Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-28
The Amenities of Congressman.

y. II. humSdeH, IN EnLtUdetphG0 fT6GS.
Another Congressman from Tennessee,
named Mullins dead now, poor old
fellow, was exceedingly playful He
would dance and kick up his heels in a
very kittenish manner, and he had q
cheerful habit of hitting his fellow. mem
bers a whacking blow on the bac4 when
they least expected it. Yet he was not
unpopular among his fellows, for he was
always good-natured, aud he had no
idea his playfulness might be offensive.
But the funniest thing Mullins ever did
was on a very mournful occasion. A
Virginia member Q believe) had been
killed in a row by the Ku-Klux, think.
At any rate the funeral orations were
being pronounced, and more lies were
being told than usual on such occasions
Finally Mullins time came, and for him
it was a great occasion. and great use he
made CT it, if you will believe me. 1t
was the most ridiculous speech ever
made in Congress. Notwithstanding
the pail which hung over the chamber,
the audience was convulsed. One sen.
tence of the Grafton | remember and can
never forget. Here it is. He referred,
of course, to the murdered Congress
man:
HE has gone down to his grave,
wrapped in the peaceful soliloquy of his
own blood"
The House, at this burst of pathos,
burst out laughing, and its members
could not restrain themselves. / believe
John McElhone and some of the mem
bers afterward fixed up the speech in
decent style.
Another eccentric fellow was the Dele
gate from Idaho. three or four Congresses
back. 1t was his pleasurable habit on
warm days during the sessions of the
House to take nap. Back of the seats
in the House, as everybody knows. are
sofas, wide and luxurious, placed at
short intervals all around the hall. The
honorable gentleman from Idaho would
begin his entertainment by nodding in
his seat. Then, more asleep than awake,
he would shuttle to one of those Sofas
First he would pull off one boot, then
think over it moment, and finally pull
off the other one. Next he would
inhibition his vest and unloose his cravat.
Then to sleep and to snorel
| once had the misfortune to board at
hotel-a first class hotel-my little
family shared very desirable table in a
COIutI Will al uOuOIdDle O6udIOT. IL
was in the days of Andy Johnson, and
the Senator was in high favor. He was
very good natured, very honest, very
frank and very green. He was temper
ate, dressed in broadcloth, and never
would bore you with too much talk.
Indeed. may say, he would have been
very agreeable but for one bad habit. He
would blow his nose on the napkin.
The frat thing he did when he sat down
to the table was to spread out the snowy
linen and "whoop it up" like house
afre. If there is anything in the world
that is revolving and cowardly it is an
anonymous letter, but to that Senator |
wrote one. containing simply these
words "Why don't you blow your
nose on your handkerchief instead of on
your napkinf" 1t had the desired effect,
you may be sure. That Senator is still
living, though he is not now in the
Senate. If this paragraph ever falls
under his eye, he will know who it was
that did him one of the greatest favors
he ever received.