The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-02-12
THE MESSENGER BOYS AT THE
tl... CAPITOL.

t...I... CAPITOL. ... ..
A LAD who visits the City of Wash
ington for the first time, and looks down
from the galleries of the House of Rep
resentatives or of the Senate on the
busy scene below. will be sure to find
his eye attracted by groups of bright
looking and neatly dressed boys NOV
ing hither and thither about the floor,
speaking Familiarity with this and that
great man, or amusing themselves on
the steps of the Vice Presidents or of
the Speakers platform, and he will per-
haps regard these boys with something
like envy-all the more when told that
they receive about two dollars and sew
enty-five cents day, during the ses-
sions of Congress, to pay them for hay
ing such a good time. ...
Possibly our lad would not regard the
picture as so pleasant if he knew how
burdensome are the duties of these boys,
and how exceedingly well they earn the
money paid them. There are nearly
thirty of them attached to the House,
and half as many to the Senate. Their
ages run from nine years upward, some
numbering twice as many summers;
and it is not by any means the Oldest
who are the brightest and the most
favored. They are of respectable fam
lilies; some of them are nephews of
Members of Congress-a Member once,
indeed, had such questionable taste as
to procure the appointment of his own
son; and some of them have been known
in after years to become Members them
selves. The recently chosen Senator
from Maryland is doubtless proud to re-
member that he himself was once a
page. Although in two or three in
stances these boys have been elected to
their places instead of appointed, they
are usually appointed by the Sergeant
at-Arms-of course ON the recommen-
dation and through the influence of the
Congressmen-and they are under his
control. The old custom of appointing
only orphan boys is no longer adhered
to. .
The pages wear no uniform, or regula-
ton clothes, or badges of any sort
They are required to present themselves
for work at nine O clock in the morning,
although Congress does not meet till
twelve, and they are not dismissed
until adjournment for the day takes
place. They put the desks of the
Members in order, file for each the
bills and papers which are strewn about
in confusion, then 60 to the Document
rooms and work there, helping to put
affairs in shape; and then present them
selves at twelve in the great chambers
OF legislation to answer the clapping of
the Members and Senator'S hands, and
attend to their countless wants. Now
they are sent hunting for some book
that is needed, for some man, now for
a glass of water, now they take mes
sage from one Member to another at a
distance, from one House to the other,
and sometimes to ladies in the gallery;
they fetch cup of tea into the Cloak
room; fetch the hat and stick out of it;
they distribute mail by the armful
they struggle into sight behind piles of
palm-leaf fans big as they are them
selves, which are soon cooling the hot
air, if it be q late session; and during
the nights preceding the close of the
session they do not know what sleep is,
but are worn out with running and
waiting. Thus it will be seen that they
are on their feet with but very little
intermission, running and tumbling over
each other in their eagerness to please;
but they seem happy and good-natured
through it all, and when they do sit
down it is on the steps OF the presiding
officers desk, where they are usually
tickling or punching or teasing each
other as if they had nothing else to do,
and were passing away the time.
Sometimes during recess of Con-
gress you may come upon them in a
lower room assembled in body, a
mimic Senate, one of them in the chair,
and another making a speech, and MIR.
Blaine, and Mr.. Conkling, and Mr.,
Bayard and the rest are being initiated
to the life. 1t is in some contrast to
these gay rogues that one sees acrppled
and dwarfec little hunchback outside
the Hall of Representatives opening
and shutting a door for the passer in
hopes of the coppers or the nickel that
may be tossed him, although he does
not beg. At night o little goat car
riage comes for him, and he drives Oft.
The pages whom we have described
do not leave the Capitol during the
hours of their service, and carry no
messages beyond the doors. For out
vide work there are three riding pages.
Who are furnished with horses, and
who go to the various Departments, the
Executive Mansion, or on other of the
outside errands of the legislators. And
theirs is not exactly the pleasant horse
back riding that looks so attractive,
but, on the contrary, it is hard and
weary work, cold in the winter, and
burning under fierce sun in the sum-
mer, leaving them meanwhile as badly
off as John Gilpin.
Many of these youth are appointed
because there is some great need in
their families, or have some pitiable
circumstances in their history. This
curly-headed little fellow is the only
support of mother ndyounger broth
ers and sisters; there is one who takes
care of paralyzed father, the only rel
alive he has in the world, going home,
after his hard work, to make life as
pleasant as he can for him who can
never do any more work; here is an
other whose little house is kept for him