The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-14

uoeS not neglect DIS OF general import
ance. She discusses the silver. tariff and
election bill with considerable cieverpess
and confesses to the frequent private talks
which she enjoys with Harrison, the SUI
preme judges and Congressman, none of
whom make important decisions without
consulting her.
IL LOVE WITH A CONGRESSMAN.
Among her favorites IN the House is
.'Dovey, Of Delaware who is none other
than the tall, elegant and distinguished
MIR. Pennington, OF Delaware. Mrs. Carter
declares that ''Dovey'' is the author of a
bill, compelling her to marry, which bill
she has had hard timo keeping back this
session.
II have an adopted son in the Senate re-
marked the national detective.
"Who?,'
mo, indeed rn not tell his name, but
he'sa yodpg fellow and looks exactly like
an oyster. Cat and slick like an OYSTER
and no amount OF coaXing could induce her
to give his other name.
With the exception of "Dovey," from
Delaware, she holds Congressmen in light
esteem, while Senators, supreme Judges
aud even Presidents are regarded as little
mora than her chosen messengers and
clerks, elected upon her recommendation
and subject to instant dismissal. Against
Superintendent Ellis she cherishes an ill
concealed spite, occasioned, it is said, on
his refusing her the privilege of sitting on
his table. ''Some day." she said, with a
cheerful smile, "rll clear him out as do
the others when they bother me''
For years to come as in the years past she
will doubtless continue to hold her imagin-
airy position of trust and responsibility, and
will undoubtedly derive more solid COM
fort from her fancied power than does any
man or woman from the actual thing
SHE CARRIED PRESIDENT JACKsoN's SNUFF
BOX.
Death removed not many months ago
another habitue of newspaper offices and
government departments. She was the
widow of General Benjamin Ward Bennett,
of Pennsylvania, hero of the Mexican
war, who was breveted for his bravery and
presented with gold snuff box, in which
the freedom of New York city had been
given to Andrew jackson forty years be-
lore. This snuff box was always carried
by the widow who fanced that it somehow
entitled her to financial support from New
York city and her failure to receive which
income, was among her many grievances.
Mrs. Bennett, as usual, had a pension
claim, which shadow she patiently pur-
sued and In some vague way she had estab-
lished supervisory interest over the
Nicaragua canal. She was always on the
point OF producing her maps and explain
ing the merits of her scheme. She was a
large, handsome woman, always expen-
sively though somewhat showily dressed,
had fine face, beautiful dark hair and
sparkling dark eyes, and while she taxed
the patience of busy men she was ALWAYS
politely received. She had evidently been
society belle in her youth and woman
accustomed to Difference and respect and
IN spite OF her lrrelevent assertions and de-
mands she approached editors and officials
with an easy, half confidential half dis
dainful manner, compelling from them
greater consideration than is generally ac-
corded such persons. She was always
alone, always pursuing her claim, yet like
SO many persons who have become oblivi-
Gus to realities she was always cheerful
and good humored, unless reused upon her
pet hobby. When sudden death ended her
fruitless quest, there were only kindly
words of remembrance spoken of this queer
lady.
THE GHOST OF CLARA MORRIS AND SPEAKER
REED.
The ghost of the little French woman
Speaker Reed drove from the capitol is
back again in flesh and blood. She cannot
bring her store of photographs andsouvenirs
with her, but she haunts the galleries and
spends hours in the ladies' reception rooms.
Aunt Clara's thirty years among politicians
have not been with effect. She has learned
the fine art of discrimination. The other
day Clara stopped a member in his passage
across Statuary hail. and referring as usual
to her grievance proceeded to berate
Speaker Reed "Scoundrel, brute and
bulldog were some of the epithets hurled
at the man from Maine by her high pitched
voice, when turning suddenly she saw the
speaker himself not three feet away. "Oh,
Mister Reed; how do you do, Mister Reed
/ hope you will Mister Reed smiled and
courtesied the erstwhile cantankerous
dame, while an ELUSIVE smile and softened
chances chased away the frowning wrinkles
and the forked lightning in her eyes.
A CALIFORNIA BEAT.
Straddlebug, or Jack of Clubs, as he is
pleasantly designated by capitol habitues.
combines with his queerness an additional
gift for beating his way. He is an ex- Cali
fornian, which fact has been sorrowfullv
demonstrated to the Californians in off eial
life. 1t Is said that this tail, lean, grizzly
queer, who haunts the Senate and supreme
court corridors, succeeds almost daily in Sc
curing something from California member.
Senator or from Justice Field. So persist
emily does he pursue the latter, that it is
said that on approach the justice will put
his hand in his pocket and give him some
money, There, now, don't talk to me
today Senator Stanford, in a moment
OF evaporation, one day gave the man
a $50 gold piece, thinking to
buy peace by big donation. The
next morning as the senator opened his
front door to enter his carriage his Cali
fornia brother rose up from the doorstep
and demanded another $50. 1t is said that
the gentleman who has acquired his pecu-
liar title, by reason Of a most unlovely
gait. IS married to crippled colored lady,
and that when he returns home without
having earned anything Oh the California
account she beats him with her crutch.
AN EDUCATED CRANK.
A more interesting character, is the ell
derby, STOPPING, grizzled and not over
cleaniy prophet who studies all the year
round in the congressional library. This
gentleman, who is graduate
of Yale, master of Languages
and most scholarly man, has
he declares been sent to earth bv the Lord
to lead the colored people None other
than thorough biblical scholar would find
1t profitable TO open up theological dis
cussion with him, and those who have
heard him deliver some of his Sunday night
addresses TO the colored people, declare
them to be wonderful sermons. Every day
at noon he leaves the library, passing
through the door he takes the
position of a sprinter, then walks
ing few steps, he suddenly leaps forward
and runs one hundred or two hundred feet
This he does for exercise. he says. No one
seems to know more than this of his his
tory, and his revenue is supposed to be the
small collections taken up by the colored
brethren.
LADY LOBBYISTS
are not so common in Washington as they
have been in the past, but there are some
and one of them is as queer as the oueer
est She is known privately as "Old
Twenty Per Cent" She is a short stout.
neatly dressed but vague old person, who