The Great Capitol

To the Editor of Tmc Register : gIB:_Washington society is just getting ready to begin a round of receptions and parties which will sustain its reputation of being the social centre of tbe land. The deatl. of ex Secretary of the Treasury Manning, has had the effect of causing a temporary cessation of social gatherings in official circles, but the general reception at the White House will be held on Monday as planned, and will formxlly open the social season. Af'.er that, the President and Mrs. Cleveland will hold afternoon and evening receptions each week throughout the seagon. Social etiquette allows the President to hold the örst reception of tbe geason, and after that, the meoibers of the cabinet and foreign ministers vie with each other in giving grand parties. It is generally conceded that the most successful in this line are Secretary and Mrs. Whitney who give sonoetime8 two a week, and frequently pay three or fourthousand dollars a month for floral decorations. Washington has two citizens of whom it may well be proud ; both have attained world-wide fame, the one for his wise nnd generous donations lor charitable purposes, and the other as a man of letters, and both live near together on the same street. I refer to W. W. Corcoran, who, last Wednesday celebrated bis ninetieth birthday at his home within a mile of the place at which he was bom, and George Bancroft, his junior by less than three years. A great many psople who visit this city spend their time at the capitol or other government buildings and go away without seeing some of the greatest ctiriosities. In one of the museum are two bullets which met in the air. They re fastened togelher and almost shapeless, but et II it is possible to teil lrom their appearatce which was fired from a Confedérate and which from a Union rifle. In one of the rooms of the Treasury is a twenty dollar bill executed with pen and ink. It was po well done that it circulated as a regular bill uniil almost worn out bt-fore it was discovered to be counterfeit. The per.ou says that the man who made the bill has been enpaged in the work eight years, and is still at large. It is eslimated that with bis tkill, shculd he devote a like araount of labor to some legitímate work, he could eara at least a thousand dollars, but he appears to prefer running the risk of receiving a long term in prison, just for the pleasure of deceivinc; the people. Thereia another mancnfined in an ir.sane ayslum near the city who shows alrnost as much skill in the eame direetjon, but the bilis he makes are unlike at. y ever made by the governmeot. Ou one side he has two large locomotives with the capitol betweea thetn, and on the other a portrait, probably of sonne meraberof his family. The details are carefully worke i ouf, but of oourse, such a bilí would deceive no one. When he has completed a bilí he hands it over to his physician to be passed. as he thiuks him to be aa accooipl.ce. It is quite probable that there will be a zoological garden in this city, to be supported by the government. A low building bas been erected just back of the Smithsonian, and the few animáis collected by Mr. Hornaday, the naturalist, on his recent trips tbrough the west in eearch of buffalo and grizxly bears, have been placed therein. Should the government take hold of the project in earnest, ia a few yenrs we will have a collection that will rival those of London or Paris. Washington, D. C, Jan 2, 1888.