The Washington critic., 1886-04-03

minstrel show, and next to that he
likes tunelul comic opera. Among
the members of Congress, Senator
IIawley is the best known singer He
has fine baritone which he uses to
excellent advantage. The Senator's
repertoire Is quite extensive, but his
favorites are some old drinking songs
and In their rendition he is well nigh
inimitable. Senator Blackburn of
Kentucky Is basso, and COOL
singer he is too. His favorite Is
"Old Kentucky Home" Senator Voor.
hees of Indiana Is another singer of
Congressional renown. His voice Is
baritone, and he sings a number of SC.
lections very nicely. Not great while
ago he sang his favorite, "a hundred
years ago." in his committee room. TO
a party of friends, and they do say that
1t was magnificent performance.
Brown of Pennsylvania has the best
tenor In Congress, and 1t has been
fine and sweet voice. Mr.. Brown is
quite fond of the higher order of
music, although he sings some plain
tive ballads in manner that would do
credit to professional. Hanback, of
hunSuS ls uuOtuCE tcuOT. Ills VOlCc Is
not as finely cultivated as Browns, but
1t Is powerful and sonorous He would
make good chorus singer in comic
opera were 1t not for his bald head.
Hanback, likes the serio-comic songs of
the day. He belongs to the Elks, and
Is q regular attendant upon their meet.
ings. He can give grand recitation
as well as sing u song. Sometimes his
selections are of the patriotic order and
sometimes they partake Of the comic,
but he seldom sings anything sent-
mental. There are quite a number of
singers In Congress, enough In fact to
furnish choruses for several opera com
panies, but the gentlemen mentioned
are those who have achieved reputa.
tions on account of their musical gifts
| and attainments.
~
An assertion that the President and
his Cabinet weigh nearly ton, would
seem at first appearance rather start.
ling one, but it is not so far from the
fact. The talk about the physi.
cal condition of Mr.. Manning brings
out the fact that he weighed at the
time of his attack, 325 pounds. He
bad gained over twenty-five pounds
since he came into his position at the
Treasury. The President is not much
behind him in weight. They are very
much alike in figure, height and gen.
eral physical peculiarities. There are
several of the Cabinet members who
must weigh nearly 200 pounds each.
Secretary Lamar is tall, broad
shouldered and well developed physi-
cally and must tip the beam at about
that figure. Garland is big man, very
tall and muscular. He is not far from
200 in weight. Bayard is not far be.
hind him, neither is Endicott. Villas
and Whitney must average up about
175 pounds each. Put the eight men,
the President and his Cabinet, on the
scales and you will find they do not
fall many hundred weight below ton.
~
Ex-Treasurer Francis e. Spinner,
who has resided in Florida for num-
Der of years, is now living at Pablo
Beach, forty minutes by rail from Jack
sonville. This is charming location,
writes q correspondent of the Troy
Times, and General Spinner was the
first to pitch his tent here after the
place had been mapped out as resort
and the railroad from Jacksonville
completed to 1t seven or eight months
ago. He has double tent, one apart
ment for his own occupancy and
another for the accommodation of Wis
itors, and there he has been strength
ened in health by the invigorating eli
mate. and in his eighty fourth year has
apparently gained new lease of life,
with faculties clear and fresh as they
were twenty years ago. General Spin
ner spends his time in reading, writing,
fishing, and visiting; in companionship
he Is genial and instructive as ever, and
his sharp wit, power of analyzation
and strong common sense, permeated
with the spirit of sterling integrity,
have suffered no abatement.
Nv
Says the Washington correspondent
of the Cleveland Plaindealer: A young
man backed x-Commissioner Thoman
up against a marble pillar in Statuary
Hall the other day and began ques
tioning him In an atfable manner about
certain civil service reform principles
The Judge responded categorically
until at last he concluded to inquire
whence came the peculiar interest In
the subject. "Im getting some infor
nation for Judge Seney's speech" hC
said. "The Judge is just going to teal
the civil service law out by the roots
on the floor of the House." l do moi
know whether Mr.. Seney can use any
of the points his private secretary OBJ
tanned or not. He may feel after ex
amining them like Ex-Governor Foster
The latter was telling the other day
how he made an exhaustive examina
tion of the silver question aud prepared
q great speech. The luckiest thing
ever happened to him, he said, was