PS 991 
 
 i.fll 08 
 
 Copy 1 
 
 OUR 
 
 CITY-PEOPLE 
 
 pi^p pf >p/i. 
 
 J. A. WINEBERGER, 
 
 WASHINGTON. 
 1874. 
 
OUR 
 
 CITY-PEOPLE 
 
 pj^p Pf 'pyvi. 
 
 J. A. WINEBERGER, 
 
 WASHINGTON. 
 
 1874. 
 

PREFACE 
 
 The author considers it hardly necessary to 
 state that no pretension is made in these rhymes 
 to any excellence of either diction, polish, or 
 brilliancy, but the claim is made that there are 
 numerous kernels of truth midst its chaff, and 
 that they are not so deeply covered by the husks 
 of exaggeration as would seem on first view. 
 
 It will be noticed, members of the ** Bud 
 of Wuks " herein mentioned are not at present 
 in the positions referred to, but as this little ef- 
 fusion was written some time ago, and as they 
 are well known here, it was thought scarcely 
 worth while to omit or alter the lines. 
 
 Washington, D. C, Ftbruary^ 1874. 
 
Our City-People. 
 
 There are men — and also women — 
 
 Who reside within our town, 
 And who answer to the names, of course. 
 
 Of Smith and Jones and Brown. 
 
 Some are noted for their dressing, 
 And some for their flow of words : 
 
 Whilst others — young, unknowing things- 
 Sing sweet as the tiny birds. 
 
 And still there re those who do but dance 
 That's what they only care for. 
 
 As though all towns were made for that. 
 And God made beings therefore. 
 
 Again, therere others who but live 
 
 To hoard a glitt'ring pelf, 
 Forgetting that the richest ore 
 
 Is giving from one's-self. 
 
And also there remain a few 
 Who lend their souls to Art ; 
 
 So wholly — Ah ! so wholl}", 
 
 That they're cold and stern at heart. 
 
 They have life and warmth and praises 
 
 For a picture or a bust. 
 But they've nothing, really nothing. 
 
 For poor living human dast ! 
 
 Then therere some who give to Music 
 All their heart and soul and voice, 
 
 Forgetting that their neighbor dies, 
 Whilst they are making choice 
 
 Of whether notes should faster a*o. 
 
 Or slower, or, if not — whv so ? 
 
 &' 
 
 I'd not say for a moment, e'er, 
 That Music, Art, or Terpsichore, 
 
 Are even vmstes of precious time ; 
 But less of each instead of more 
 
 Would doubtless serve as well indeed. 
 
 And leave more hours for others' need ! 
 
 There are also politicians 
 By the dozen and the score. 
 
 AMio, though they say full many words. 
 Repeat themselves the more. 
 
There are some — great bearded mortals, 
 
 "With others — shaven faces, 
 And each one strives most earnestly 
 
 To gain the " fattest " places. 
 
 But, if another chance to seize 
 And hold what they had found, 
 
 Then they use their best endeavor 
 To raze them to the ground. 
 
 For this is really politics : 
 
 To grasp at all you can, 
 And he who holds most surely 
 
 Proves himself the better man ! 
 
 Then there're males, and also females, 
 Who besiege great Congress' doors. 
 
 And who dress in all the gewgaws 
 That are sold within our stores. 
 
 And these lobbies — for they're creatures 
 
 Of very sorry kinds — 
 Oft i)ull the wool, I grieve to say. 
 
 About our Solons' minds ; 
 
8 
 
 And thereby gain their " little case " — 
 
 With a clear fifteen per cent. 
 On all the moneys to be paid — 
 
 E'en though 'tis fraudulent. 
 
 There are rumors, some unfounded, 
 
 That these people do divide 
 AVith their poor, wool-clouded "Members,' 
 
 Though to prove them I've not tried. 
 
 For human nature's friendless sake 
 
 I most earnestly do hope 
 Not more than one in two, at least. 
 
