Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-24
A PICTURE OF CONGRESS.
A ~TelescOplc View Of the Peoples Rep
re~seHtatives.

A letter from Washington describes
the house of Representatives as a very
impressive body. 1t was not necessary
for the writer to say that it was his
first visit to the capitol. | should like
to read a letter of his, written with
the same frankness and honesty, after
the close of this stormy session. l
should want him to be present in the
gallery during a row and to attend all
fhe nightsessions and the closing cere-
monies. | should want him also to
keeD his eve on one certain member |
sbould name. If he is attentive, he
viii see members roaring drunk once
in a while: he will see dozens of mem
bers squirting tobacco juice over car
nets that cost six dollars a yard he
will see scores of members smoking in
the chambers during the sitting; he
will see members stretched out on the
soafas asleep, and he will hear them
snore he will see members with both
feet on their desks, sitting on their
backbone he will see members
munching apples while attending to
the public business he will see occa-
sionally a member with his boot off,
easing his corns, and he will see much
else that will dctract somewhat from
his description of an impressive body.
A FEW YEARS AGO
a member from one of the Southern
States, now happily out Of public life,
was in the habit during the sitting OF
the house Of taking out his false teeth
and wiping them on his coat sleeves
and picking them with his finger nail.
Another member was in the habit Of
combing his hair with a fine tooth
comb while listening to speeches. He
was very tidy about it, and always
spread a newspaper on his desk to pre-
vent soiling it with the result of his
labor. A member of the house from
Kentucky, at the close of last session.
went into the committee room of ap-
preparations, and, taking off his boots
and stockings, perched himself upon
the back of a chair and proceeded to
wash his feet in the marble wash ba-
sin. One thing may be said Of him.
however, he was a member OF the
committee. Several other members
we're present, whose stomachs were
turned, and one member Mr.. Hewitt.
looked at the Kentuckian for a mo.
ment. and, between his teeth, uttered
the word damnation," and bolteC
from the room. This member was
beaten for recollection. and it was sale
that his feet were what defeated him
His constituents did not want theiI
member to wash his feet and his fact
in the same basin. There are man!
sTRAGE PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON,
One of them is a brother Of a dis
tinguished general in the army. II,
is not very old, but his hair is whit
and his howingwhiskers are like snow
He has rooms in the Corcoran build
ing, and is said to be very rich. H
drives a handsome pair of horses, an
his rooms are furnished in the quaint
est fashion. He has been a great tray
eler, and has picked up very quee
odds and ends for his room. He ha
the Oldest furniture that can be prC
+ cured, and he has a penchant for tn
/. skins of wild animals. The floors
: his rooms are covered with the skin
t of white bears, black bears, tiger
wolves, leopards, foxes, and other an.
mails. This gentlemans chief pecI
liarityis in having a servant whOnevt
I loses sight of him. If he walks 0
the avenue Joe is somewhere benin
him; if he goes to church Joe watcht
in the vestibule; if he goes to the the
!. alter Joe will be found looking dow
upon him from the gallery; file drive
Joe is always at his side. Even tn
boys in the street are in the habit
: watching for Joe whenever the maste
! is in sight. What if Joe should die