Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-06-05
THE SENATE CORRAL.
How tho Senate Chamber Appears
to the 'cLog Cabin" Tenant
The Poet OF the S:errAs Doesn't
Have an Exalted Opinion OF
Our Herd OF National
S0l0na,
Joaquin Miller's Letter. ]


To put it in plain Oregon English, the
senate chamber is big corral, nearly square,
with fence about fifteen feet high and
would hold, probably, two hundred fat and
full-grown steers.
"For the first few days." said the Hon. J.
w. Nesmith, CT Oregon. II wondered how in
the world ever got here. But after began
to get acquainted wondered still more how
the other fellows got here"
There are no posters an the fence Of the big
corral, but there is great deal of old gold
and gingerbread work. On the top
of the fence and sloping back and upward,
as in a theatre, there are five successive rows
OF gray, hard seats, running entirely around
in squared circle. This circle is cut in
families, and so on. There is one bright dash
of sky blue. This section is for the legations
The section for the reporters is on top of the
fence just above the head of the vice presi-
dent. The yard is clean The president of
the senate sits in an old-fashioned western
pulpit. Roasting around on the steps of the
pulpit are dozen or two little boys twisting
themselves into all conceivable shapes
Fronting the great pulpit and curving in
graceful half moons before it are three rows
Of desks. A few seats stand sentinel further
back; and there are some low and tired-ook-
ing leather sofas hiding here and there in the
corners. These sofas are not empty. l won-
der if it was the custom of the Romans to
twist their togas about their ears and curl up
on sofas with their sandals In the air when
they didn't want to hear the opposition!
Sitting here in the gallery Of the senate,
and seeking to give an exact five minutes
photograph in ink, l counted seven little
boys on the steps Of the pulpit trying with
all their might and main to tie themselves
into double bow knots The senator imme-
diately under me is also trying to perform
the same fearful feat with his legs. A blonde
man with big head and big fists is making
speech. He is making it for constituents
THOUSAND miles away. Two little boys start
swiftly over the noiseless floor. A gray and
comely old man sleeps peacefully Oh the left
Of the pulpit. The big fists swing in the air.
Four moro senators are melting away
through the fence of the corral. The prcsi-
dent Of the senate has ceased smell
ing OF flowers on tho desk, and Is
dreamily rubbing his nose up and
down with his left forefngcr. Another
senator goes out. A massive and broad
breasted member, with red hair and
lifted face, enters and looks all about the
corral In the most impressive manner. The
handsome and impressive member finally
sees the two huge fists swinging In the air;
he turns with a toss Of the head like O Texan
steer and 10 gone. Two more senator's melt
away. Sure enough the man with the big
fists swinging in the air is talking for those
constituents a thousand miles away. For
no one near him is willing to hear. Two
more senators knocked out! There are not
many senators left, but Of those rema ining
there is an astonishing number of them
fooling with their noses. 1t is queer, but
believe you can come in here any day ard
SEQ at least a doN n senator's fooling in soIno
way with their noses. That surely wes not q
Roman custom. And even If it were-but
forbear. The five minutes are up.
When the senate Of the United States
wants to smoke, and that Is frequently, it
turns the people out OF the five rows of benches
on the top Of the corral fence and fastsns all
the doors. How do knowi
Go down, down, underneath this noble
capitol. There you will find dozen or SO
great flaming furnaces. You will I'm tun.
mel reaching out half mile to invoke COOL
air, You will see more than twenty miles Of
brass, whirling bands, belts, fans the busiest
place, the best ordered place, the best, BRAY
est, truest, and most skilled engineers; and
the 10000 people walking on forever over the
heads of these men away down there, these
mighty engines, these furnaces that devour
forty tons Of coal every week, away down
there in the bowels Of the earth wonderful
Some Of these twenty-four firemen are
stri pei to the waist in the heat and sweat and
this away down there under the senate in
order to make pure air. and the world walk
ing Oh unconsciousy every day over the
heads of these two brave and pale engineers
and their twenty-four men down there with
them.
"Its executive session now"
"Whatl How do you knowP'
"Sec the tobacker smoke a-pourin9 down
herel Why, if senator up thar should
other end OF my pipes while a-foolin' with
his nose I'd whisk her down here in a sec
ond"
Tellinsi Well, now, IL the senate of these
United States will only sit ur, sit up or 10
home and 60 to bed, AMI stop fooling with
its nose, will be one of the first to accord
the respect which the senate of this great
land should receive. But the simple truth is,
with dozen exceptions or SO, the senate to-
day is sadly down at the heel.
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