Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-03-21
OI.D PoINT, March 10, 1900,

OLD POINT, March 10, 1900
| FRIEND MUNSoN:--Lenten season in
Washington is welcomed by society.
Tired human nature can rest Break
fasts. teas. afternoon dinners and dances
are off The private dinncrs go on TO
pay obligations. Once year the
President gives card reception to the
army and navy. The White House is
usually filed to the capacity ta stand
and move We were favored with
| tickets of admission and got squeezed
between the army and navy. 1t was
brilliant with the gilt of the officers and
| decollete dress of the ladies, in low
bodice. Washington contains many re-
tired officers who are now old and
bronzed in the service ON the plains. in
the long struggle with Indians. The
naval officers, too, are bronzed with the
long voyages at sea, and are now wait
| ing the finish. Admiral Dewey. with
his wife, brilliant with diamonds and
pearls, were in the jam. General Scho-
field. grey and grizzled leadinga a petite
bundle of human flesh in low bodice and
sparkling with jewels, too, were in tho
surging mass The marine band was in
two sections playing sweet music The
great crowd pushed out of the Blue room
elegantly trimmed with the stars and
stripes and flowers in profusion, down
through the long corridor, turned to the
dining room, then. reduced to single file,
reached the receiving party. The Presi-
dent smiled and received the guests
graciously saying he was glad to see us. .
Mrs. Mckinley sat smiling as the gilded
and laced procession filed past. Mrs.
Hay, the second lady of the land, stood
next, and she, too, with her strong right
arm, greeted us and seemed pleased with
our attire. The cabinet ladies stood ac-
cording to rank, smiled as sweetly at
my boutonniere as their homelJ counter
ances would admit, The gentlemen of
the cabinet took position in rear of the
receiving line and talked with the girls
invited to look on and see the army, the
navy and the people pass on at the rate
of one hundred and twenty a minutes
therefore, my interview with the Presi-
dent ended in one-half minute, but | saw
the beauty and the chivalry, listened TO
sweet music, squeezed between the girls
and got out alive.
The woman suffragists came to Wash
ington to tell the Judiciary committee
| how beautiful the women, how harmoni-
, GUS the laws, how uplifting the presence
of women at the polls with her pure
white ballot and ribbon in Colorado and
Montona, where women have equal
rights Women of the west, inspired
by the loftiness of the mountains with
their white peaks glistening in Gods
sunlight, their grandeur and sublimity,
came to plead for the ballot. The anti
suffragists, too, faced their sisters anc
asked the committee to spare women
| from the horrors of the American polls
The Woman's Single Tax society assem-
| bled in Washington at the same time,
| had q committee hearing and told the
| law makers the benefits all would receive
| from the single tax. Then the Colonial
| Danes met in annual session, at the
same time the Daughters of the Revolu-
ton eongro gated for business. These
good danes, who had assembled for
| patriotic, educational and benevolent
purposes, went into session for the trans
action of business" The morning papers
said they got mixed upIn parliamentary
usages and had many narrow escapes
from scraps, which lead to the in
quiry. Why cannot woman govern her
own sex by parliamentary rules?" This
was answered oy Representative Bailey
The Milwaukee "one hundred"
came after the national convention and
fell down" Next followed the pure
| food congress, " therefore the hotels have
been benefited
| Admiral and Mrs. Dewey rendered the
| Colonial Danes, the Daughters of the
| Revolution and their friends" a recep-
| ton at the McLane home, the finest in
| Washington. Being a friend" OF the
| Danes and Daughters and delighted TO
be squeezed, crushed and elbowed around
by the girls. / stepped in line, met the
| Admiral and his wife, who were glad
to meet me" Over two thousand of the
| Daughters, Danes and friends were
| inside at one time. The refreshments
were simply ginger snaps, chocolate and
tea which were quickly consumed. The
! girls stood on chairs, cushions, sofas and
portlands: examined fine art, wrinkled
rugs and did all ;he naughty things thai
belong IN an overflow reception, where
society gathers to do honor. These
charming Danes and Daughters wore
their badges. some on left breast, Others
on right; some askew to the left, Others
aslant 10 the right
"Old Point" has an overflow Of poor
tired human nature who come here tc
sniff the salt breeze that comes IN be
tween the capes. Near by is the soldier
home, where few thousand ex-soldiers
find refuge in the last end Of life's jour
ney. just beyond is the Indus rial
school for Indians and the colored race.
Here is an object lesson for the upbuild.
ing Of the unforsu cate, whether they be
native Indian, Negro or Saxon St1l
further is Newport News, ore OF tht
new towns which has large coal anC
wheat shipments a dry dock and navy
yard. Three wal ships are now under
way or being put in commission. Jus
across the road is Portsmouth, with al
old dry dock and navy yard where tht
old men-of war once were dry-dockeC
and repaired. Here, too, is Norfolk
the terminus Of the ~ and W. railroad
one Of the most fourishing cities in tht
country Large shipments OF grain
coal, peanuts, oysters anu truck.
Inspanning at Petersburg, we treket
back to Washington and ON to New
York. The only signs Of Lenten seasoI
here Is the church bulletins, announcing
midday service. We note few veilet
women entering the chapels, but th'
mighty wave of humanity surges onward
to business and sports. New York neyeI
was deeper IN crime, so stated, never -
busy, never 10 prosperous as now, sittini
in the lap of sin, so stated. The theatres
are craInIn I'd TO no more standing room
from Ben Hur down to the vaudeville
10 the MUSEUM, all full. The art gal
leries. libraries and lecture platforms
too. are crowded. Hotels are turning
o,les4a AWAY and restaurants are over