The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-13
TWO GENIAL ICEBERGS.
Sherman and Edmunds Jolly Good
Fellows, Despite Their Frigid
Regulations.
An Unwelcome Visitor who Said
the Fire Had to Be
Protected.
Agreeable Disappointment Of Two News
paper Men-The Senators ut Their
Homes-At Ease.

rSpeci.l Correspondence of The ISDEpENDENT.l
WASHINGTON, Oct. SIT is popularity sup.
rs,sed that if Senator Sherman should hap
pen to pass condensed milk factory the
concern would at once become an ice cream
saloon: az for Senator Edmunds-he is gen.
orally believed to be SO cold that people in
his neghborhood have to wear buffalo over
coats and yarn mittens all summer.
A man from the west called on Senator
Sherman one evening last winter and no
ticed a screen drawn up between the sena-
tor and the fire. Presumably the westernel
did not accomplish the purpose OF his call,
for he afterwards said:
Hanged if they dou't have to put screen
between him and the stove to keep him from
freezing the fire.
A stranger visiting Washington during
one of the recent hot spells, when the air
trembled above the asphalt pavement, saw
Senator Edmunds passing down street.
Look a. there" said the visitor, "he
makes the very atmosphere SILVER"
So 1t goes. II is the fashion to make jokes
about the frigidity of these two distin-
guished statesmen, and these Jokes have
given to Senators Edmunds and Sherman a
reputation which they could not in serious
ness have acquired; for really they are not
cold men.
A few weeks ago two newspaper men who
had never seen either of these senators were
engaged to procur' interviews with all the
United States ser ators on subject of ma
tional importance. In the division OF the
labor both Senator Edmunds and Senator
sherman fell to the lot of one of the CORES
pondents.
of them. am willing to be frost-blt ten,
but object to being frozen stiff"
When thew had completed their task ono
asked:
.Who was the most agreeable senator on
your list to interview
..Would YOU believe it?' said the other:
Senator Edmunds. He is charming
Eyes: should have guessed so after my
experience with Senator Sherman. He was
one of the most cordial and entertaining
men met"
That is the common verdict of men who
GO to either of these senators with, civil and
suitable questions. If you have anything
worth while to ask or to say you can al
ways, at proper times. approach them with
out fear of being received coldly, but
rather with the assurance that you will find
respectful and interested listeners, and
when it is their time to speak they will
say something worth hearing. Of
course they have neither taste nor time for
much tittle-tattle. They are very busy me n
and are not profoundly interested in the
trousers But they are as simple rs chill
dren in their mental methods and so free
from all atfectation of greatness that it is q
refreshing pleasure to sit with one of them
after having been in the august presence OF
some cheap creature who wears gilt braid
on his mind and thinks with his pompous
lungs.
senator Sherman il much more entertain
ing as converser than as sDeechmaker.
In his study--a large room just at the head
of the first flight of stairs in his great, PLAIN
looking house on X street.-the is thorough
ly at home. Here he spends most of his
evenings seated at q fiat desk upon which
an abundance of books and papers lie scat
tered in that systematic confusion which
makes everything easy to find. At the left
of the desk stands vacant comfortable
chair for anybody who may have sutl-
GENTLY important business to warrant
the senator's attention Since, of cou Sc,
his visitors are ALWAYS announced to him
before they come to his study, they never
have to go through that embarrassing ex-
ptrience of having to stand and wait until
he has come to period in his writing or
reading before he looks up. There is one
senator in WashingtO1,-and very weak
senator he is-who always affects this sort
Of thing after a guest has been announced
to him and been invited to his study. But
Senator Sherman is not built on those
cheap lines. When you enter his study you
meet q polite gentleman who courteously
invites you to be seated and is in no rude
haste to have You hurry up and tell your
business and clear out. He makes You feel
easy first and relies on you to come to the
object of your business in your own way.
In the meantime you have his undivided
attention. There ia nothing to chill the
most sensitive person. There are no hints
to hurt you. and none of the
hv
the strength of their POSITIONS or ths
weakness Of yours. Senator Sherman il
simply very earnest man, hard worker, .
close student and gentleman. Long expe
rience IN affairs has made him quick to se'
the motives of mems actions, and loft.
sincerity of purpose makes him quick to re
sent any attempt to pull the wool over hi
eyes, but his calmness of mind is not cold
ness of heart and his directness of speech Ii
not bluntneos.
that he is genial, convivial even. His wrin
kles are not between the eyes. They ar
merry wrinkles-crow's feet with the toe
toward the temples. He has in his nature
hundred times as many smiles as frowns
Nobody has keener appreciation OF eoot
joke and nobody more manifestly enjoys
one. How he got and why he retains til.
reputation for austerity are inoomprehensi-
BILE problems to those who know him. Why
one of his roguish winks is sufficient
answer to oil the charges OF cOl0ne6S eVel
brought against him and the mischievous
twinkle that SO often lights his expressly,
eye ought long ago to have gained for hin
the reputation of humorist-not clown
but a humorist. Indeed. it is an open ques
ton whether a seriousness actually prepon-
derates in his nature. Notwithstanding tn,
careful attention he gives to nearly ever,
matter that comes before the senate. one ii
sometimes compelled to think he regard
statecraft as capital joke and the demo
cratic organization formed for his specia
amusement. Lincoln was in this same loft
sense humorist. Henry Ward Beeche
vas another. It seems to be essentiall
necessary to the equability of great me-
engaged in great works that they have thei
humOrs.
To pass an hour with Senator Edmund
in his house on Massachusetts avenue is
great treat. II you are admitted at all, an
You are sure to be if there ia no good reaso
Why you should not be-you are at onl
made aware that you are welcome; and
you have the tact to lead the conversatie
to subjects in which your host is interests
the hour will pass before you know
Senator Edmunds not only has ma
vellous store of information, but his men
orv 10 carefully labels and pigeon hol