 Have a truth-drop in their scope. 
 
 But I fear me that the motto 
 
 "Where'er there's smoke there's fire," 
 Applies no more to nature 
 
 Than it does to Solon's hire ! 
 
 Then our churches — here's a subject 
 That has always caused dissen.t ; 
 
 Whatever people wrote or said 
 Has seemed most wrongly meant. 
 
 So now I'd say at starting, 
 That, within the church's fold 
 
 There are noble men and women 
 
 Who by deeds show plain their gold. 
 
But our churches, though they're many, 
 
 And cushioned well and fine, 
 Contain great scores of mortals 
 
 Who sternly fail to shine 
 On any modest brother's cause 
 If he knows not their church laws. 
 
 The greater churches now-a-days 
 Are truly — to a stranger's eyes — 
 
 Huge mirrors of the fashion's rule 
 In shapes and colors, forms and dyes. 
 
 Of city temples 'tis I speak : 
 
 Our city is the same as others — 
 
 One's friends are one's 2yev) neighbors ; 
 To such we're truly sisters, brothers ! 
 
 And then, our '• social " balls and fetes 
 
 Ai'e where one greets — most " fully dress'd ' 
 
 The " big -bugs " and the "upper tens," 
 To meet whom is to be most blest. 
 
 The words " full dress " are singular, 
 
 For they really never mean 
 The clothes one wears about them — 
 
 But those at home — unseen ; 
 The more one's " dress'd " when " calling out 
 The longer trails one's train about. 
 
10 
 
 To gain this trail, they cut away 
 
 From arm, throat, shoulder, and below : 
 
 'Tis not a lack of cloth they have — 
 'Tis lack of common sense they show : 
 
 For, where their " necks " make fine display, 
 
 Their shoulder-blades show plain as day ! 
 
 But, though the female sex does this. 
 
 The gents strive manfully to win, 
 And turn their collar points so low 
 
 'Tis hard to tell where they begin. 
 
 They glove their hands in dainty kids, 
 Hued lavender, or lovely pearl ; 
 
 And then they bid the barber, " sar," 
 In bount'ous oil their locks to curl. 
 
 Their pointed boots or shoes — so bright — 
 
 Do fit about their tender feet 
 With narrow hold, like pantaloons 
 
 So tight and clean — so close and neat. 
 
 Their neckties are of striking hues— 
 Best, loud in tone — or colors, rare : 
 
 Yet, incomplete is all, indeed. 
 
 Without their hot-house boutonniere. 
 
11 
 
 A ring upon the finger, third, 
 
 Of sparkling gem or fine-cut stone, 
 
 While studs of gold or gems to match 
 Should spot the snow-white shirt alone. 
 
 Of course black broadcloth is the thing, 
 In style the cut is " swallow-tail," 
 
 And when thus fully, amply rigged, 
 These "gentlemen ' our balls assail. 
 
 Such characters are all received 
 With pleasure in the brow and eye, 
 
 And then — why then they fall to work 
 Each absent person to belie. 
 
 The lady " critics " use them thus : 
 "Her bustle is too large by half:" 
 
 •• She dyes her hair :' "It Isut hers I" 
 
 " Do see her new teeth when she laughs !' 
 
 " She's worn that very same black silk 
 To Grant's and Blaine's, and then for all 
 
 The world to think she'd wear't here 
 When she kacv^ 'twas a full-dress ball!" 
 
 •• But then the silk is rich and fine, 
 
 And the lace " — D'you see her bonnet ?" 
 
 " No !" " Well, her last year's Paris hat 
 Had all that lace upon it !" 
 
12 
 
 " Why ! you don't say so ! I declare 
 Such dressing in this world I never " — 
 
 '' You can't expect a mere clerk's wife 
 To dress in style or taste, dear, ever /" 
 
 " You know he's in the War Office — 
 
 Twelve hundred or so a year, 
 And" — " Sh-sh! don't say 'nymore just now ; 
 
 Here's her cousin, and she may hear!" 
 
