New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-18
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
WHAT Is TALKED OF IN WASHINGTON.

Of dinners in Washington, outside OF the ordinary
social entertainments, would divide them INTO
dinners with an object and dinners without an
object; and the dinners with an object outhumoer
the Others by large majority" A mems dinner
that is not given to push a bill or candidate OF 10
| feed "a htlle boom of some sort, is pleas
| ant rarity. One of these was gwen inc
other night with Henry Watterson as the sub
jet, and the only object to have good time
There was n small host of hosts, among whom were
| Proctor Knott Mr.. Flower of New-YOrk; General
Basil Duke of Ken lucky; Phil Thompson MI
| Mckenzie and Judge Phister of the Kentucky
| delegation; Benz. Perley POore, and H. D now
| lett, formerly Editor of The Louisville Commercial
| The one guest was Nr. Watterson. Before his ar
rival il was agreed that there should he general
| discussion Of the tariff. and that the Democrats
present should show n gradual but steady driit
toward protection principles The conspiracy was
carried out and for a time the apostle OF n tarlh
| for revenue only" who was fresh from seeing his
party friends In the House and Senate turn
somersaults over to the protection side whenever
an industry IN their districts States came INTO
question, looked little troubled. But the descent
| was little too rapid When Mr.. Flower admitted
that the protectionIsts had fact in their favor
that protection causes Ovcr-prOduction, which al
| WAYS brought prices down, and 30 benefited the
| people at large and when Mr. Thompson SAID ne
had made M his mind after all, to vote to raise the
| duty ON pIg iron; and General Duke ratified of
series Of mprOyised statistics from the last census
| on the importation of wash-tubs and other Things
| too numerous to mcntioT the cat WAS long way
ont of the bag and there is reason to believe that MS
claws were visible at the beginning. Unfortunately
for the conspiracy Mr. Watterson is just now
engaged in writing address on tarlii. Which, the
Ohio River permit ing, he will deliver before the
n. I .Iatu Vt Ihursd1V. and he
too full of statistics to be fooled by tho most brill
liant oxomporaneous compilations.
Proctor Knott, who has the reputation Of being
the best stOry-tcller IN Kentucky, where most OF
the good story-tcllers live gave an account of an
interview with a certain Mr.. Watkins, of Vermont,
which he told with a skill of facial expression that
would have made his fortune on the stage. The
rules about admission to tho floor of the
House arc worry strict, and n conversa-
ton with member only DO had
by an outsider by sending in card
through thcdoorkeeper. when the member emergos,
hurros through the talk. and goes in again As mem
brrs are usually pretty well occupied, II Is expected
that these interviews shall be brief as possible.
One day Mr. Knott received the card of Mr.. Wat
kins, Of Vermont whom he did not know. He went
ont met a long lean man with solemn countc-
nance. and this conversation followed:
d" Be YOU Nh. Knott the funny man !
yes. sir" said Mr. Knott promptly. and I'm a
great deal lunuier than you'd suppose The fact Is
that don't dare to be as funny / can be. I've
already sacrificed tho lives Of several of my
friends through a reckless exercise OF my
humorous powers. and go about under constant
sense of self restraint
BE You from the Blue-(;lass region or the Penny
ryail'
I'm from the pcnny-ryal.' Here VII. Knott be
gan TO he n littc uneasy. They were Just beginning
"a roll-cau in the House. Mr. Watkins shifted to Ia,
other foot. aud began again: "What kind OF cattle
do they have down IN KcntuckyH'
"Wcll. we still have very ine breed Of the
roegotLcriu,n there But ia. pleiosaurus aud tho
lcthyosaurus. I'm sorry 20 say are rapidly dying
ont II Will he a GREAT loss 70 the state, because
they are very tame and have been used q great
deal for domestic purposes. good many of the
ladies make pets of them
Mr. Watkins seemed a little surpri-ed but he
got on the other foot and changed the subject:
DO YOU know Mary AudorsouF
"Oh. very well"
Is shr 80 purty"
"Rayishingy beautiful
Nj. Watkin1 ptused q moment. NJ. Knott could
hear the roll call travelling rapidly toward the Ks.
'.Did you ever See her play in Romeo and Juhetf
"Oh. frequently
"Do you think Romeo and Juliet IS the best play
Shakespeare ever wrotef
"W,l now. NY friend, You'll have TO excuse me
from expressing opinion that
point Nou src I'm coming up for reelection.
and feeling Is running pretty high in my district
now on that very question. About half Of my
constituents say that Romeo and Juliet is sno best
play Shakespeare ever wrote. aud about half OF
them swear il isn't 80 YOU see if should commit
myself, it would damage me very much IN the
campaign
ooh" said Mr. Watkins Then he pulled ont Of
his pocket little Connecticut watch about the
size of aquarerdollar. do they sell many of them
down In KentuckyT
"Wcn I've forgotten tho price per peck" said
Mr. Knott; "thcyre usually sold by the peck
They don't often sell bushel at tme."
Mr. Watkins was surprised, but he didn't 60
away. He only changed to the other foot. Mean
while the rcading-ccTk inside the hail had begun |
on the Ks "Say see in The lRY-BUNE that II took |
n regiment Of men and two cannon TO hang man |
down IN Kentucky. Now. want to know if that's |
80 ~
"No sir. It's not 80. That TRY-BUYE il most |
untrustworthv newspaper. The truth is this We |
know il has been said lately in the North that We
conduit hang a man for murder IN Ken
lucky. and so we made up our
minds that we must have hanging
for the benefit Of the State. There was n trial end
inc lust then and we agreed that the fact that the
iury had acquitted the mau couldn't be allowed to
interfere To be sure, he innocent-it a
nerfectly clear caso-but the honor of kentucky
WAS at stake and what could we dot We hanged
him. sir but il took whole brigade of soldiers and
n park of artillery to do it, That shows you just
how near that 1RY-BUNE goes to the facts"
Say, there's another thing wanted to see yOu
about. Pye heard that people down your way
chew aud smoke during meeting That amt 50, is
in"
Mr.. Knott was angry at last. No, sir it's an in
lannon's ialschood It's true that the boys usually