The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-02-25
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BOYS
rho wait on Senators and Represents
tivcs in the National Capitol.

tivcs in the National Capitol.
Some interesting character and peculiar
bits of life arc found in the pages OF the SEN
ate and house of representatives. In the up
uer branch of congress there are about iiteen
and in the lower branch about thirty-hvo
pages. Their duties are well known to tho
average reader Their fields Of labor are the
floors OF the two branches of congress.
page for the senate however, never does any
thing for a member of the house, and vice
versa Sometimes page is found who Is
almost Of age and nearly full-grown; but
thew average from TO IA years, and most of
them are very small il stature, and upon first
appearance boyish in character: As years 90
on. il they are retained the little fellows lie
come 81 syaciouS, often proud, AID not infrc-
gueltly initiate the statesmen in bearing and
conversation.
There IS no better school for boy IN which
20 Jecoz.c IN actor, He has the best of o.
rortl.ity 20 study every phase OF charactcr.
S;pca-ilg of the pages sometimes initiating
the act Of their superiors, reminds me Of IN
incident that occurred n few days ago. y
very dimunitivc page who was borne upon
the rolls OF the last congress was
superseded. When he learned that
lis place had been given to another he be-
came considerably detected, for this little
fellow had dissipated in n mild way and had
been profiigate, so that he was found almost
without funds, and was far away from home.
But the boy had been an observer and knew
s. trick or two. He studied the situation.
He solved it. Going to his boarding-house
he hastily packed up his effects without at
tracing the attention OF any one. With great
caution he removed them to another quar-
ter of the city. Then he went out to bid his
coafrercs adieu. Meeting one Of them, who
was about 10 years DID, and as tall as nian's
ar1a IS long, he said:
.Well, goodbye, old fellow; I'm Off. BY
constituents have given me the shake. was
defeated i'll caucus and beaten in convention.
Tho situation, however, leaves me a little fat.
/ al .clriy broke; but 1 have found a Wy
Out. I VIII jump my board-bill. The al
do l."
Sometimes the pages run in schools, like
fish, and become clannish. Not infrequeatly
ono meets 4 crowd of them, all under three
tect in height, at the midnight hour,
making the town howl. Many OF
them smoke cigarettes and play billiards
frequently the little fellows drinl, bCcr,
for they. can buy it anywhere at the counters
There Is not very great proportion of them,
however, who fail into these channels OF dis
sipation. Those who DO generally come
from the larger cities. Then the pages have
. way of "hazing," and some of the capers
they play upon plebcials or inexperienced
boys are wonderfully severe and tsrrihiy
embarrassing. One of tho favorite tricks n
the.l line of hazing is to take new boy down
III the lower basement under the hall Of the
house and show him the rubber man"
This basement is very dark and very
broad and cavcrnous. Portions of it are I'M
lighted, and tho ulsophisticatcd youth soon
iinds hinI5clt lost. Tho surroundings are
weird and -ri.shttul, and it sometimes tax 5 AL
hour - -.t ont. Pages received SO Pr
month ,.,iiug tlIc session. Those IN the hou.
are generally changed every two years, but
IL boys il the senate .t,c retained, and some
~ t''Hl crow W to manhood from childhood
,-- -l---r Is OF duty.-W ashinGtCn Letter.