 "Miss Clair! good evening, how are youl 
 Is'nt it warm? My sister, Grace." 
 
 Then sotto voce to said sister — 
 
 " Just see the powder on her face !" 
 
 " Miss Ciair ! I'm told your cousin's here ? 
 
 I really hope we'll see her ; 
 You know she always v/as my pet, 
 
 She's such a little dear !" 
 
 " There goes Molly's handsome brother, 
 And he's got those dowdy Smith girls ; 
 
 Such taste in dress Z never saw — 
 Who's that with all those curls?" 
 
 " Oh, by the way. Miss Clair ! 'I learn 'd — 
 Is'nt that Jennings passing here ? — 
 
 I learn'd your cousin's husband's pay 
 Would be increased this year?" 
 
13 
 
 "I wonder why the Browns don't come? 
 
 Thej always like the social air ; 
 They must have been invited — 
 
 Well, if that wasiit the coolest stare I 
 Such peoi)le's one's obliged to meet — 
 We might's well stand out in the street!" 
 
 •' I sometimes think 111 never go 
 
 One more step to these ' receptions ;' 
 
 One's always pulled apart each time, 
 They're fill'd with nothing but deceptions !' 
 
 Catch them away indeed but once ! 
 
 You'd catch a weasel sleeping sound 
 Before one fete of a social Don 
 
 Could pass without them hanging 'round. 
 
 And then the men — these "gentlemen" — 
 
 So gallant, so polite to all ; 
 Glance cynic'ly at everything. 
 
 And eye-glass faces from the wall. 
 
 And while they tread with timed step 
 
 The figures of the " Lancers," 
 They ne'er forget " remarks " to make 
 
 Upon the round-dance "prancere." 
 
14 
 
 Of course these items of discourse 
 Are gently whisper'd in the ear 
 
 Of girls who '-happen" to stand by; 
 One must say soinething to those near I 
 
 And as each word contains a jest 
 
 Each retort puts him to his best. 
 
 Yet, though the men exert themselves 
 'Tis woman rules all social spheres ; 
 
 Where would the pleasure be, indeed, 
 For males to flirt with bearded dears T 
 
 Our ladies have the knack obtained 
 Of "cutting" with such easy air, 
 
 That, though the gents try eer so hard, 
 Their best of efforts ne'er comjDare. 
 
 The motion of a fanning hand, 
 
 While soft and white as feath'ry snow. 
 
 Is frequent eloquent as speech. 
 Yet dealing oft a cruel blow. 
 
 I mean not in a tactile sense, 
 
 But as the mental blow — '* Go hence !" 
 
 And so, perhaps, in more degree, 
 The flashings of their eyes do tell, 
 
 With an effect no man could have : 
 
 Greater the damage, more the " belle ! '" 
 
15 
 
 But yet though truth imj^els my pen 
 lu wording -thus our winter's "life," 
 
 All social circles do but live 
 
 In the same kind of venomed strife ; 
 
 And though 'tis known by other name. 
 
 The cause and results are tlie same. 
 
 Then our writerd — though not many — 
 
 Are always on a busy wing : 
 They say whate'er they think will ''take '" 
 
 And fear nor man nor anything. 
 
 Tlieyve no respect, in truth they've not. 
 
 Though sometimes one might think they had 
 
 They just as often hit the good 
 As ever they chastise the bad. 
 
 E'en our great office — President. 
 
 Protects not from their trenchant pen : 
 While " Secretaries " are to them 
 
 As foot-balls to our little men. 
 
 They gossip ''personality" 
 
 From day to day and year to year, 
 
 And oft they lead us on to think 
 
 That they believe whate'er they hear ! 
 
16 
 
 These dabsters of the mighty quill, 
 
 Though few in score, make up in skill : 
 
 And what they lack in honest will 
 Is fill'd up by the ink they spill. 
 
