National Republican., 1883-12-08
THE MAN on THE AVENUE.
Small TalIs Abou. Men and Measures


sentcd tho second district Of Tennessee in con-
gress for several terms, is one ofthe most genial
gentlemen in the house, and great favorite
with everybody. There is popularity that
pursucs him, however, which creates fun
wherever he goes. Mr.. Houk always wears
tho regulation silk hat, and hardly day
passes that he docs not change head gear
with some one. Ono day last spring ho
dropped into tho office of n prominent treas
ury official with glossy new tile which ho
deposited on the montol. Senator Logan was
just concluding n confidential chat, and as he
shook hands with Judge Houk and hurried
out he picked up tho Tennesscoan's now hat
and clapped it on his head, leaving behind
in exchange father batterod-up tile that
had seen hard service. Judge HoulS finished
his business and crowning himself with
tho senator's head gear, without
noticing its appearance, proceeded
to another department whore ho uncon-
sciously traded "tiles'' with n cabinet officer.
Onco more that day the same thing occurred,
and whom Judge Itouk reached his hotel ho was
somewhat astonshed to find Senator Logan's
hat and polite note from the cabinet officer,
stating that he had made mistake, and in
advertently taken howrong hat that Judge
Houk's hat was forwarded Herewith, and the
return of his own was requested. Taking OF
the hat he had on the judge was amazed to
find tho name of tho then commissioner of
internal revenue neatly pasted therein, and
upon examining that the messenger bore was
astounded to find in it tho bold signature,
John A. Logan"
Then tho fatality that had haunted his life
camo into his mind, and with hearty laugh,
he said "Tell Gen. Blank that this is not
my hat, and l have not got his. There's
something wrong, though, and l will try and
unravel 1t tomorrow"
The Judge has another new hat this session,
but inside the crown in letters an inch long,
is inscribed this legend; "This is my hat.
Houk, of Tennessee"
aee
"What do you call it?" asked the Avenue
man Of one of the Oldest scribes on tho Row."
as a nattily-dressed young man passed them
attired in u new silk hat, surtout overcoat
down to his heels, with the rest of his raj :
ment looking like fashion plate.
"Oh, that's coupe correspondence new
journalistic swell---a bleed" answered tho
veteran newsgatherer. But perhaps you
don't know 'cm. Well, coupe correspondent
is man fresh from the homo Office who Just
knows it all. When ho first arrives here to
represent his paper he honestly believes that
it is the easiest thing in the world for him to
make startling sensation at home and an
extended reputation abroad as special.
He is equipped with bang-up wardrobe and
-
ments. For the first two or three weeks,
when it becomes necessary for him to visit
the capitol or call upon congressman, he
always travels in coupe, and that's whore he
gives himself away, aud gets tho name.
Twenty-four hours after his arrival in town
he has all the news copyrighted and wo have
to get his permission before we can send a
line of it. At least we would have to do so,
If we hadn't wired it about twelve hours be-
fore he heard of it. lie makes it his bust
ness to buy drinks and lunches for the repre-
sentatives from his state, and regards tho
chief qualifications of q newspaper man to be
loaiing in tho lobby at Willard's, sitting up
late at night, and writing bad hand"
"Well, what becomes of him?"
"He is cursed up regularly every day by
the manager of his paper, and finally is re-
called home and goes back to his desk on the
local staff, where he bends his brilliant imag-
ination down to wrestling with dog fights,
base ball, and walking matches"
"When he departs does ho do it in stylo-in
o coupe?"
mot much. He hoofs it to tho depot and
lugs his own gripsack."
e@a
western statesman said yesterday that
this was an age of wonders.
"Did you know" said he, "that race Of
winged niggers had boon discovered?'
Tho Avenue man ran over in his mind
"Across the Dark Continent and several
other fairy stories about Africa, but could
remember nothing bearing on such race
except perhaps the story of "The Marvellous
Adventures of Peter Wilkins" and then con,
fessed to dense ignorance.
Eyes, it's So" continued the westerner,
"Barnum is after them. Wants to get pair
no matter what the expense is"
"Where are they found? In what part o.
| the African continent"
"Pshaw, no; why they're right here at your
| door, Just across the Potomac, in old Vir
| ginia."
A light dawned. Tho dweller by tho mar
gin of great lakes had been reading the re
port of the grand jury at Danville, where il
was stated that "in order to intimidate til,
blacks lin tho recent misunderstanding
which occurred there) the white men free
their pistols in the air."
@"@
"I've just found out what young senator
is," said one of the western statesmen, wit
appeared to be triio disgusted with th
manner in which the senate committees wer
to be made up. "A young senator is ono VIII,
hasn't been in the senate but five years."
20
"Theres nothing changes q man like beinI
elected to congress-" said an ancient friend o
Tom Ochiltree's, in Willard's the other night
He and used to be inseparable when h
was in Washington before. 1t was Tom
and Joe between us then. He's q membe
of congress now, and no calls me Mr.. ---.
! He used to wear q muslin shirt with piul
and blue horseshoes on it as big as trade dol
lars. He would take OF his coat and vest, ant
the people would gather in crowds to look n
that resplendent shirt while ho was playin
billiards. He never comes into the billiard
room now, and the other day when l went t
his room-I had to send up my card first-h
was being dressed by four colored boys, bod
servants he called 'em. One was Shawn
him, another was putting on his socks, an
he was ordering the other two around tn
| III H., IA 4