Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-27


presiding oficer on hand when the hands Of
the clock approach the figures which indicate
the commencement Of another senatorial day.
II the Vice President happens to be absent or
Is mort in sight mp to within i've minutes Of the
hour then tho old gentleman notifies Senator
Ingalls, and has him in readiness to fill the gap
If the Vice Presidents absence 10 prolonged
until time is up.
ton of senatorial ambition. Whenever MIR.
Reagan fancies he would lks to possess the
chair and desk (and the location thereoD Of
some other Senator land Mr.. Reagan is full Of
such fancies, for he never occupies his own) he
makes known his desire to the captain. and the
captain writes down the preference in book.
Then should anything happen to the Senator
whose seat is required Of him in secret Mr..
Reagan would get the seat and would have q
title to it, although the probabilities are that
the deed, IL fastened on the chair, would never
be worn out by contact with the Texans
clothing.
IL the captain would only talk about waiting
Tor dead mems shoes as it were II would be in
teresting reading, but he won't You might
question him from now until the cows come
home and he wouldn't commit himself once.
He knows who are in temporary possession Of
the desks once used by Webster and Clay and
the other senatorial celebrities Of long ago, but
ne VIII probably take his secret with him when
ne goes into eternal executive session.
HIS POPULARITY.
The amiability Of Isaac Bassett 10 testified to
by the many memen:oes given him by Sena-
tors. More highly valued than probably any
other OF his worldly possessions Is a gold and
silver snuff box which was presented to him by
the Senate on the fftieth anniversary OF his
appointment as page. On the lid of the box is
the following inscription: Each member of
the United States Senate has Joined in present.
ing this testimonial to Isaac Bassett on the
completion of the ffticth year OF his services
AZ an officer Of that body in recognition of his
5, 1881"
A fine oil painting Of himself and other pres.
ents at his golden wedding celebration two
years ago were also the gifts of Senator's
The pages think good deal of the old gen.
tieman; to them he is a good deal like grand
father. Of late years he has left most Of the
detail in connection with tho management of
the light-footed Youngsters to Alonzo H. Stew
art, who in his time Was one Of the best pages
the Senate ever had.
ADAY WITH THR vETESAS.
One day is much like another 70 Capt. Bas-
sett He is at the Capitol by 3 o'clock and at
once proceeds to the Senate barber shop. Only
the Senate barber can properly comb and ar
range the white locks which assist in making
the old doorkeeper such a conspicuously re-
spectacle figure no matter where he Is. Then
he reads the newspapers and keeps an eye on
things generally. When the Senate gets fairly
started he takes his seat at the left hand Of the
presiding officer and remains there until adj
lournmert, unless there should be a message
from the President or from the House when he
hurries down the aisle to greet the messenger
and to announce his arrival Quadrenniaiiy it
becomes necessary to announce the coming of
President OF the United States and on such
occasions the captain shines quite resplend-
entity. Sunday morning at Q O'Clock finds him
In tho Senate chamber and from thence, after
his hair and beard have been attended to- he
goes to the Rev. Dr.. Sunderlands church to
sit in the same place i'll the same pew that he
has occupied ever since there was church on
AZ street
HIS PRIVATE DEN.
Known to but few people is Capt. Bassett's
private "den." It is near tho room of the
Senate committee on the library and is iliumi-
mated only by gaslight. In that little cubby-
hole Is big iron safe and a collection OF an
Gque bric-a-brac IN which there must be lots
OF good news, but the captain is saving il all
for his book. Among the many interesting
relics he has is piece OF the cane which
Brooks broke over the head Of Senator Sum-
her. lie has also interesting collection of
snuff boxes. About every ten or twelve years
tho snuh boxes, which are always i'll tho nichcs
to the right and left of the presiding officers
chair, have to DO replaced by others, although
the wear ana tear on them is not as great as it
used 20 be IN the days when every gentleman
''snutfef' a little. The worn out boxes are the
captain s perquisites.
When Congress Is not in session in summer
time the old gentleman goes up to New Lon
don, Conn.,, and there spends q month or so
filling his syteni with sea breezos and Connccti-
cut board. What lie thinks OF New London or
OF the ocean will never be known until his
book comes out