Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-03-24
A STORY OF THE LOBBY.


There are two sorts of process
through which fraudulent Legislation
is perfected. One is called the 'ring,
which means q combination of roguei
for some one purpose; and the othel
is called the "lobby," and dosignatei
agents living here, and employed by
rings and individuals to push theil
evil schemes through Congress.
] was turning this over in my minC
the other day, while | sat on a sofa il
the House of Representatives and lis
tened to the winds that blew TO ant
fro about me, when | happened t
cast my eyes into the ladies' gallery
above, and out of the gloom saw /
memory come, in the shape of a fail
face.
was so disturbed and haunted by
my memory, that / left my seat ant
sauntered into the gallery and seate,
myself near my fair friend, and with
out rudely staring | found my memo
~ gradually gathering up the dis
iointed fragments of the past, unit
the fair face was framed in and located
1t was very sweet Ease, not so youn!
as it once was but with a prevailin!
expression of child-like innocence
| Add to this a manner of great refine
ment set offand adornedin the extrem
of the fashion, but subdued to the bes
taste, and the most artistic harmoni
zing of colOIs, and we have our oil
acquaintance before us. Although
looked my fair friend in the face,
saw that either she had forgotten mt
or was not disposed TO renew the az
duaintance. She was talking in
quiet, easy manner, TO a well know
member Of Congress, and ] consider
ately withdrew, as if / had been look
ing in the face of an utter stranger
, instead of one well known TO me ii
times gone by. An hour after ] hap
pened to be upon the Senate Chamber
where the multitude of marble step
seemed TO run out and flow down
when my fair friend came out, accom-
! panied by her Congressional escort
late of the gallery, and almost brush
ing me with her dress as she passed
the two descended. / saw a nea
, private carriage, drawn by a hanC
some pair of bays, and driven by
coachman in livery, roll up. NJ
friend Of the law making power helpe
the lady in with a bow, the doc
swung TO with a bang, and the fai
lady drove away, while the Solo
came up the steps, humming tun
to himself and swapping his law
making fingers, as il especially please
with himself Having speaking n,
r uuaintance, / begged pardon for m
curiosity, and asked Solon the nam
of his friend.
"Mrs-, Of New York, was IN
b quiet response.
= The whole of the surroundings wer
so entirely different, and apparent
so lifelong and respectable from thos
that believed formerly hedged in th
lady, that I was in doubt But, NJ
! the longer ] thought upon The matte
e the more felt satisfied of the identitl
i And the remembrance was singula
4 While detained in Washington, durin
, the war, awaiting orders, ] was inv
? ted by a brother officer 20 q win
! supper The people giving the entc
II .ssarsn uftsuftfenrsa Hnf fuIrf o.
}. my friends word for IL that ! shouI
be welcome, / went with him. I'll
}. house was a plain, unpretcndins a
e fair, but offered a display Of uphu
I sterv rather uncommon about Was
!. inrton, aud / learned that the houi
a and furniture belonged TO "secesi
Z family, that had hastily left the cit
\ before the battle OF Bull Run, putin
y their property in the hands Of friend
y The friends assembled on this occ
sion were questionable. The parlo
were in a blaze of light, and und
IS the glass globes about the gas ie
!. were some very pretty women, and
IS number OF young mon in and out
= uniform. The bare necks and arm
= of the women indicated a party; b
my friend informed me that this so
&c of thing went on every night. "
= had q rich repast, garnished wi
10 choice wines and the lively flow
g talk the last named generally brin
8 out. ! was particularly struck wi
two of the euests-One n slend
youth, with dark, large eyes, al
= broad, thoughtful forehead, whom
took for an Italian or Frenchma
\ the other beautiful woman oftwent
in fact, but much younger in appos
Of ance ] found this young lady q
Of ceedingly charming, as she was n
" only loving in person, but lively
n mind.
We broke up at late hour of {
n. night or rather an early hour in {
a morning, and being ordered away
Il. few nights a1er, the wine, supper a
the merry people there assembl,
soon passed from my mind 10 {
;, hurried, eventful life of the can
They were destined to return. Coz
the future have been anticipate
D. death would have sat at our boa
that night, and phantom visions
nd dreadful events dimmed the glittcri
"a lights, and settled in horrible Clio,
ID on the countcnances of the assemb
guests.
To one Death would have said
Y, l,n will claim you at Chancellorsvillo.
an To anothor 81 will come 20 yt
relief in the hospital at Cumberlanu
. To another Notwithstanding
. and / will save you from the gallow
r OF that little assembly in that 81
per room, two only survive, ] a
another.
1t was shortly after the assassi
>" tiou that a friend sent me the pho
graph of Wilkes Booth, and / rec
nized in it the young man
:. mistaken that night for a foreignc
When we were in command at
timore, and after Col Fisk got i
his difficulty with Baker, so tina