 And yet — and yet — a sorry time 
 
 Would " city-people " lead without 'em ; 
 
 They'd never truly know, indeed, 
 
 The life that ebb'd and flowed about 'em ! 
 
 No doubt you'll say — '^theyll giYQ him fits 
 YoY shooting such a squib their way," 
 
 But they " know how it is themselves," 
 Each youngster's bound to have his day. 
 
 So if, perhaps, a pen should Imrt, 
 It sometimes shows the greater art : 
 
 For these folk, being cloth'd in mail. 
 Are seldom wounded in the heart. 
 
 Then we've '' Sociables " in plenty. 
 By State residents around. 
 
 Where a whirling world of people 
 Dress'd in choicest garbs are found. 
 
lY 
 
 Here aristocratic noses 
 
 Tui'u with scorn to ev'ry side, 
 
 For bright garments, even satins, 
 Ne'er " plebeian birth " may hide. 
 
 Here we see the wives of workmen 
 Dancing in the same quadrille 
 
 With fair " npper-tendom " lassies — 
 Vis-a-vis with Bob or Bill. 
 
 'Tis a scene kaleidoscopic, 
 
 Both in manner and in sheen ; 
 
 Sober, some, but tipsy, others, 
 From a " little bite " between ! 
 
 For, below this '' Hall "' of dancers. 
 There's a "bar" in fullest ]}Ib.j, 
 
 Where you i^ay a dime for " something 
 Pay, and throw your sense away ! 
 
 Nice young fellows, hard day-workers, 
 Toiling at the " press " or pen. 
 
 Think 'tis manly, showeth knowledge, 
 When they drink like older men ! 
 
 Come there dainty dress'd, quite fitted 
 For the mazy dance's turn. 
 
 Going thence befogged with whiskey ; 
 W/ii/ dont ladies such men S2)ur)i,/ 
 
18 
 
 Then our President's receptions 
 All aglow with brilliant lights ; 
 
 Free to ev'ry man or woman 
 
 As the twinkling stars are, nights. 
 
 Here, Jds presence saves the "fashion" 
 From low contact with "the herd!" 
 
 Here, we walk and stare about us. 
 Seldom saying thoughtful word. 
 
 Here, the Band — " Marino " — discourseth 
 Witching dancing tunes at hand, 
 
 So that youngsters find it awful 
 O'er their feet to hold command. 
 
 Certainly 'twould be improper 
 
 That a galop or a waltz 
 Should occur within that " Mansion ;" 
 
 'Twould be one of Grant's worst faults ! 
 
 Ah ! my friends, if I but possessed- 
 A bright or a pungent wit. 
 
 There are many dwellers with us 
 Whose "waj's" I would like to hit. 
 
19 
 
 Some, who are ".sv> fond of reading,'" 
 Yet never do ought save borrow ; 
 
 They always '• intended to purchase " 
 But that time is ever — "to-morrow!" 
 
 One's magazines have just arrived : 
 
 The evening is cahn and still ; 
 I seat myself to glance them through 
 
 When there knocks and enters — "Will." 
 
 Now "Will " is a man of pleasant voice, 
 
 With a gentlish and clever way ; 
 He's "so fond of seeing the monthlies all" 
 
 And, of course, I ask him to stay. 
 
 Then, also of course, he fills a chair 
 As he takes the last " Old and New ; " 
 
 Is calm for an hour, and then declares 
 He'd "like so to read it (pi'ite through ! " 
 
 Or, may be "tis the ' 'Atlantic," 
 
 Or this very week's " Golden Age : " 
 
 And, like as not, I've never read 
 In either — one single parje ! 
 
 They're kept away ten days for sure : 
 
 And then — just what I feared — 
 When he brings them back with " Thank you. 
 
 They're every one '■'' dog eared !"' 
 
