The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-12
CONSTRUCTIVE RATIONALISM.
Startling Utterances of a Clergyman Who
Enjoys the Society of Colonel
Robert IngersOll.
Joke of n Page----COncessions Said to
BE Required From Fe-
male Clerks.

Special Correspondence of the Evening Light.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., February 8.-Mrs.
Charlotte Smith is astonishing the Senate.
She talked to the genial and modest Pendle-
ton yesterday until he blushed. She said that
it was common practice among Senators and
Representatives to require concessions from
female clerks for whom they obtain places in
the departments. She stated the proposition
with such diStinctness of detail that the Sena-
tor could not doubt her. She asks that law
be enacted creating special penalty for such
misdemeanors on the part of Government
officials. Senator George, bluff Mississip-
plan, was next talked to by Mrs. Smith. He
was astonished by the breadth and
distnctness of her charges. Mrs. Smith
has promise of the support of Senator
Blair, Chairman of the Education and Labor
committee. 1t remains to be seen whether
Mrs. Smith, working in that sink of iniquity,
the city OF Washington, will persuade Con-
gress to enact a law that shall provide penal
ties to be imposed on every member of
Congress whom pretty face may entice away
from the straight and narrow path of strict
decorum.
THE JOKE OF A LITTLE PAGE.
Some of the pages of the House
and Senate are very handsome, as
well as very bright little fellows. When
they see a chance for a Joke they
improve it. Yesterday Senator Dawes, of
Massachusetts, brought md-mannered,
aima6ls looking, portly and grey-bearded
friend OF his on the floor of the Senate, and
gave him seat on one of the comfortable
leather-covered sofas. Senatorial duties
called the Senator to his seat for little
while, and his friend was left alone. A
bright little page by the name of Rainey, a
sort of protege of Senator Morgan, of Ala
bama, saw chance for some fun. Securing
sheet OF official letter paper and having found
out the name OF Senator Dawes friend, he
wrote neat note, in which he stated that there
was rule OF the Senate which required visi-
tors on the floor of the Senate to make three
profound bows to the presiding officer in
honor OF the memory of George Washing
! ton. This note was duly signed with
fictitious name. The young practical
joker then hurried up to the visitor as if
delivering an important message, and
handed him the note. He, and half a
dozen other mischievous pages who had been
| distance and watched for the result. The
visitor put his eyeglasses TO his eyes with
great deliberation, and read the note. He
| seemed undecided for a moments but, appar-
| emily thinking it was all right, he rose with
great dignity and made three profound bows
| IN the direction Of the Vice Presidents chair.
The aged Captain Bassett, who had charge of
| the pages, and who has been an employe of
the Senate for half a century, noticing that
something unusual was going on among the
| boys, inquired into the cause of their merri-
ment and when he found out the trick that
had been played on Senator Dawes friend, he
gave the offending page a sound lecture.
| Dawes friend, when told of the joke that had
been played upon him, was little mortified at
| his own greennesS, but he soon recovered his
good humor, and requested that the page be
excused for having little fun at his expense.
INGERSoLL AND DR.. SAVAGE.
curious story is a1oat here, and is Great
ing considerable gossip in quiet way. The
| UnitarianS have fine church here and a
large congregation, including in the number
many OF the New England Congressman.
during the winter number of prominent di-
vines are invited to preach here, and usually
accept. A couple OF weeks ago Rev. Dr..
Savage, of Boston, preached at the church on
Constructive Rationalism," presenting some
very startling views, considering that they
came from the pulpit, holding that the torch
OF reason is the only light in which the Bible
should be studied or regarded.
Some of his sentences were quite ON the
lngersoll order. Such as this: "Rather
let me lie down in dreamless sleep, at
the end of life. than to accept heaven
where should be rendered forever miserable
by the walls of the damned and the
lurid flames of a hell just beyond" These
remarks were rather startling as coming from
the pulpit, but would have passed without
special comment but for the fact that the
reverend gentleman went from the pulpit
direct to the society Of Colonel Bob Ingersell.
dining with him at the residence of a mutual
friend and spending the afternoon with him
and other friends. A prominent gentleman
OF this city, an ex-Congressman, said to your
correspondent recently: 81 never enioyed
Sunday as much as last Sabbath. went 10
church, and heard DIR. Savage and then met
him and Colonel Ingersoll at dinner. After
dinner we spent the afternoon smoking and
chatting, and think never enjoyed a SUNDAY
81 much as ana that one AJAX,
A traveller on German railroad train at
tempted to eat lunch while on the Journey
| Willis Duttinp Micro Of boIoro -. =