The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-06-08
THE IRREGULARITIES.
Of Some Of the Prominent Men of
the House and Senate.
queer Things Which our Wiseaeres
do When on Duty i'm the TallS
of National Legislation.

Inc London Truth has been anus.
ING itself and its ..readers by noting
some of the peculiarities of promin.
ent men in public life in England.
The great men in this cou try have
their peculiarities az we'll as those OF
other countries. An hour in the
House will demonstrate that fact to
any close observer. For instance. il
is not all uncommon thing, to see a
member OF the House while in his
seat scratch his head, clean ard pare
his nails. run his hands through his
hair, tickle his ear with feather, or
do any other sbsent-minded trifs
which might seem out of place else
where.
Reagan, of Texas, for instance, the
ex.pos,master general for the Confed-
erscy. ia never st his best unless he
has short string, with the ends tied
together, with which he may employ
his hands, pulling and twisting and
working it after the ''cat's cradle"
fashion. II be does not have the
string, his next choice is some loo e
pieces of paper. which he tears into
bits, scattering them about him until
the floor in his vicinity looks az
though q sort of blizzard had struck
ii.
Hewitt, of New York, has a queer
habit OF crossing his legs when he
talks. He Usually gets into an aisle
between the seats, and putting his
handso g desk at each side OF him,
crosses bis legs as he stands. When
be gets warmed up he can stand with
his legs crossed, without holding on
the desk.
Judge Kelly, who is the central
figure on the Republican side, does
not talk much nowadays. He is get
ting pretty old, and recognizes this
fact. The last time he made set
speech in the House he began by say
ing that he did not know whether or
not his strength would be sufh cient
to carry him through. He mas
wonderful strong voice for one of bis
slight physique, and can make him
self heard in eve y corner Of the grea.
hall.
TON" Reed, of Maine, who sits
near Kelley, has very incisiYe man
ner. and is probably as much at home
on his feet as any other man in the
house. He is never Hurried. He is
not an orator, and does not indulge
much in gestures when he speaks;
but his antagonist is usually glad
when he sits down. He has a way
Of saying cutting things, and can be
severe ss well as witty, when occs-
sion requires.
Frank Hurd, OF Ohio, has q curl.
ous way of flinging his arms out at
right angles with his body, giving
him the appearance of a flying.
machine. He walks with q cane
usually, one leg being considerable
shorter than its fellow, and finds
difficulty in standing without it on
any other occasion than that of
matchmaking. When he gets
up in his speech, however, |
be forgets cane and leg and every
'hing else. and the way his arms fly !
s q caution to those within resch of
tnem.
Holman, "the objsctor," seldom
strikes out from the shoulder in MAX
ing his gestures, as do most orators.
Nearly all his gestures are simply by
The motion of the hand, or q. least OF
the arm, from the elbow down. He
has a very funny way of checking up
nis sentences, spectacles in hand,
with chopping motion of the right !
band. which is rather amusing to the
observer, but quite annoying to the
gentleman who wants to get little
bill through and cannot, because of
Holman's objection" |
Hewitt. ofAIbama, is queer.look-
ng man at best, but when he is max
ng speech, he certainly presents
'ery peculiar appearance. He has a
way of pinching up his hands as if it
we're half full of salt. and of stretch
ng i! out, in making gestures, as if
le were trying TO drop some OF the salt
n the birds tail. and of then draw
ng it back quickly. as if his fingers
lad been pricked.
Gen. Tom Browne; OF Indiana,
lever began speech in his life unless
10Th hands were rsmmed down in his
'reeohes pockets. and he never takes
more than one of them out at a time
Or the purpost OF gesticulation.
But it is the greatest and only Bel
ord who has the most particular way
f his own in addressing the House. |,
lie was never know to stand by his
wn desk. He always takes posses
ion OF the aisle adjoining, and some
lines be traverses two or three aisles
q the course OF his remarks. Belford
lses arms. legs, lungs. ooat-tails. and
q fact, every available adjunct to
ratory; and thus it is. perhaps tba.
70 attracts so much attention. Il has
item been remarked that his speeches
ound much better than they read.
In the Senate there are quite as
many peculiarities, comparatively. as
q the House. A visitor to the gal.
Dry OF the Senate may often hear the
- L. II