20 
 
 I never can refuse the man, 
 
 And ne'er such a wish could spurn, 
 
 But, much more fair 'twould be, indeed, 
 If he'd eve?' make some return ! 
 
 And then those youths with dainty canes. 
 And faces tender as their "Ma's," 
 
 Are all " so fond of smoking " — 
 
 (When some one kindly gives cigars !) 
 
 Then our jolly " Board of Public Works," 
 
 Of a very great renown, 
 Have Mullett, Magruder, and Shepherd, 
 
 With the ''Navy Agent, Brown." 
 
 That Shepherd who 'tends his flocks by night. 
 
 For he needeth no light of day 
 To change the grade of a street or walk. 
 
 Or to move a market away. 
 
 And Mullett — perhaps, now, one might think 
 
 A very queer fish he'd be; 
 But is it odd that he rests as near 
 
 As he can to the Treasury? 
 
 We'd all of us do the very same. 
 
 And Vie (jet as near as we can^ 
 ^For the love of gold hath our Darwin growth 
 
 Developed in every man ! 
 
21 
 
 Aud though there's Cooke, a member, too. 
 He never makes any one wroth : 
 
 For he's not of the kind to meddle — 
 II f, taketh no hand in tfie broth! 
 
 This " Board," you know, is very strange, 
 For it "plans," and then dares to '' do :' 
 
 And the fact remains as clear as day 
 It keeps all our town in a " stew !" 
 
 Our folks — that is, the old residents — 
 "Can't see what they want to ' hnprove ?' 
 
 All this diggin' and pavin' and parkin' 
 Is Q,joh to force us to remove /" 
 
 " You see " (this is how they explain it) 
 " They tax us so awfully strong ! 
 
 They're absurd to expect pay in season, 
 Yet, if not — we're sold out for a song!" 
 
 " Iliey buy up these auction'd buildings 
 With money they've no right to use ; 
 
 They're scoundrels with powers loan'd them 
 Which powers they alirays abuse /" 
 
 But our younger set reply to this 
 
 In speech about this wise : 
 " Oh, pshaw! that's stuff! don't talk to me 
 
 Of thiDgs before jny eyes." 
 
22 
 
 ''D'you think the Nation's Capital 
 Should stand in the light of day 
 
 With wretched walks and meaner roads 
 And so drive people away ?" 
 
 " 'Tis not enough mere names to have, 
 Other capital we need also; 
 
 For there is truth in the proverb, sir ! 
 That '-money makes the mare go !' " 
 
 " And all this trash — complaining cant, 
 
 Are bugaboo tales of fear ; 
 'Tis but a fool — or a foolish knave — 
 
 Who believes what'er he'll hear !" 
 
 " You talk of Shepherd — A. E., I mean- 
 As though he delighted to thieve ; 
 
 He is as honest and true in his trust 
 As any great man Z believe !" 
 
 *' You can't prove a thing of it, either, 
 xil though very hard you may try ; 
 
 Eecollect it is easy to slander. 
 And not at all hard to belie !" 
 
23 
 
 And then from May, the bridal month, 
 
 'Till October, every year. 
 The people, twice each week, turn out, 
 
 Our red-coat band to hear. 
 
 Saturday afternoons the time 
 
 When, dressed in bright array, 
 Our females tread the grassy lawn 
 
 In step with rythmic play. 
 
 And singular it is to see 
 
 How great is music's charm, 
 For there's our "Bob " and " John" and " Sam 
 
 Parading arm-in-arm. 
 
 They're all attention — oh, of course ! — 
 
 Their ears distended v:lde ; 
 Yet, notice how they bow and smile 
 
 To the girls on every side ! 
 
 "Remarkable it is," you'll say, 
 
 " Those children there with nurses ! 
 
 What difference can it be to them 
 If e'er the band rehearses f 
 
 " But, don't you think, dear Madame, 
 
 Their ,/oy will, at least, compare 
 With the cultur'd sense of pleasure 
 
 Of any musician there ?" 
 
