The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-03
SENATE AND HOUSE PAGES.
Their Duties. with Some Mention .of the Bad
Habits They Acquire.


Their Duties. with Some Mention .of the Bad
Habits They Acquire.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2-Some interesting char
acter and peculiar bits of life are found in the
pages of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives. In the upper branch of congress there
are about fifteen and in the lower branch about
thirty five pages. Their duties are well-known
to the average reader. Their fields of labor arc
the floors of the two branches Of congress A
page for the Senate, however, never does any
thing for member Of the House, and vice versa
Sometimes page is found who is almost Of age
and nearly full-grown; but they average from
nine to fourteen years. and most OF them are
very small in stature, and upon first appearance
boyish in character. AS years go on, if they are
retained the little fellows become sagacious
often proud, and not infrequently initiate the
statesmen in bearing and conversation. There
is no better school for boy in which to become
an actor. He has the best of opportunities to
study every phase of character. Speak
ing OF the pages sometimes imitat-
ing the acts Of their superiors
reminds me of an incident that occurred few
days ago. A very diminutive page who was
borne upon the rolls of the last Congress was
superseded. When he learned that his place
had been given to another he became consider
ably detected, for this little fellow had dissi-
pated in mild way and had been profigate, so
that he was found almost without funds and
was as far away from home as the State of Mis-
souri, is from Washington. But the boy had
been an observer and knew trick or two. He
6iodf fha oit He Gnip fo
his boarding house he hastily packed up his per-
sonal effects without attracting the attention of
anyone. With great caution he removed them
to another quarter in the city. Then he went
out to bid mis- confreres adieu. Meeting ono of
them, who was about ten years old, and as tall
as mans arm is long. he said:
well, goodbye. old fellow; I'm of. My con-
feated in caucus and beaten in convention The
situation, however, leaves me little fat. / am
nearly broke; but have found way out !
will jump my board bill They all do it."
Sometimes the pages run in schools, like fish,
and become clannish. Not unfrequently one
meets crowd of them, all under three feet in
height, at the midnight hour. making the town
howl. Many of them smoke cigarettes and play
billiards Frequently the little fellows drink
beer. for they can buy it anywhere at the coup-
ters There is not a very great proportion of
them, however, who fall into these channels of
dissipation Those who do generally come from
the larger cities Then the pages have way OF
"hazing," and some of the capers they play upon
plebeians or inexperienced boys are wonderfully
severe and terribly embarrassing. One of the
favorite tricks in the line of hazing is to take
new boy down in the lower basement under the
hall Of the House and show him the
rubber man." This basement is very
dark and very broad and cavernous. Portions
of it are unhehted. and the unsophisticated
youth soon finds himself lost. The surround
incs are weird and frightful, and it sometimes
An1,n A~.~~. k~<~ d. -.
are generally changed every two years, but the
boys in the Senate are retained, and some of
item grow up to manhood from childhood at
their posts of duty, as did Senator German, of
Maryland It is said that a considerable number
of the pages in the House are blood relatives to
members, and sometimes the members have
their sons appointed