The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-10-07
LunatIcs at Washington.

Recent events al Washington cannot
have failed to call general attention 10
the vast number 81 queer birds that
hahitually roost about the Capital City.
All the distorted mental action OF this
ccnntry appears TO gravitate to Wash
ineion. gLkht- gitted ehara6tefs seefn
10 no NATURALLY thrown into tint city on
Tho top OF d wave, like SO many corks,
AMI landed there. No one who has spent
my time at the Capital csn have failed
/, Cfhey sppear aJ every tnrni. The
stranger who takes in the city during
the season g.v;ll see vnrietiesfof humar'
natnrel enonBhtb astonibh him. 1 He will
wish there were not so many varie.
iinK Perhaps he drops IN alta
meeting OF ladies, TO hear the woman
suifragists plead their esuse.rr Nothipg,
apparently, could be moro conducive 70
reposetand quiet than that But II will
not be surprising at any moment to be
startled from his somnolency by the APP
partition ef female fury flo,hisling a
pistol in the face Of the fair speech
makers and aoclminE that she isa Com
munjst and meahslt6 kill somebody so
she copld pet her rights. Such q cir
c,lmHtanch happened not many wintefs
agc. D,fhck Nashington lunatic with a
pistol is not confined TO the masculine
sex alone. 40 2TNlflT
Quack doctors, women in pantaloons,
long-haired pbrenologists,. spiritualist
Lecturers, bsvifder fhe rfsitprst every aoT
tel and street corner, till be begins TO
cast an anxious eye towards Congress-
men, and to wonder privately whether
they are not going crazy too ~ rwk
The. nanvho attempted 10 oasshssinate
President jackson, in 1886, was an un-
donhted lupatic. Many. Of them jpsster
the Patent Office. They come with tales
Of miraculousinveptiops theyhaye made.
Men with Wild eyes, aud shiny hair and
clothing 40 about fanrying they are ,ihe
President Of the United States. In some
cases they go to the Executive Mansion
itself, and demsnd that it's occupant be-
turned ont and'that they be given their
Erightful place. g = H. -'Aa LA'.iy 4
= Tumbled.up looking women, with wild
hair standing out like quias,Iipousthe
fretful porcupine, and crazy bonnets,
haunt the departments with messages
frcm the spirits 70 the lTfeastirer, or
President, or General OF the Amy.
They are usually controlledfby thespirit
q dwree Washington, and he isl aaxil
soas 10 kho~ us through them how 10
boss this country. Newspaper CORE.
spondents have often alluded 70. this
sirange}iofde Of glunes hhodt Washing.
ton. They have been allowed TO come
and 90 everywhere, as they pleased, be-
ingmefely laughed AZ and piidh II .bas
never been thought necessary heretofore
10 shut them up, not even as far as their
tongues are concerned. But there ought
10 be q change in that respect now.
There is always q pressure Of excitement
at the Capital. Sometimes il breaks out
in scandals, sometimes in craziness In
city where there is always more or less
mental strain Of the kind that is felt
there, nobody can tell when harmless
lunatic may develop into q dangerous
one. In fact, entirely harmless l1natics
are very rare. Hereafter, it will un-
doubtedly DE, tho parttof wisd1ha Il
thrust behind the bars personslwithis
kink in their brains. Individuals with Q
mission and a roll Of manuscripts should
be strictly watched. g n 5..e NJ N /,
. In one4 respect the puipy Drained
idiots who drift to the Capital unani
mously agree. They all have bound
lessly exalted IDEAS OF their own import
=, ance. IL Is tlia leading characteristic o.