The age-herald., 1902-03-16

WaSn1nSIon, March l5.-(Special)-In the dead days of developing boyhood Wash ington, in a way, broke my heart. Though proud of position and vain of the few hundreds, which seemed to me vast wealth. it monthly brought me. the City of the Nation appalled, me with m unac- countable sadness, joined to toll that in itself was and has always been joyous. Not content with enylable public office, the boy constantly scribbled little stuff for which tho newspapers paid him abun- dantly, the ever beloved Screws, Rapier and Glass of his own Alabama seasoning that which was just with that which was affectionately generous.
 Still the young spirit, from childhood given to sadness, was burdened by the vast unrest of Washington; and that fu- ture which was to bring so much honor and joy undeserved, remained black under the unreasonably- raised vapor of sus- picion.
 When word came to the youth bidding him to go far away, he was glad that the sea was to be placed between him and the Washington he loved not; and for many years thereafter he refused to revisit the old scenes of the old sad- ness. except when whipped and spurred by necessity.
 How far away all that sad Washington seems now-how far it really is!
 Centuries of the spirits wandering through, and finally out from, unrest roll between the old days of Washington sad ness and these days of Washington glad ness.
 How splendid and noble Is this pres- ent-day Washington, how wondrously bright and joyous How enticing to and beloved of the American youth, as grown man after many far wandering in many a far landI
 Today the wind blows from the south. and it's whispering is heard by ears at tuned to the newer melodies fashioned of the freighted years. In flaming the face 1t fans into glowing light many fancy that is bright; and about the great white pal aces of the people, gleaming in the glory of the vernal sun, this wind from the south sings a song but faintly heard by the many-headed thing we call the na- ton.
 Joy comes at the bidding of this won- drous beauty in these calm, sweet Lenten days, when the penitent have more in their proud penance to rejoice for than all the impenitent great ones and small or the earth around; when divine truth ana vine mercy kiss each other over the humblest that bend to the Kindly Light!
 
 The storms are spent, in atmosphere and in spirit, and in tne lncomparabie beauty of Washington there is peace after vain troubling, faith after folly, love and duty after many things of doubt that tried and would have destroyed.
 From a cosmopolis to which the world tuned, Lent changed Washington to a Montgomery of beautifully powered quie- tude of calm repose, of sweet and friend ly peacefulness. in which all men were neighbors and everybody was every body's hail-felcw in the dear old Mont gomery ways, which elsewhere in the world are unequalled in comradery! Lent has never seemed so comforting and so soothing Whatever many of the varying forms of religion may counten- ance or encourage the world of fashion
  ward customs of the Lenten season as they have prevailed for nearly twenty centuries; and to have ones name in the society columns of the public jour- nals in connection with exacting festivi- ties in Lent is to create an unfavorable impression as to ones social standing. Ever pagans in society are bound by this ancient law of the church. It is unfash- ionable to even attend the opera in Lent except upon exceptional occasions. And this Is to a large extent the purely world ly view of a period that multitude of pious ones hold in reverence
 Society in Washington, apart from re- ligious convictions, was more than ready to welcome Lent with thankfulness, for the liveliest and most distinguishing sea- son the capital has ever experienced had brought to socety's faithful adherents the inevitable physical and mental fatigue.
 The rude and the stupid are ever harp ing that in society in its limited sense there is no intellectual life; but those who are neither rude nor stupid are aware that there could be no respectable so- ciety without the primary intellectual basis upon which 1t all Is buslded.
 As for the religious view, many of the brightest and most dominant men in the society of every land are preachers of the Gospel. These preachers do not dance very few men of any calling ever dance. that delightful and beneficial pastime be- Ing left to youth, men neither requiring nor desiring 1t; but the younger members of society have been always encouraged to dance. In Washington, as in all intel