National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-06-23
DEATH OF TIE LEGISLATURE
ONE MORE UNFORTUNATE GONE TO ITS

ONE MORE UNFORTUNATE GONE TO ITS
REST.
l"Earthly things are but the transient pageants
Earthly pride Is but like the passing flower
Which springs to fall, and blooms but to die"
The death.knsll has struck, the shroud has
been spread, the hearse has passed and one more
government lies buried beneath the mutations Of
time. Yesterday at ten o'clock We went to the
death-bed of the District Legislature and watched
its life slowly ebb away. There have been but
very few liyeler death bed scenes and none, per-
haps, in which the patient exhibited 90 much In
difference TO its fate. The pulse at ten o'clock
stood about twenty and gradually increased
until It reached thirtysix, when the chaplain en-
tered, and then It began to rise rapidly and show
promising signs Of life. This was deceitful
change in the symptoms, however, and one which
was wholly attributable to the fact that chaplain
around death-bed 10 more or less an omen Of
present stunning of, and VIII naturally awaken
fears in the patient that his hours are numbered
and that, too, down to Q nns point At 1880
/ O'Clock, while most Of the members Of this
little household, who had divided themselves
into squads, were talking and consulting
as to the best mode OF dlsposipg of the
corpse 1hen actually dead, q prominent per-
son Of the family arose majecticalIy from his
cane-bottomsd chair behind the clerks table, and
seizing q microscopic pile-driver brought It down
upon the said table with crash unbecoming o
| death chamber, and 1.-THE corpse rolled over and
| asked for drink) requested the family to come
| to order. The family wiped their weeping eyes
and came. Then one Of the elder brothers arose
| from the top Of another brothers desk and with
| tremulous voice said: "Dsar relatives 1t seems
| to me to be most appropriate ut this particular
point in this solemn hour that some one should
preside over these last sad rites in order that we
may be more systematic In laying out the corpse
and showing to the world at large the unbounded
respect and love we bear to expiring friend and
benefactor." Some ignorant but interested indi-
vidual on back seat, thinking that the elder
brother urging the passage Of the bill relating
to contingent expenses, damned his heels into the
floor with q crash, and Moderated: ''Go on; 20
onr He was quietly led out by the usher, and
the elder brother proceeded to nominate Q
younger as chairman Of the mournful meeting.
This rotund, ohin-whiskered young male member
was unanimously elected, and proceeded at once
to I'LL the chair. As is usual for q newly-elected
chairman, he picked up the before. mentioned
pile-driver, and swinging It with q respectful
curve in mid air landed 1t upon the Speakers
desk with noise that startled the legislative
corpse and once more 1t turned its weakened frame
and looked for the chaplain. The reverend gentle
man entered the death-chamber at this juncture,
but as most of the family were busIly engaged in
making preparations for the funeral, he didn't
:. FA-'SAS' - -oOAoN SAASAsAJ
on ana iettn patient struggle with the powers
Vi tne oiachhess Oh darkness, Hnicn is govern
mental oeatn, without even onering as much as
word OF consolation silent amen. At 10 minutes
past IL o'clock, and Just fifteen minutes after the
young cnin-nnisAereo member nao taken mis- seat,
ahetne[ leniper entereo anu walked straight up 10
the cnair ne was Mining, ana In less tnan we nave
tine 10 say IN ne mad the hammer In MS hand
ana was dlreetng the business Oh the solemn coca
sion. hesoiuuon lolioWed resolution, each oil
which was niied Win expressions Of regret and
conmissershon. showing, with marked plainness.
Wnat strong Attachment THIS lively little house.
noiu hhu lof US iaoi. one proposed that .he en-
.lle iamiiy make pilgrimage 70 the tomb OF g.
washington, anu there, oeneatn the dingy arch |
way Oh tho sacred portal, ask forgiveness (not
onlce) ior tne legislative sins of the past, II they
haa any, ana strength and virtue Tor the future-
timers consisted OF thanks to certain members Of
the family ior their persistent efforts IN sustain
ing peace and harmony within their gates, even |
during the dying hours OF their friend and bene-
factor, ana mourned deeply that, in the all-Uise
INN had 81