The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-10-10
WASHINGTON CHAT.
The Absence of Congressman and What
Effect It Has Upon the Boarding
Houses and the Gay Girls of
the Capital.
A SPICY AND SALTY LETTER,
lcorrcspondcnce of the posr.l


have made n more complete exodus so
soon after the adjournment of Congress
than usual, because of the lateness of the
session and the proximity of the Fall
elections. Much of their unfinished bus
iness," which generally keeps them here
for some time after adjournment, remains
unfinished in order that they may perform
the more important work to them, of
fixing their fences" at home.
The absence of these congressman af-
fects Washington in many repects. Their
apartments are vacated, the boarding
houses offer cheaper rates to the tempo
rary sojourner, and the department girls
are more generous with their smiles to
outsiders.
TO those familiar with Washington life,
the last remark is full of suggestion.
While, of course, many of the department
girls arc pure young women who arc la
boriously striving to make an honest
living, and while large number of them
too arc very highly connected, the temp
tations incident to the securing and hold
ing of their positions, have proved too
great for the resistance of others. One
thousand or sixteen hundred dollars per
year in gay city, afford an attraction to
the minds of young women which is tempt
ing They work from 9 a. m until $3.50 or
p M, with half an hour allowed for
lunch Their duties are not disagreeable
and they contrivc to find many odd mo-
ments when they may chat with each
other or exchange coquettish glances with
their male associates.
After Office hours they are free.
They have engagements to dine at a
pleasant restaurant with some mas
culinc friend, attend the theatre, read
French novels or otherwise enjoy them
selves. After the play, many of them are
not unfrequently found with their escorts
pleasantly chatting at table in some
fashionable restaurant, eating Il salad or
dish Of oysters and slipping bottle OF
champagne.
Thus while the life has its pcris, it also
has its pleasures. These girls are, to a
great extent, relieved from the restraints
of their mothers and fathers, and they
enjoy their liberty. Sometimes their
widowed mothers also have positions in
the departments, and even these ladies
are rarely too old to enjoy the delights of
such 4 life, and mother and daughter soon
come to mutual understanding not to
watch each other too closely, or to exact
too strict report of the details of an
evening out.
That evil results often follow this license
goes without saving. Indeed, few ont
side OF the initiated, have any idea of
the extent of the lovemaking that is
carried on, or the cxtrcmetics to which it
reaches Then, what is even more fatal
to the frmness of the young maiden who
has fixed her heart on position" is
the condition upon which Congressman
or other Government official consents to
use his "inhucncc." This condition is
not always expressed r words, but is
often adequately and intelligently con-
yeyed by hints and Implications; and what
will perhaps, surprise the novice who has
not yet studied life in it's complex social
forms, this condition is cxactcd-when
exactcd at all-with the same pcrtinacity
by the grey headed and sapless senator,
as by the young and juicy congressman.
In an interview | recently had with an
OK official on the subject, he gave me in
stances which point the moral and adorn
the tale.
"a young girl belonging to IN excellent
family came TO me, said he, told me she
had been in Washington two weeks trying
to secure 4 position i'll one of the depart
ments. She was well educated. refined
and quite handsome, but she came after
Congress had been in session for some
time and there was really no vacancy
for her to fill, so great had been the rush
of applicants. ] knew her family and she
had called to see me several times before.
told her that Washington was full Of
temptations; that in securing the influence
of congressman, girls had often to make
dreadful sacrifices. and suggested that she
had better return home to her family"
Il have thought of all that she replied
plainly but modcstly, Il slight flush coming
to her face, but have made up my mind
not to return home without securing Il
position While here | have become sat
istied that other girls have made these
sacrifices; they seem to be happy and
highly respected and able to take pretty
good care of themselves and am resolved
~, 1.
can't get one without it, -
Poor girl, she was bewildcrcd by the
glare and glitter, and had not yet expc-
rienced the anxicties, the heart aches, the
rcmorsc that attend the long hours Of
penitence and of bitter dread. She had
not realized how pititul was the pay
for the sacrifice she had resolved to make.
1t is said that no hour in life is so sad as
that of Il young girl when she wakes
on the morning after the loss of her virtue.
She understands then for the first time
the extent of that loss and the inadequacy
of any possible compensation for it. She
looks back on life of innocence and
purity, recalls the scenes and associations
of childhood, the respect and love and ten
derness of parents and brother and sister,
and friends. all now forfeited forever; and
then turns with shuddering horror to the
realities, present and future. The lcpcr
when he sees the fatal whitening of his
spots is not more lonely than she.
The fact is that number of both
Houses of Congress as well as number
of other officials, have their mistresscs
pensioned on the government. The pri-
vate scandals that spring from such rela
tions are numerous; and if the Washing
ton Press boys were not the most generous
as we'll as the most polite correspondents
in the world, many of them would get into
the newspapers. But the most prominent