The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-10

BUDDING STATESMEN.
Little Fellows Who Wait on the Great
Lawmakers of the Senate.

Lawmakers of the Senate.
From. the New York Graphic.
The senate page corps number fifteen as
bright and quick boys as can be found any
where. They receive appointments on the
recommendation of senators, and come from
all sections of the country. There is the
elongated and dark-hued southerner and the
ruddy-cheeked and chunky western boy,
the quick northerner and the specialized
New Highlander. They are paid s75 a
month each during the session OF
congress, which generally lasts about
eight months for the long and three
months for the short session, and at the
close of the latter it is customary to vote
them an extra months pay in order that
they may return to their homes In addi-
tion to their salary the pages make quite a
goodly sized sum by selling autograph al
buns containing the signatures OF the SEN
ators and prominent people whom they but
tonhole for their autographs. Their period
OF butterfly life israther short, however, as
1t generally does not extend beyond two
congresses, the age limit being between 10
and l6 After they reach the age OF 10
they are compelled to leave.
The pages are very neat in their dress and
pay great attention to style. They wear
tunic coats and knee pants, generally of
some dark material, and affect black silk
stockings. Their work begins at a. M,
when they assemble in the senate chamber
and get the desks of the SO ators in order
for the day, arranging the several bills, pc
titions, etc, on them, after which, unless
there are errands to run, they can amuse
themselves until IL o'clock, when the Sch
ate conveneS, at which time they station
themselves on either side of the presidents
platform. After the chaplain's prayer, the
work haUinS in a9rDnSt and tlaV
stantly on the run, answering the snap of
the fingers of the senators, carrying bills
and papers to the presidents desk and exc
cutting the multitudinous demands of the
senators.
The senate usually is in session until 4
o'clock, when it goes into executive session,
releasing the pages from duty AS it is
customary for the senate to adjourn on
Thursday evening until Monday morning,
there is nothing for the pages to do in the
interim, and they amuse themselves in vari-
Gus ways. Some are continually porting
over novels of THE White Eagle, the Trap
per-" order, but the greater number are en-
thusiastic bicyclers, those who are not for
tumble enough to own wheel not begrudg-
ing paying 90 cents an hour for the rent of
one, and many are the amusing squabbles
among them as to how many minutes one
has to ride it before another takes it, they
y
MED, also, that some are confirmed gum
chewers The wide marble bannisters on
either side of the stairs leading to the upper
floors offer great temptation to them to
slide down them head first, rather than
walk down, and the velocity with which
they go when fall to the tesselated floor
beneath means certain dearh) would terrify
their mothers.
They are all young politicians, take
snra In tha ohata and
thoroughly posted on all topics that come
before the senate, and religiously defend
the position ard merits of their respective
senatorial favorites. 1t is no uncommon
thing, after adjournment over some heated
debate, for them to take sides and debate
the arguments pro and con that they have
heard. And they go at it with vim, defy
ing parliamentary law and grammar alike,
and just as much in earnest as though they
received 5000 year for it. But it is in
their playroom, the awful mysteries of
which they allow no other mortal eyes
to penetrate, where the pages kick up high
inks For good and sufficient reasons, ap-
parent to the most casual observer, this
room is located in distant and secluded
portion OF the capitol building. and there
they shout, laugh and play to their hearts
content. 1t is very seldom that quarrels
among them ever result in blows, as it
awful tribunal, in the mind of a page, the
sergeant-at-arms, to be followed by sus-
pension of two weeks or more, with loss of
pay.
The pages are under the charge and direc-
ton of old Capt. Bassett, who has occupied
the position, it is said, ever since the mem
DRY of man. He began as page himself,
and is now a hale, bald-headed and white
bearded old gentleman. His post of duty
is to the left of the president and behind his
youthful charges, where he can keep an eye
on them. 1t would seem to take some in
genuity for 14-year-old boy to dispose of
SIS monthly, but some of them rise quite
equal to the occasion. Others, again,
have quite a good-sized bank ac-
count. Those who are so fortunate
as to have relatives in Washington, of
course, are well looked after, but those who
have to trust to the tender mercies of the
typical boarding housekeepers become after
time more or less reckless. Taken as
whole, they are very gentlemanly, we'll
meaning lot OF boys, and are said to be
great Improvement on the force of former
sessions. Senator German was once page,
and the story is that he frequently had his
ears pulled by Capt. Bassett on occasions
when he lapsed from grace.