There Are No _Prettinesses_, Flowers, &C., About These Fine Houses, Perhaps Accounted For By The Forty Or Fifty Degrees Below Zero Which They Sometimes Enjoy At Chicago.

After six miles driving we got to the Piggery, &c., and the least said about that the better; it

Is certainly wonderful, but disgusting - the most interesting parts were the enormous yards containing _cattle_, all arranged comfortably, with hay and water, &c., and the tin-making business for the preserved meats (the tin all comes from England). Travelling for the last three or four weeks we have seen little hills of tin boxes perpetually along the line, as the people in the trains and stations, &c., seem to live almost entirely on tinned goods. After this we had a hasty luncheon, and I decided to accompany John and E - - here, and not wait for Dick who wanted to stay longer. We could not find our maids to tell them, and I had to pack a great deal myself, meaning to leave Gibson to follow with the rest, but they turned up at last, and we had a great scrimmage to get off in the "bus." John thought we might not have time to check our luggage, and so began to seek for tickets to give the maids, but he could not understand them so a kind American in the 'bus explained them, and after all we were in time, thanks again to the said American, who _passed_ E - - and me to the train, assuring the railway people that he had seen our tickets, and he also got us into the sleeping car. When I was thanking him warmly, I added, "You must be amused to see such distracted English travellers?" "Well," he answered, "we are as bad in your country till we are used to it." After a great deal of shaking and going a great pace round many curves, which quite prevented us sleeping, we got _here_ (Washington) yesterday at six o'clock. A man met us who was sent by an astronomer friend of John's, and brought us to this hotel, Wormley's. On our way in a spic and span omnibus we felt _going down_ on one side, and found a wheel had come of. We jumped out, and a crowd collected, and finally we had to transfer our baggage and ourselves into another omnibus, and got through some handsome wide streets, with trees each side and good shops, to this hotel. Our first view of Washington was a lovely one, coming in with the Potomac river in front, and the fine Capitol, on a hill, backed by a glorious red sunset, which reflected all in the river; it looked like an Italian scene. This is said to be a "city of magnificent distances," being planned for future greatness, and very like Paris in conception. We found acquaintances here, and John went with, one to the Observatory. This morning we all went to the American Episcopal Church, St. John's, rather "high," but nothing really objectionable.

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