Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-08-05
Parliament, from the Women's Grated
Pen.
Kate Field, In the Christian Union. ]

Kate Field, In the Christian Union.
Through many windings, up innumer
able stairs, women attain the door lead
ing To their pen. On my last visit, one
hour before the house assembled, 1t was
locked, and dozen women stood before
it ready To make raid on the front seats.
AT last, the imposing usher appeared, un'
locked the door, and the scramble began,
but we were stopped in our mad career by
the imperturbable person in black, who,
after comparing our names with those on
his list, allowed us to proceed. BY firm
but not riotous display OF muscle, | Sc
cured a front seat, "Tnis is beautiful, is
it noti' said an elderly lady to her com
panion. what have you brought with
your" "Sherry, sandwiches and some
sal volatile" every sensible, my DEAR"
added the elderly lady. Just before
leaving hons | had some sausages, be,
cause they are staying" Women speak
little in this pen, the effect of the grating
being depressing. No men are allowed,
M. P's excepted, who dropped in ncca
sionally to see their friends. The only
diversion is tea, or a chop served in re.
firing room.
The moment NJ P.'s enter the house,
they remove their hats, bow to the Speak
er, and generally cover their heads on sit
ing down. Whether this very uncivil
and unbecoming custom Is due TO their
being no place for hats save under the
benches, where they may be kicked about
or to the assumption that law makers are
superior beings, entitled to wear Their
hats in the presence Of law Itself, as the
heads of some certain Spanish grandees
remain covered in the presence OF royalty,
| leave to Imagination. Ole thing Is GER
tain, keeping the head constantly covered
does not improve the hair; bald hesos are
many among commoners A generous
growth OF hair il exceptional, even young
men carefully brushing their locks over
the tops OF their heads TO conceal the
coming skating-rink. Some heads resem
bic magnificent billiard balls. have
gazed upon bald Uranium where the
seli-esteem ran up to such point that all
the hair slid down hill and took refuge at
the base OF the brain.
To distinguish one man from another
requires far-sighted vision, and the effect
OF several hundred hats ia net more I'm
posing than IN equal number OF stove
pipes Gladstone and Jonn Bright are
almost the only men whose heads are
regularly uncovered 1t Is most inter
es,inp 10 see these two clever men sitting
beside each other with their heads to-
getber, looking like venerable owls
Gladstone seems to enjoy sitting on the
middle Of his back, and John Bright ap
oarently derives comfort iroiD crossing
first one leg and then the other. This
sort OF thing proves that even great men
are human. Lord Harrington will wear
his hat and all we learn from our pen is
that he is tall and slight, and Saxon In
coloring.
The house assemblies at 3:45 +. NJ
First the doors fly open; then the speak
err Is announced. The usher OF the
black rod, bearing the mace, bows IN the
speaker, who 10 arrayed in long black
gown and flowing wig He is followed
by the chaplain and another in wig anu
gown. The speaker mounts his throne
the black rod lays the mace Is gold crown
poised on red velvet pole long enough 10
handle) across the lower end OF the table
NJ. P.s of punctual turn OF mind-their
name Is legion-suddeDly appear, ana
the chaplain reads the prayers OF the DAY.