The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-05-13
THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY,
Tuesday. May I8. 1873.
QUEER PEOPLE AT THE LAPI-
TOL.
The Stories t;,at witty Correspon>
denis Jeli-Reausiful Diamonds
and Poker Playing.


The Stories tia, witty Correspon,
dents sTs,i-Reansiful Diamonds
and Poker Playing.
strolied into one of tue offices on
Newspaper Row the other evening, says
writer 10 The Philadelphia Star, where
! found gathered number of those
shrewdest and brightest Of the journals.
Observation-Disclosures .correspon.
dents. 1t was ratherlate and what little
new there was had been sent off, and the
buys, "a the, are called, were smoking
ndtelling stories. 1t was sgood as q
play to listen to these men, and | regret
that cannot remember enough TO give
you at least a half column of their wit
| do remember, however, some little Cos
sip about our public men, which know
will be interesting
One OF the stories goes that in the last
Congress there was Democratic mem
Der aamed Bright from away down in the
tobacco.growing part of Virginia, who
was noted for his extreme filthiness. He
never wore white shirt, and paper col.
lar on his colored wooden shirt would las,
him for weeks. But the worst of him
was that he would never use a pocket
handkerchief he sat between Generals
Young and Du Bose,two very elegant anf
high-toned Georgia members, who tried
every way to avoid his nasal peccadillos
but in vain.
A SUPPLY OF HANDKERCHIErs.
At last they hit upon a plan they
thought would do away with the nuis
ance. They purchased dozen very large
white handkerchiefs, did them up in pa
per, addressed them to him, and laid then
on his desk Both Young and Du Bcs,
were in their seats, anxious to see how
their friend would receive their present
When he came in he picked up the pack
age,tore it open and began examining th'
handkerchiefs. Soon he turned to Youns
and Du Bose, and said "Look here, da
you fellows git any of these things 2'--
They replied that they had; that they
were part OF the perquisites of the mem
hers, and that all of the members had re
eoived them that morning.
"Well," says the Virginian, "what ar,
the darned things for?" They explained
and were in high glee for a little while, bu
iaaagine their disgust when, after Bright
had examined each piece of muslin ht
said: "Oh, yes! them is just like wha
my wife uses sometimes" and as he sait
It he took large official envelope, put il
the handkercbiefs, put on his wife's ad
dress, franked it, and threw it into tn
mail bag.
This story reminded one OF the CORES
pondents Of somewhat similar one. II
the Forty-irst Congress there was Sen
ator from one of the far Western States
who had the habit of using bis napkin in
stead of his handkerchief at the dinner
table He was clever man, and when h
came to board at one of our most fash
ionable hotels he was invited to take
seat at table where sat Judge of tn
Supreme Court with his family Their
was.also, at the same table, another prom
iHent Senator and fastidious journals
and his family.
TAKING HINT.
The Western Senator accepted the Of
fer, and on the very first day his abomina
Bile habit was noticed. Days and day
passed by, every effort being used in tn
way of hint and inuendo to call his atten
ton to his gross vulgarity, but all to M
use. The question was how to stop hin
without giving offense. At last one o
the party hit on plan which was success
ful. He wrote an anonymous note, ant
it had its effect, for never afterwards wa
be guilty of his former breach of Ell
quette.
This reminded another correspondent
of amember from Tennessee, in the las
House, who was guilty of the same OF
fense as the Western Senator None O
the regular boarders at the Ebbitt Hous
could be induced to sit at the table wit
him. The same person told of the wifi
Of very prominent Senator, who CAV
many brilliant receptions last winter, an
who always asked the Society reporter @
the newspapersto speak of her diamonds
Her diamonds were nothing butthe Ala:
ka diamonds, bought in dollar jewelr
sore. The way the fact came out wa
thatthe many illusions to Mrs Senate
So-and-so's beautiful diamonds led th
dollar jewelry man to use it as an adveI
tisement with his other customers.
1t was told of another Senator's vii
that lis one of the best poker and DO!
ton pl4yers in the country. During th
session she entertains lavishly ,and scarce
" night passes that she doesn't hay
card party at her house. Of cours
she always plays, and they say she neve
loses. A certain foreign legationist i
said to have lost several thousand dollar
at herhouse in one night
Mr. Reechprss Sh NJ at a Suutrrp