Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-09
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR


August 81. 1885, after q long fight over the
Kansas provtso. which was
Campaign finally eliminated from the
Forecast, army appropriation bill.
Then the political pot began
to boil most furiously. and guesses as to
the outcome Of the presidential campaign
were rife In The Star of September ..
1856. appears the following summary OF
straws indicating tho course OF the pont-
ical wind:
"It Is well known that in q political can
vass every party having hopes OF success
will bet freely on the result. even when
their grounds for wagering money are e1-
ceedinsly slight indeed. We refer. OF
course, In these remarks to the betting men
of the different parties. In the current can
vass. however, it appears that AL nope Oh
defeating Buchanan and Breckenridge mas
faded from the minds OF the knowing ohes
among their opponents This IS maMlese
In the failure Of the friends of Fillmore
and Fremont to take up the wager OF
S., 200 recently offered through tue Cn.oLi'
with q premium of $1,000 each, that Penn
sylvania will elect the democratic eiec.oi a.
ticket. in the failure of our opponents 10
take up the 5000 wager on limos an H
the 81 600 and $1,000 wagers on inolana' NJ
fered Saturday and Monday through lns
Star. We may add that we hnd Wagels "
going a begging in the Californla news
papers. Though we do not advise Detths,
we know well that the refusal or tnese
Wagers argues that the calculating men
among the opposition abandon the contest
as hopeless Otherwise their advice would
be eagerly sought after by numbers OF pet
ting men. Conceding to MI. Bucna nan
Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois and CAN
fornia Is conceding the surety OF his cleo
ton beyond peradventure.'
It has long been a stock joke that prac-
tically the first thing shown to stranger
in a town in this country
Congressional was always the cemetery
Cemeterv. there being little architec-
ture of sufficient merit out
side of the mortuary precincts to arouse
local enthusiasm. This has never applied
to Washington even in the days of its ugly
processes of evolution from a farm region
into a capital. But there was nevertheless
certain degree Of local pride in the ceme-
terry equipment, as the following extract
from The Star Of September 5. 1856, will
indicate:
Few strangers visiting Washington take
the Eastern branch or Congressional ceme-
terry in the range of their sightseeing
tours Yet there are really few places In
the District of Columbia Of more interest
to those coming among us from distance
Apart from the natural beauty OF It's PIC
works of the scuptors art with which it
is embellished, an hour spent within Its
limits brings upon the mind OF the observer
rush of American historical "reminiscences
hardly otherwise to be conjured up In these
days OF universal exertion and strife over
the affairs of the present moment. Hun
dreds of those who have within the last
thirty years indelibly impressed their names
upon the country's annals, military, naval
and civil, lie entombed there; and as one
reads the brief biography of each these
heroes and statesmen. flood OF grateful
recollection necessarily rushes through the
memory, even Of the visitor little given TO
take the trouble of thinking. Though the
cemetery in question may not vie in ex-
pensiveness and elaboration Of its adorn-
| ments with a few at the north, its treas
make it. emphatically. far more interesting
than any other last resting place In this
country"
Fashion changes so quickly nowadays
that a woman's dress of three years ago
looks oddly out Of place to-
Feminine day, to the keen feminine
Fashions eye. But it would not re-
| quire such an eye to de-
tect the differences between the woman's
gear of the present and that Of half CEN
fury ago. Any mere man might recognize
the antiquity of the styles which are de-
| Star of September 6, 1856, relative to the
latest hints from the centers of fashion:
|. "FlounceS and silk robes are beginning
| to take the place of the muslins and tissues
of q warmer season. and are as popular
as when they first made their appearance
Dark blue taffetas. with their founces COW
cred with a rich embroidery of flowers
and leaves In black velvet, is one of the
various shades of brown. purple. dark green
| with founces embroidered In velvet, in
black or in deeper shade of the
| foundation color. Rich dotted silks
| have founces Of uncut chine velvet. which
looks like q mixture Of a fine and deli
| cately colored chenille. The very broad
stripes Of last winter have become broader
still. If that were possible; very hand
some dark blue silk has each alternate
stripe covered with an exquisite imitation
of black lace. The broad-striped and deli
cately colored poplins are asserting their
claims to attention. and. like cashmere and
diamonds, are always fashionable Water
ed silk is quite favorite and will take
the place of MORE antique, to some extent,
this season.
"a new cashmere morning robe, with a
| shawl border, which extends down the
| front and round the bottom. Is very stylish
| and handsome. much more so than bordered
| with MORE antique. as they were last sea-
SON.
| "Basques are worn deeper. broader, more
decided than ever; trimmed very full with
heavy, knotted fringe and lace.
1.-The surplice or Grecian waist for
evening dresses Is the latest Importation
With these bretelles are not worn but the
| folds are confined by elegant waist rib
! bons. very broad, and with the ends beau
tifully embroidered. Another style is laced
| across chemisette formed of rows Of
Honiton lace: this has bretelles which meet
| in front and form pointed bertha behind.
| Skirts are very full and fearfully founced
The flounces are either embroidered or trim
med with points of colored silk or velvet
| Cashmere shawls and scarfs, with deep
borders, are very handsome this season and
| will be fashionable. A gorgeous looking
| shawl is made of uncut velvet, with a
very bright border Of flowers"
| nHMD YnnuYvvn