The Hickman courier., 1872-10-05
THE FEMALE LOBBY.
4 story of Army and Washington Life

\ Story of Army and Washington Life,
From Denn Piatt's Washington Capital.
1t is when the average congress
man first come in contact with the
female lobby that be realizes his
translation. These are to him rein
/ cd, fascinating, and beautiful crea-
lures. His poor little homely wife
tfades in.o naught. His life seems
( to have been barren until then-and
how he regrets the early marriage
that shuts hin out from an union
with one of these elegant women ?
There are two sorts of processes
through VIII. ch fraudulent legislation
I is perfected. One is called the
g ring" which means a combination
OF rogues for some one purpose the
/ other is called the lobby" and des-
ignates agents living here, and en-
I ployed by rings and individuals to
7 push their evil schemes through
/ Congress.
| was turning this over in my
mind during the late session, when
| happened to cast my eyes to the
ladies gallery above, and out of the
/ gloom saw a memory come in the
/ shape of fair face. l was so dis
/ turbed and haunted by this memory
( that l left my seat and sauntered In
to the gallery, seating myself near
my fair friend, and without rudely
staring l found my mind gradually
gathering up the disjointed frag-
ments of the past, until the fair face
was turned in and located. 1t was
a very sweet face, not so young as
it once was, but with a prevailing
expression of childlike innocence.
Add to this manner of great re-
6nement, set off and adorned in the
extreme of fashion, but subdued to
the best taste, ana the most artistic
harmonizing of cOlors, and / had
an old acquaintance before me. All
though | looked my fair friend in
the face, 1 saw that either she had
forgotten me, or was not disposed
to renew the acquaintance. She was
talking in a quiet, easy manner, to
a well known member of Congress,
and | considerably withdrew as if |
had been looking in the face of an
utter stranger instead of one well
known in times gone by. An hour
atterward l happended To be upon
the entrance to the Senate cham Der,
where the multitude of marble steps
seemed TO run out and flow down,
when my fair friend came by ae-
complained by her congressional es-
cort. late of the gallery, and almost
brushing me with her dress as she
passed, the two descended | saw
a neat private carriage drawn by a
handsome pair of bays, and driven
by a coaehman in livery, roll up.
/ Ny friend of the law-making pow
er helped the lady in with a bow;
the door swung to with a bang, and
the fair one drove away, while the
Solon came up the steps, humming
a tune TO himself and swapping his
law-making fingers, as if especially
pleased with himself. Having a
speaking acquaintance, / begged
pardon for my curiosity, and asked
Solon the name of his friend.
" Mrs, of New Yor5," was the
quiet response.
The whole of these surroundings
were entirely different, and appa-
rently so life long and respectable
from those that l believed formerly
| hedged in the lady, that / was in
doubt. But no the longer thought
upon the matter the more felt sat
isfed OF the identity. And the re-
membrance was singular.
While detailed in Washington,
during the war, awaiting orders,
was invited by brother officer to
a wine supper. The people giving
\ the entertainment were strangers,
but taking my friends word for it
that | would be welcome, / went
with him. The house was a plain, un-
pretending affair, offered display of
upholstery rather uncommon about
4 Washington, and Ilearned that the
house and furniture belonged to a
'secesh' family that had hastily left
the city before the battle of Bull
Run, putting their property in the
hands of friends. The friends, as
sembled on this occasisn were ques
tionable. The parlors were in a
blaze of light, and under the glass
globes were some very pretty wo-
men, and number of young men
in and out of uniform The bare
necks and arms of the wsmen indi-
Gated a party; but my friend told
! me that this was the sort ef thing
I that wenton every night. We had
a rich table garnishsd with choice
wines, and the bright flow of talk
the last named generally brings ont.
] was particularly struck with two
Of the guests-one a slender youth
with large dark eyes and broad,
thoughtful forehead. whom 1 took
/ for an Italian or Frenchman his
name has since taken its place upon
the roll of Immortality, pinned there
/ by the most fearful crime ever COM
mitted the other beautiful woman
Of twenty, In fact, but much youn-
ger in appearance. / found this
1 young lady exceedingly charming,
as she was not only lovely in per-
! son but lively in mind.
OF that little assembly in the sup
{ per-room two only survive, and
another.
While we were in command al
Baltimore, and, after Col. Fish got