Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-09-13
THE CAPITOL GUIDES.
Those who Show the Visitors Through
The Great Halls of Congress.

The guides at the Capitol, SAYS the
Washington Hdtchet. are reaping
golden harvest from the bridal boom
that is now IN full bloom. The excellent
example set by the chief executive is
having its good effects throughout the
country, and all the charmed couples
focus on Washington.
The guides say the bridal parties are
their best customers, and frequently
drop crisp s. note into their hands
after being shown the-sights. This class
of visitors is the delight of the cicerones
for another reason-they get tired much
sooner than other travellers and want
to go back to their hotels and their
honeymoon. Occasionally couple from
the rural retreats stray in, holding
hands. and swapping bites from the
same apple. They don't want anyone
to show them about and only want to
say they have been to congress. Often
times these green couples are caught
kissing as they slowly seek the dome
by the winding stairways.
Speaking OF the guides, they are
polite set of fellows, and make their
money by hard work. Some DAYS they
strike it rich, but other DAYS they do
not take in enough to pay for bread
and butter. They leave their fee gen.
orally to the generosity of the visitor,
and usually get q pretty fair compensa-
ton for their long tramps and Stereo-
typed descriptive speeches-things thew
have said thousand times When they
. get good big party who know what
the proper thing is, they make it pay
pretty we'll: but sometimes they will
spend three or four hours showing sew
eral persons around, and then be hand
ed 90 cents, or, perchance, a Bland
cart-wheel.
These are the dark spots in their
tread-mill lives. Some people have an
idea that these men are furnished by
the government pro bono pu51ico be-
cause they wear little metal badge
bearing the legend Capitol Guide
and kick at the mention of a fee.
Formerly there were only six guides,
but the number has been doubled.
lacking one, by the pressure for places.
After all they are not as fat places as
one might imagine. Their receipts will
run from $50 to S75 month. Sixty
dollars would be a fair average. Their
hours are from in the morning until
4:30 in the afternoon. Business does
not begin as rule before 10 and is over
by 3. The reception days at the White
House knock big hole in the receipts.
1t takes about an hour and a half to
see the building thoroughly.
Then the distinguished men in both
houses OF congress must be pointed out
and their peculiarities narrated. The
guides say that Gibson, of MARYLAND.
and Toole. the delegate from Montana,
are considered the handsomest men in
the House of Representatives by a
majority of visitors Randall, Reed,
and Carlisle are asked for as soon as
the visitor gets into the gallery Gen.
Logan is the first asked for in the Sem
ate, but is nearly always recognized
from his pictures if he happens to be
within sight. Butler, Dolph. and Mitch
ell are set down as the best-lookinc
senators by the visiting sovereigns.
EngliShnien are the best customers.
They come in running walk in
great hurry, and doing of America in
q fortnight, don't you know" and
eagerly inquire for Il guide rs soon as
they cross the thresholds. They want
only the principal points, and pay well
and rush out They are usually as
founded ut the magnitude of the capitol
building, and speak of the country as
n ''giant" and of Washington as the
most beautiful and wonderful city in
the world. The foreigners, however,
often criticise the paintings and statues
as crude
The guides have queer experiences
with all sorts of people. On one occa-
sion three well-drcssed. cosmopolitan
looking New Workers took Il guide for
three hours. At the close of their
rounds each man went deep down into
his pocket, and fishing up nickel,
handed it to the amazed cicerone in
the most matter-of-fact way. and with.
out trace of fun in their faces The
astonished guide looked ut the three
coins second and said
Gentlemen, ! always treat when
| am paid this literally. Let's go
below"
The trio readily accepted the invita-
ton. and followed their friend to the
restaurant. When they got through
with 80 cents worth of refreshments
each of the three handed over u dollar,
and the laugh came in.
An lriShman came in one day and
was escorted to the echo block" in
statuary hall. He said it was wonder
fnl but they had one ut the lakes of Kill
larney that could beat it. why"
said he, when You say How do you
do?' over that stone in the ould country
it answers Pretty we'll. thank YOU. -
That finished the guide up in one
round. One man wanted to know who
n l,aFn,sa Waobsp,~to.