, 1889-12-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular corrsspondent.)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 1889.

and L" majahs." The number of friends
he finds, ready with all sorts of sugges,
tions and information, is far greater than
he could have anticipated, and his com
pany is sought by the multitude of men
wkO are willing to extend to him the
freedom of the city, from the classic
shades of Chamberlain and the buffet
in the Shoreham Flats to the capitol, an6
from the capitol clear through down tc
the Potomac Flats.
In one respect the new congressman
will be disappointed in Washington
Immediately on his election he became
the first man in his district. Here in
Washington he will find himself without
special importance. He can 60 about
unknown and unobserved. He will d s.
cover that here, outside of the depart
ments and the capitol, "no divinity doth
hedge" a congressman, as such, and in
no way can he so surely subject himself
! to ridicule as by the putting on Of official
airs, and the assumption of congressional
dignity.
The new congressman, however, will
soon become aware of a notable excep-
ton to this general Indifference. Occa-
sions may arise when he will find him.
self beseiged and beleaguered by an i'm
Fortunate crowd, far more anxious to OBJ
tain his confidence than to keep it, in
taryi.-arS apd raDorfars ,r;II;,o IN ,.r;+a n
down his ightest words and to consign
them and him to fame and history.
1t has become the habit of some of the
imaginative gentlemen, who profess to
communicate the political deings of the
capitol to journals at a distance, to ex-
ercise their cheap wit and their easy
powers of depreciation at the expense OF
the new congressman, and in so doing to
give greater proof of conceit than saga.
city.
But these are, after all, but slight
disadvantages, and the new congress
man who has the right stuff in him,
| and who is a man of genuine power,
will so regard them. In truth, there
are many reasons why the new mem-
bers should be held worthy of high con-
sideration and in reality the position
OF a new member is one of comparative
| advantage, for so far Is congress is con-
cerned he has clear and unwritten
record.
Already there is excitement in the
air, and one feels the hustle in prepar-
alton for congress, the ''season" and
the holidays; Nowhere is this more
manifest than at the markets of the
national capital and never more than
Oh Saturday morning. The markets
are then thronged with society danes
in tailor-made suits of expensive sim
plicity, who are out on the hunt fol
choice tid-bits and fragrant flowers te
serve their guests at theiriSunday din
ners. Epicurean statesmen run i'll fol
a look at the game-or the pretty dears
for here lovely girls buy their rosebuds
| and violets to perfume their homes fol
dear AlphOnse's visit, or to carry on
their visits of mercy to the hospitals
Alphonse himself saunters i'm to see il
| perchance he can catch glimpse OF
Arabella, who looks more fascinating
than ever in her stylish morning cos
tune and coquetish round hat. In his
search the magnificent Alphonse
brushes against the poor little artisans
| wife, who, in shabby costume and with
slender purse, is searching for the
cheapest place where she can find
something tempting for her good man
who she hopes will forget this once the
way to the back entrance of his favor.
ite bar room. She eyes the great piles
of luscious fruit and is sometimes tempt
ed into extravagances for the baby, who
relishes such expensive dainties. Then
there is the steward, who occupies but
little time in giving his order; the "a.
tercr, who looks carefully ut game and
meat, for his customers are epicures
but the clearinghouse keeper, the
communicates of this city of govern.
ment clerks, buys with dispatch, knows
just where the cheapest stalls are, and
has finished her ordering and is on her
way home again before the young
housekeeper has decided what of the
tempting things to buy and has
changed her mind half dozen times
about her Sundays dinner.
The trouble about eiecting speaker
of the house, with so much good ma
te- iai to draw upon, is that to put a
good speaker in the chair takes one off
the floor, where he is often more need
ed.
During the past week Commissioner
Raum states that 3,93S pension certifi-
Gates have been signed, and lie expects
to bring the weekly issue up to 5000
cases. He says that the work of the
office is keeping ahead of the current
business, and he thinks that he will be
able to largely reduce the number of
pending cases. II.
WHERE is PARNEII,2