary Seward, and there the deadly
| assault was made upon him by the as.
sassin, Payne; lastly, it was the home OF
James G. Blaine, the third secretary Of
state who has dwelt within its walls
and the seventh who lived upon the
park.
This remarkable square might prop
erly be christened Cabinet park, fol
around il have lived, at different times
members of the official families of II
presidents. And, ever since the white
house was built, the presidents have
lived opposite, and have held their cabi-
net meetings there. 1t is probably the
only one of the many public reserva
tons in Washington, of which it may
truthfully be said that every member
of the cabinet of every administration
from the beginning of the present cen
fury. has walked through II. and en-
joyed It's beauty. SMITH Q. FRY.