Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-28
THE NATIONS PAGES.
Characters of the Beys who wait on
Senators and congressman.


An Indianapolis correspondent at
Washington writes: Some interest
ing character and peculiar bits of life
are found IN the pages of the senate
and house of representatives. In the
upper branch of congress there are
about fifteen and In the lower branch
about thirty-6ve pages. Their duties
are we'll known to the average reader
Their fields of labor are the hours
Of the two branches of congress. A
page for the senate, however, never
does anything for a member of the
house, and vice versa, Sometimes a
page is found who is al
almost of age and nearly full-grown;
but they average from 9 to Id years,
and most of them arc very small III
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 states
men bearing and conversion. There
is no better school for boy in which
to become an actor. He has the best
of opportunity to study every phase
of character. Speaking of the pages
sometimes initiating 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 sup
erceded. When he learne d that his
place had been given TO another he
became considerably detected, for
this little fellow mad dissipated in a
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 Missouri is from Wash
ington. But the boy had been an OBJ
server and knew a trick or two. He
studied the situation. He solved it.
Going to his boarding house he hasti-
~ packed up his effects without at
tracing the attention of anyone.
With great caution he removed them
to another quarter OF the city. Then
he went out to bid his conferres adieu,
Meeting one of them, who was about
10 years old, and as tall as mans
arm is long, he said
"Well, good-by, old fellow; I'm off.
Ny constituents have given me the
shake, | was defeated In caucus and
beaten in convention, The situation
however, leaves me q little fat. [
am nearly broke; but [ have found
a way out. l will jump nay board
bill. They all do it."
Sometimes the pages run in schools
like fish, and become clannish. Not
infrequently one meets a crowd of
them, all under three feet in height,
at the midnight hour making the
town howl. Many of them smoke
cigars and play billiards. Frequent
~ the little fellows drink beer, for
they can buy it anywhere at the
counters. 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 plebians
or inexperienced boys are wonder
fully severe and terribly embarrass-
ing. 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 broad and dark and cavern0us.
Portions OF it are unlighted, and the
unsophisticated youth soon finds him
self lost. The surroundings are weird
and frightful, and it sometimes takes
an hour to get out. Pages receive
$75 per month during the session.
Those in the house are generally
changed every two years, but the
boys IN the senate are retained, and
some of them grow up to manhood
from childhood at their posts of duty,
as did Sen. German, of Maryland.
It is said that a considerable number
of the pages of the house are blood
relatives to members, and sometimes
the members have their sons appoint
ad