The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-09-18
Congressional Gin Mills-An Odd
Character,

Washi ngton Letter: The Congress
sional gin mills are not quite so profit
able as the stationery business, the for
mer being run by Congressional bar
keeper who gets his rent free and fur
nishes his own material. As the house
gin mill is very popular place with
strangers as we'll as hungry and thirsty
congressman, there is heap of money
in it. There is q peculiar fascination
for many people in the idea of sneaking
drink of whisky in teacup. Ladies
who would shudder at the thought of
going into barroom up town, think it
quite delightful. There was very
nice temperance joint resolution put
through the senate at the beginning of
the session closing up both Congression-
al gin mills and virtuously refusing per-
mission to sell even malt liquors or
wine The latter amendment was got
in by Frye. Edmunds prepared The
resolution. Edmunds knew it would
never get through the house.
Well, it got over to the House, be-
lieve, if the, messenger who bore it was
not met by Belford and murdered in the
crypt, and that is the last of it.
The vanity of the statement is re-
markable. But it is not more ridic,ll-
ously funny than the way it is played
upon. There is an old stock actor en-
ployed in the rooms of the Journal Clerk
of the House who is character ever
entertaining. The boys call him the
"trhe Judge" He is a judge of rum.
He is a popular fellow. During the
Garfield fair magnificent gold watch
was a prize to be voted for to the most
popular candidate for the Presi-
dency. Grant, Hancock, Logan,
Mcdonald, Sherman, Blaine, AMI q
dozen other popular statesmen were
running, their names and the votes cast
being displayed in a prominent place.
Some wag employed about the capitol
wrote the name of William Wlggins on
the board. The boys. seeing the humol
in the thing, began to boom Wiggins
against the field 1t took pretty stiff
vote to beat Grant, but Wiggins got
there, and now wears splendin golG
watch inscribed to him by the Garfield
Fair Association as the most popula,
candidate for President of the United
States. Wiggins is very fine conver-
sationalist. He met Colonel Morrison
the other day and extending his han6
said
Colonel Morrison, I have just beer
reading your speech, and I want to say
it is the best effort-in fact, the strong
est array of facts l have yet seen"
"Thank you" replied Morrison, Mr.
Virgins, do you ever take anything?"
81 do, "said Wiggins, promptly, anG
the Colonel and the Jadge moved off te
the bar.
When they came out I saw merry
twinkle in the Wiggins eye. indicatin.
that he had struck new vein.
watched him occasionally and saw hin
approach Judge Kelley, when the fol
lowing dialogue occurred:
Judge Wiggins Judge, permit me t
! congratulate you sir, on your speech
1t was splendid effort. Excuse me
Judge, if J. say that as long as I hav
known you Inever heard you do so we'll
/ have just been reading it.
Judge Kelloy-Thanl1 you, I thinl
it up.to my average You are very
kind sir. By the way, I was about t;
go in and take something. VIII yo,
join me, or do you ever
Judge Wiggins oh, sometimes;
don't care if do. Thanks.
And the Judges stroll off arm in arm
Yes, Wiggins is one of the finest converse
ionalists [ ever knew.