Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-07
PUBLIC sTORY-TELLERS.
How the Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes Amuse Themselves
in Their Leisure Hours.

How the Senators and Repre-
sentatiVes Amuse Themselves
in Their Leisure Hours.
Washington Cor, ST Paul PioneerPrOss.
When some Senator or member OF
moderate ability is making a speech, the
clOak-rOOms are generally crowded. The
scene represents a club-rOOm more than
anything else, but were there not so
many hats and coats hung along the
walls, and were there a little more of an
air of cheerfulness, the resemblance
would be more complete. As il is, how
ever, the clOak-rOOms are the most in
teresting places at the Capitol. Around
the walls are cleats, on which are large
brass hooks with the names Of the own
eTs on little cards tackled under them,
on which the Congressional hats and
coats are hung. There are sofas and
settees, OF old fashioned patterns and
well-wOrn; numerous chairs, in various
stages of decay and offering various de-
grees of attraction, are scattered about
there is a tankard of ice-water, three or
four marble wash-basins, with soap and
towels, and at the House end OF the
NdpAlpl Iouplc VI bdlDtl 'lldiio III
each clOak-rOOm. Cheerful fires are
burning in the CRATES, and generally
one of the chandeliers is lighted, for the
only light that can he otherwis obtained
is filtered through the stained-glass win
dOws from the public corridors. A box
OF matChless sets ON the mantel, and in
the House cloak-room one of the pen
dant gas-jets seen in cigar stores, gives
the smoker his Sire.
At any time during the session groups
Of lounging statesmen may be passed,
in every variety of posture, all smoking
and discussing the events Of the day or
telling stories; and some of the best
stOry-tellers in the world weree in the
last Congress.
Abraham LincOln'S stories are quite
as much part OF his Administration as
the Emancipation Proclamation. Presi-
dent Grant told story elOquently when
he was "unbent," but he was not in the
habit OF telling them promiScuOusly.
President Hayes does not originate
stories as Lincoln did, but often quotes
them, and seems 10 have been studying
Lincoln, for he repeats his sayings very
frequently. Secretary Evarts Is a habl-
tuai Wag, and is the life of Cabinet
meetings, very oftOn illustrating his
views on pending question by the
point Of an aneCdOte. Many OF his
stories are in circulation now. AttOr-
ney-Generl Deyens doesn't tell many
stories, but is given to punning. Secrc-
tary Thompson loves a Joke as well as
ever man did, and can entertain acom-
pany with "IIoOsier' anecdotes for a
whole evening ut a time. Postmaster
General key often attempts To be fun
nv, and sometimes succeeds, but gen
orally tells "A story you have huarn be-
fore. Schurz is fond of good story, but
doesn't tell one. Sherman and McCrary
are the sober men OF the cabinet. Sher-
man sometimes smiles, but was never
heard to give a good hearty laugh. Me
Crary laughs sometimes, and is always
in good humOr, but you seldom get an
anecdote from him.
Charles Summer never knew what
Joke was. Humor was intirely absent
from his nature. Morton enjoyed
stories, and told them sometimes, but
he was always very busy man, ami
when ne wasn't i'm bed, suffering torture
indiscribable, he was generally at work.
Gen. Sherman is an Inveterate story
teller, and you can catch him at army
headquarters, surrounded by ms stan,
relating his experiences, ot which he
seems to have had an unusual amount
of an amusing character, or describing
some funny sight he has seen, or some
funny thing ne has heard. lie has
very keen sense of the ridiculous, and Is
graphic in description, anc very success
ful in mimicry. Vice President Wheeler
enjoys a Joke rs well as any man IN
Congress, but seldom perpetrates one.
C0nkling is inimitable when he
chooses L. be. There is no man IN pub
lie life who has conversational powers
equal 10 his. lie can be- interesting on
anS topic that may enter a conversation,
and when he fairly lets himself Out, a.
ne did in England year ago last sum
mrr. pcople stare at him until they are
overcome bv fascination. Blaine Is
equally accomplished, hut does not dis
play himself as Conklng does on stated
nr,g,sions. Blaine is more genial rs u
common thing, but not So pyrOtechnlC
i'm his displays. Gen. Butler can make
himself As interesting a. any man. when
ne chooses, hut his humor generally -
oi a grim kind. and he tries TO make
.
sit down at dinner table with twelve
strangers, before the coffee was reached
he would find the tender spots IN each
mans armor He has dlSsiSreeaOle
wav of finding out the weaknesses oil
those whom he comes IN contact, ana
concerted ass or bragart never wants TO
meet Butler second time. Tie puts
this faculty of making people uncom-
/ Portable To very good use sometimes
but he isn't always disagreeable, but can
/ be As charming ~ a sweet sixteen when
he chooses. Martin J. Townsend. Proc
tor Knott, Suniet Cox, Charles Foster.
/ and Or. stewart were the story-tellerS "a
/ the last House. DR.. Stewart will be- e.
peciallv missed from the cloak-room
/ lotteries. and his stories, most OF which
| were new down here, viii be quoted
until he comes back to Congress 10 tel