Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-06
calmly but belonged to a naval family and,
no doubt was considered fine place.
A Georgia Beauty.

| "Once the home of Hugh HARRISON Of
| Georgia, the friend and hacker Of John c..
| Calhoun Che was always a fire-eater), the
place is still pointed out where HARRISON
| had something more than a mere political
| encounter in the old House of Representa-
tives. With him it was a word and a blow
| only the blow came first. He was the rich
| man of Georgia. and came to Congress
| with his family, servants and outrfders, In
carriages, all the long distance. 1t was an
| event when the Haralsons arrived; the
| daughters were beauties-one Of them be-
came the wife of Gen. John B. Gordon
| hospitality unstinted and political power
! unquestioned. it wasn't every man that
| had such pact with good fortune.
1.-The gayest house then was what You call
now the old Van Ness place. Heavy
coaches Of those days, filed with fine
| then there were traditions of deep cellars
| and a secret underground passage that led
| to the Potomac. No one was disturbed. no
one cared. Still, it is house that has
history that can be dovetailed into our MIS-
| tory as nation.
/ 1.-THE canal. that is now covered up. had
picturesque look. Every street had
| bridge Going a-fshing meant fishing in
the raging canal Pretty girls often in
| dulged in the pastime, and the beaux fol-
| lowed suit. Washington was a Sleepy Hol-
| low most Of the year and there was plenty
| Of time
| How distinctly I remember seeing Pres
| ident-elect William Henry Harrison. AS he
landed in Washington he stepped from
| close. box-like car: which was run on a
| wooden rail with fiat iron top. very prim-
| tive indeed. 1t was near the day Of the in
auguration
BE Walked Up Town.
ut was showing. the street and sidewalk
| slushy. He walked along Pennsylvania ave-
nue. with a sturdy air. though he looked
| thin and delicate; he wore a heavy. long
cloak. On that day he contracted a cold
| that developed into pneumonia. 1 believe
| by the 4th Of April he was dead.
ITO me he had the air Of being thorough
| bred Afterward." said the gentleman. Il was
| one of the twelve marshals who escorted
| General Taylor to the Capitol and back to
the White House. to the blue room, where
we formed into a solemn line. whispering
as each person passed that there could be-
| no shaking Of hands. as the Presidents
| right hand was temporarily disabled. The
| faces Of the visitors became a study, dis
appointed In not having the American priv
| ilege: some even walked on tip-toe. Every
thing was solemn. General Taylor look
ed like his pictures. There Is another pic
turesque figure, old Sam Houston. who
| Indian Queen Hotel, now Metropolitan,
wearing big sombrero hat. turned up at
one side: a capacious neckerchief. and an
| ample military coat, something of the Dor
der ruffian style; but when Houston spoke
or smiled the grotesque effect ended and
polished gentleman appeared: many were
the absurd stories told about his character
istics, but he was always In great demand.
There were so many small cemeteries
scattered all over Washington that a stran-
ger might have thought that family or
even a small chapel was not Of much &C
count unless it had a private graveyard
of its own. What has become of them
and whence have they disappeared is a
mystery to an old-timer like myself. And
01d vnyo hnn cycy H1pG
haps. Time hangs heavy and moves at
snairs pace, so say adieu."