National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-12-09
MINOR TOPICS.

"How did you like the Messages" said q
citizen yesterday to Bourbon member of
Congress. In reply the Congressman remarked
that .should the President have occasion to
send two or three more such excellent docu-
ments to the House i would come out for
third term and stick to it."
The rumor that Member Walker, of Vir-
GINA, is the handsomest man in the House
was confirmed yesterday. The sweetheart of
Northern member, who was in the gallery,
became so charmed with Walker that her
lover could not catch her eye for whole half
hour, and finally was compelled to blow his
nose in order to attract her attention. She
recognized the sound and dropped her eyes
upon him for q moment, but they soon wand
cred back to Walker under the magic in
iuence of his handsome "phiz." You could
have slowed whole library away in the cor
rugations of the Northern members brow.
The terrible disaster which has just over
taken the fine steamer Deutschland in the
North Sea helps to swell the list of ocean hor-
rors, whose catalogue already is of APPALLING
length. The greater becomes our navigation
facilities the more numerous become the acct
dents at sea, and at present rates, the close of
the nineteenth century will find us in the
midst of daily ocean disasters, in comparison
to which the ones Of the present are but feeble
pigmies. By that time, however, the people
viii have become SO accustomed to the unfor-
tunate scenes as to take them readily as
matter of course.
81 have been disappointed in fact, sir,
have been fooled out of a position. Ny Con-
gresham has softened on another man. My
money is gone; my patience is wearied, and
must fly to the bosom of my family for relief.
But believe me, kind sir, never fail to settle
my board bills under any circumstances, and
my trunk is at your disposal. Its contents are
worth more than five times the bill. Take it,
sir, and keep it until you hear from me-" The
trunk was retained by the landlord, and after
the man had fed to the bosom of his family it
was opened and found to be neatly packed
with old Nicholson paving blocks.
81 amt up here for a posit ion," said a
Confederate soldier yesterday as he stood
on the curbing near Wizards with one
hand in his pocket and the other buried
in the soil at Gettysburg, "but 1 came up
to watch that little pension business" He
was an agreeable looking fellow, and he
had all the appearance of man who really
needed a pension. And why should he not
have one? As he stood there, an old Union
veteran came stumping along on one leg and
a crutch, and it suggested the thought, "Why
should he not have oneP' He is voter; has
a representative in Congress; proposes to
visit the Centennial and clasp hands across the
bloody chasm, aud why should he be deprived
of that which this other soldier hast That he
needs it just as much is plainly evident. His
family is large, and he is unable to do manual
labor. Thousands of Northern men who
fought no more gallantly than he are sustained
and comforted by their pensions. His State is
back in the Union, and he citizen, exercising
the full rights and privileges of an unfettered
citizenship. Why should he be left out in tbs
cold? 81 know" said he, "that fought for
secession, but that is a lost cause; the Govern
ment has accorded general amnesty to US all,
and now it must care for those of us who were
disabled in the strife. 1t is no more than rea-
sonable that we should be pensioned if we have
to pay the taxes which meet the expense of it,"
He talked mildly, but there was tone to his
words which bespoke an unfaltering confidence
in those who now have the control of this
matter in their own hands. VIII they disap-
point these men who need that for which they
ask more than the average mendicant needs
the crust thrust to him from the table of the
rich!