Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-06-21
MARY JAMES LETTER.
SHE TELLS ABOUT THE LADIES
IN THE GALLERIES.

And Adds Some Interesting Anecdotes
Picked Up During o Visit of Her own
A Congressman Who Failed to See WHY
Gas Shouldn't Re Blown Out.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON. May 24.-"Vhere are you
going, my pretty maid?" said Dickey to
me this morning, as began putting on
my bonnet and other extraforaneous ap-
parel
Il am going to the Capitol" said l
politely. Wont you 60 along?"
mo, thanks" said she; I'm not on the
mash today"
What do you mean?" said I. with ris.
ing indignation.
''Oh, just what say, you innocent old
party" said she, with the most provoking
manner Don't you understand good.
plain English. with touch of the pic
turesquel'
81 understand your words, said I, "as
miserable as your slang is. but don't un-
derstand the application.
WELL if you don't" said she, '1et me
give you diagram: You are going to the
Capitol, and of course in Washington that
means that you are going to occupy Seat
In either the senate or house gallery Am
l correct7'
nodded in affirmation.
Very well; you won't be there five
minutes" she continued, until some
senator or some member will have spotted
you, and will be gazing upward at you,
something after the fashion of Dives and
Lazarus as narrated in the New Testa-
ment, with the exception that you will
hand him down something refreshing in
the shape of smile. and the next thing
you know he will be up alongside Of you
talking more than he ever did on the floor
of the chamber"
"And what of that7" said 1. with con.
scious smile and tell tale blush. If
gentlemen of my acquaintance want to
talk to me. and | want them to, is there
harm in it?"
"Oh, no, of course not, said she, "and
am not finding fault; only, as l said be-
fore, am not on the mash today. That
to or to be talked to by any rising or risen
statesman"
With that she relapsed once more into
her reading, and | went to the Capitol
alone. and portion of her prediction came
to pass. x*x
Nor is it unusual for ladies to go to the
Capitol. On the contrary, it is quite the
thing, and one can often spend a very
pleasant afternoon there, especially on
the house side. where men are plenty and
many of them are young. gay and gallant,
for age doesn't have a very serious effect
on a congressman, unless it has been rum
ming long time; and charming little par
ties of ladies go to the Capitol and meet
ing their statesmen friends there, indulge
in delightful lunches in the house res
taurant or charming tete-a-tetes in the
gallery. Congressmen's wives and daugh-
ters go there, too, and on special occasions,
when speeches are to be made. they are
always in advantageous positions, where
they may see and hear, and it is pleasure
to see the quick passages'of recognition
between the floor and the gallery; the look
of the anxious man below and the encour-
aging glance and smile of the loved ones
above. who center all their hopes and am
bitions on the speaker, and to whom the
national legislature Is interesting and
important only because he is there.
Yet the galleries are abused and many
women are admitted who should be un-
der the ban of accommodation, and al
most disgraceful fiirtations are sometimes
carried on. but this does not often occur,
and the women occupy the public portion
of the gallery, though | have heard Of
congressman who have given their cards
of admission to the members gallery to
women they would not dare to recognize
In public. It would seem that every man |
who had risen to the dignity of a national |
had also risen to the dignity |
or decency of q gentleman, but / am |
grieved to confess that this is not true.
Some right funny things occur some
times in the gallery, when the stranger |
seeking information Is on hand. Not |
very long ago couple of outsiders sat be- |
hind several ladies, and they were descant-
ing upon the characteristics of the men,
bers. One Of them knew a number of the |
statesmen by sight and he was pointing |
out their noticeable points. much as
dime museum lecturer shows off his freaks.
The ladies were enjoying it immensely,
too, in quiet way. Finally one said:
Nov do you want to see the hon;eliest
man in the house2"
"Of course. Lwant to see it all" was
the response. (which is he?"
That's him over on the Republican
side, Lyman. of Iowa; see him over there
eating an applet"
..Geewhiliikinsl' was the others only
comment, when he had located him, and
.he ladies Immediately looked nervous.
for Mrs. Lyman was one Of them. but she
,nfy smiled, for it was not her husbands
beauty that had won her.
Then the strangers went on.
"Whos that chap speaking?" asked one.
"Blamed if know who he is.
"Well. he amt much. guess. for no.
BODY is paying any attention to him, but
III ask" and he went forward and in
,uired of young lady in the group II she
NEW the speaker.
She turned to the questioner with her
Iweetest smile.
"No," she said. Il do not know who
le is"
But she did, for he was her own father.
The told me about it herself.
He is, by the way. one OF the Leading
vestern Republicans. and always makes
sneech with one foot in his chair.
To one of the congressional mysteries Is
,ow a man can make a speech and main
ain his own interest init, when he knows
'obodv is listening to him: Fhe day OF
he Inpalls.V VOORHEES, skinning match In
he senate, l happened into the mouse
bout balf.past 4 o'clock, and there were
NV twenty odd members on the hoor.
vith nobody in the galleries. not even IN
he press gallery, and there IounG
member charging up and down tne alsle.
baI;nr his long hair and laundering
"1,' i? oro+or;col hursts as If he would