A Belle's Conquest At Washington

Somo gifted quill-dnver ouajht to rake up the annals of the National Hotel, that abounds in comió and sorious evonts. For many, mnny yeara it was the headquarters and grand rendezvous of political pumps, journaliste and prominent social actors and actresses of past gene ations. Tbc volumes of register alone that must bo extant would baas valuablo as patent office reports, and as intexesting as those of the Agricultural Bureau. There was ' a time when Prosidents eloct went from the Xational to bo inaugurated, and lovely belles swept through the parlora, captivating beaux knmvn to tho Union. The thought brings up one of the the last nam cd sort, whose entrañes to a ballroom was the ovation to a queen - a fair girl from tho West, and at whose feet the so-called statesmen of the day bowed in lovo that approached adorittion. She married ono of these statesmen, and a rival belle, her superior in wit, but not equal in beauty, said, commenting on tho event : " You wonder at tho match because you do not understand it." " What do you mean 't " " I mean that she married ono term in tho Senato." " What a small ambition - only six yenrs out of a lifotime." " Six years ïmtke up a woman's social lifo. After it is a living toinb in the nursery ; and then she has her chances." ■' What do you mean 't " "Did you nover read tho stny of the philosopher who undertook tho difiicult tank of making tin; Paaha's donkey read the writton words of the prophet." " Nevei did ; teil me." " The philosopher, like aV philosophers, wns poor. At times Vio -was hmiyry. :it ;'.!i hours ho was ragged. Ho. offered the I'asiia to teacb his donkey to read in five But duiing tho difficult task lic was to be clothed in purple and ttne linon, fcd on tho best, and todged in a palace. If he failod, th' p in llty was death. One day an old friend met iiim leading forth the donkey to tlio grove wiiero the lcs.sni worö supposcd to be given, and hc said, ' Surelv you do not espeet that ass to read ? ' Tho philosppher, putting his thumb to his nose, winkod one of his learned eyós and said nothing. But,' continnod tho friend, 'ifyoufail at the end of the tivu years you will anrely bo stranglcd.' ' My friend,' responded the philosopher, ' you forget that in that time the ass mav die.' ThosJ are her chances.