Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-09-16

ted. Even the most aff1uent of the
young women usually made their own
dancing slippers from satin, and 1t
was always considered proof of pup
ularity when debutante succeeded in
dancing through her shoes" in one
evening.
All of the shoes. for that matter.
were made on the estates, usually by
negro shoemakers. and they were
rather poor footgear. The result was
that nobody walked it wasn't con-
sidered good form, unless one was 60
ing only a very short distance, and
in that case a slave walked before
with a lantern; for this leading Amer
lean city had no street lamps. It's
police force consisted of a number of
night watchmen who patrolled the
streets and called out "All's Well" at
every hour. . .~-
Marriage was formal matter in
those days. The young man made his
proposals not to his chosen one, but to
her father 1t Is suspected that this
rule has been broken, but from the
time Of the betrothal everything was
done according to formula. For one
month before her marriage day, the
bride did not 60 out and saw no men
except her afianced, The wedding al
ways took place on Wednesday
morning. On Thursday morning the
groom gave dinner for all his male
friends. the women being ngidly ex-
"cluded. and on Friday the bride SINH
larly entertained her friends. On Sat
urday there was general entertain
ment and on Sunday the entire wed.
ding party went to church. This form
of procedure was invariably followed
for long period
Georgetown reached the heyday Of
its glory soon after the founding OF
Washington. The capital was then
nothing but swamp, and the brilliant
society which gathered about it found
a home in the older city This in
fusion of diplomats from all parts Of
the world and politicians from all parts
OF the country into the quiet life Of
the old Maryland city gave rise to
many romatic events. 1t was at this
time that the Russian Ambassador,
De Bodisco, fell in love with a little
Georgetown girl OF humble parentage.
named Williams. Although he was an
old man, and the girl but sixteen years
old. and very slightly educated, the
diplomat insisted upon marrying her.
The Georgetown girl, however, proved
wholly equal to the situation When
her aged husband died, she rageous
ly went to Russia alone, was sDlendid-
ly received at court and spent the rest
Of her life in Europe. ;....
There were also sinister phases of
this curiously mixed society which
gathered in Georgetown. A few miles
away in Maryland. near Bladenburg,
by numerous fatal conflicts, and by the
duels took place there. The encoun.
ter was between Jonathan Cilley. a
democratic congressman from Maine.
and William J. Graves. 4 Whis from
Kentucky. Its cause was as unimport-
ant as is usual in the case of duels.
Cilley had alleged in a speech that
journalist named Webb had accept.
ed bride. Ora yes brought Cilley a
challenge from Webb; but Cilley re-
fused to fight the newspaperman On
the ground that he was mo gentle
man. Graves got over this difiiculty
by challenging Cilley himself. this ap-
parently being required by the ethics
Of the situation, although there was
no real Quarrel between Graves and
Cilley. This was in February, 1885.
The weapons used were rifles at eighty
yards-a most unusual sort of duel.
After each shot the seconds asked the
combatants II they were satisfied. but
Cilley refused to yield. At the third
round he fell MORALLY wounded. 1t
was after this event that the duelling
act was passed, making it q crime to
carry or accept a challenge in the
District of Columbia. s.-, ,
These exciting days in old George
town passed with the upbuilding of
Washington. The requirement of for.
eign governments that their represen.
tatives live in the city took away the
rule was made to apply to congress-
nan and senator's. With the Civil
War came hard times. Most of tho
people who dwell in Georgetown were
southern pathizers; many Of them
left their homes during the war. and
returned to them after having lost all
their wealth. More than one proud
mansion became boarding house.
But the bitter feelings that grew out
Of the war healed with time, and old
Georgetown finally became, what she
is today. a part Of Washington and
one Of it's most attractive residential
districts. '...-@