24 
 
 "And don't you think their pleasure^ 
 In the sight of Heaven, amounts 
 
 To just as much, in importance, 
 As that of Barons or Counts T 
 
 There go those Jernegan fellows, 
 Each one with a glass to his eye, 
 
 AVhile the canes beneath their shoulders 
 Obtrude on all passers by. 
 
 Queer that it frequently happens 
 Our "belles" arrive with the dusk ! 
 
 But — least the}' shouldn't be noticed — 
 They perfume their garments with 'inusk / 
 
 Of all the horrid smells at large 
 " Musk " is thought by the many 
 
 To oat-last and o'erpower all sweets, 
 And to equ^ in stench, sir, any ! 
 
 But I'd never be forgiven 
 
 If I neglected to mention 
 How " Op'ras " thrive in our winter ; 
 
 How wholly they've Fashion's attention. 
 
 A gent is a frequent caller — 
 (In fact 'tis most often noted) — 
 
 On a maid who loveth all music ; 
 To '* Op'ra "' she's ever devoted ! 
 
25 
 
 Thus, the season gayly arrives : 
 
 With large-letter'd puffs on our' walls 
 
 Of the great and many additions 
 
 To comfort and taste in the " stalls :" 
 
 And after each one of our papers 
 Hath praised the coming array 
 
 Of Signors, Signoras, and Dancers, 
 With Chorus and Orchestral play — 
 
 They publish an incomplete programme 
 (Arranged to look like " live matter ") 
 
 Of the Operas' names, such as 
 
 "Trovatore," "Robert," "Traviata." 
 
 Of course the newer composers. 
 When mentioned, are criticised well, 
 
 And ne'er they forget to compare them 
 To the musical author of " Tell." 
 
 Weil ! after all this and often more 
 For at least ten days or two weeks, 
 
 The gent has no refuge left him — 
 So he calls and urgentlj^ speaks : 
 
 " I see by the bills Parepa's here. 
 And sings to-night in ' Figaro ;' 
 
 Wouldn't you like to hear her. May ? 
 We needn't stay but an act, or so. 
 
26 
 
 " You know tlie^bass wlio sang so'strong ? 
 
 That large man who was here before ; 
 He made a great hit yester-night 
 
 When he appeared in Baltimore !" 
 
 But what need is there to repeat 
 Her glad reply to this invite ? 
 
 Suffice it — when the curtain rose 
 We saw them seated quite in sight ! 
 
 And then — Oh, bliss unspeakable ! — 
 To see the dresses, cloaks, and bows ; 
 
 The bonnets, ribbons, and also 
 
 The spotless-necktied, languid beaux ! 
 
 Then blessings nightly fall upon 
 The maker of the " Op'ra-glass ;" 
 
 What could our fellows use instead 
 To plainly see a pretty lass % 
 
 'Tis most polite to plant one's-self 
 
 In attitudes of ease or grace, 
 And listless — in a careless way — 
 
 Stare at every other face ! 
 
 And meanwhile, as accomp'nyment 
 To this — the evening's pleasure — 
 
 Onward goes the Opera 
 
 In sombre, or in lively measure. 
 
21 
 
 Act one is through ; now there's a stir 
 Of all our fellows from each seat ; 
 
 See how they bow and sweetly smile ! 
 You'd think them all "so glad to meet /" 
 
 And yet, sir ! if the truth were known — 
 As known it should be o'er the earth — 
 
 These folk but value other folk 
 
 For what their place or money's worth ! 
 
 Their pretence is "the charm of song:" 
 Nine-tenths pretence, one-tenth truth ; 
 
 The reason they go there is — guess ! 
 " 'Tis such a place to flirt " — forsooth ! 
 
 If not believed — pray look around 
 On any winter's night when there ; 
 
 You'll see — now mark my words full well — 
 You II see folk flirting from each chair ! 
 
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