The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-19
GOSSIP Of The SPEAKER.
much Amusement Afforded BY the
Stories Of Himself Recently
Printed.
Modssty 4 Point in Which He Diff
fera From Els Pre-
decessors,
81 ~ 80 sFpnd or Eacisty-How Mrs. Crisp
VIII Discharge Her New
obligations.

WARRINGTON, Dec. 1s. -Speakcr Crisp has
4 fine sense OF humor. Consequently he
has had a preat zeal Of fun in a quiet wav
during the last few weeks, and especially
daring tho last few days. The anxiety OF
the speakership contest, following SO
closely on his sad bereavement, wors upon
him 40 that he told me after the house q
iourned, on the day OF his formal election,
that he felt almost exhausted. a remarkable
thing Tor him, for he has always had the
best or health, and is usually in the most
vigorous condition; but. in spite Of his
sorrow and in spite of his anxiety. the
speaker has had many a quiet laugh all
TO himself. The newspapers have furnished
him with most of his mirth. The ~extraordl-
nary collection of anecdotes spread over
tie country during and since the speaker
sbip contest about the chief participants
have amused all of them, but especially the
successful candidate.
The speaker is proud Of the fact that his
father and his brother we're successful and
honored players, but no himself claims no
right to the title of actor, even IT a Snvan-
nah newspaper did furnish him and the
rest Of the world with a detailed story
about his early performances in the Oldest
theater in America while his parents were
living in Savannah. and were members OF
its stock company, and 80 ii is with half
the other stories of what the speaker has
said and done. Then there are the news
paper pictures, none of which look like
him. most of them having either too much
or too little hair, and all of them too boy
ish.
The fact that the speaker is q very modest
mnn makes his present prominence more
striking than it would otherwise be.
Unlike Reed, Carlisle, Randall or any
other of his immediate predecessors, except,
perhaps, Michael G.. Kerr, Speaker Crisp
has not been as prominent in the house RS
half a dozen or a dozen other men. One
reason, of course, for this is that, not being
appropriations committees or the committee
on rules. he stood outside OF the man aging
directors, SO to speak, of the house. The
little knot OF leaders on these committees
who ran tho affairs of the house during the
last two congresses, and who were known
by their less fortunate colleagues as the
"~mandarins,n .'the higbbinders,' and
other Chinese terms, used, I suppose, be-
cause of the note of exclusiveness charac-
teristic OF China. we're much more in evil
dence, naturally enough, than Crisp, amen
Der of the committee ON elections.
Still his modesty was his chief barrier to
fame. Crisp was not one of the leaders on
the democratic side who, not being a mem
Der Of the governing committees, we're al
ways restively protesting against what they
termed "the tyranny of a clique" He was
content to do his duty without interfering
with anybody else, and it was in the line Of
his duty that he acquired the commanding
position as the most effective critic OF
Speaker Reed which he occupied when the
last house adjourned. Nevertheless, Crisp
knows the point of view of those leaders
who were not the leaders. and it is not
strange, therefore, that he leaned toward
the proposition to make up the committee
on rules without regard to the committee
on ways and means or the committee ON ap-
preparations.
Like most southern members of congress,
Crisp has never been a society man in any
sense. He ind his family have the best
social position in their own town, county
and state. They enjoyed the agreeable so
ciety Of their friends, congressional and
official. who happened to be at the metro
politan hotel, whore they have always lived.
They were fond Of going to the thsater and
Of informal entertainments, but they did
not go into society, even of the official
variety. Beyond the presidents receptions
] do not believe they ever appeared at gen-
eral formal entertainments: but now that
Mr.. Crisp is speaker they will have to meet
the social obligations of the position.
The speaker is not only the second officer
of the government in point of power but a
very importans factor in official society,
even though he is no longer in the line Of
succession to the presidency. All the $50
members of the house look up directly, SO
to speak, socially as we'll as politically. to
the speaker. Their wives must call on the
wife of the speaker; in turn the wife of the
speaker must entertain them, besides re- /
turning their calls.
Beyond this is the general field of official |
society in which the speaker and his wife |
have a r prominent place. They are invited, |
and must of course 20, to every important |
official entertainments. from a state dinner
at the White house down, and. besides, the |
speaker Is i'll constant demand for mems |
dinners mere and elsewhere, and his wife |
for women'sl uncheons.
The speaker ia going to the pretty CITY of
Amelleus, where he lives in an old-fash-
the town, to bring Mrs. Crisp and one of
his daughters on at Christmas time, and
he is having a new suite of rooms fitted up |
for them at the Metropolitan, the az. 600 !
addition to his salary permitting him larger
and better quarters than with his limited |
personal income, his old So, 1000, afforded. |
h MRS. crisp, VINO j. very far from !
character. with most engaging man.
ners and clever wit, who will carry |
her part of the speakers new burdens most
successfully. Like her husband she was
profoundly affected by the death of their
son; in fact, she would have been COM
pletely Frustrated had it not been for the
opportune coming OF q little granddaughter
in the family of a daughter.
Is was with some difficulty that Mr.. Crisp.
VINO hated to come to Washington alone,
brought himself to leave her. His suryiy-
ing son, q bright boy nearing manhood,
night and day in his headquarters at the
Metropolitan, and afterward at the oanitoL.