The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-24
CHRISTIANS SHOPPING.
It's The Prevailing Craze in Washing.
ton inst Now.
How Members of Congress Spend the
Holiday vacation-Shops Full of Nice
Things and busy Buyers-Tho
Capitol in Flowers.
lspecial washington Letter.l

birds or passage IN Jne capital OF the
nation. They are here in the body,
but absent in the spirit, because their
homes are with the people who have
honorcd them with position and power
and whom they are endeavoring to
honor with their distinguished services.
They want to enjoy the festivities and
pass the compliments of the season
with their families and friends, de-
sire certainly laudable on their part.
Many of them live at such dis
tances from this point that it is physi-
cally impossible for them to return to
their homes during a holiday congress
sional vacation, but a majority of those
residing east of the Mississippi river
can go to their homes, and usually do
SO at this season of the year. Conse-
quently it has become customary for
congress to pass joint resolution de-
claring an adjournment for two weeks
from the Saturday preceding Christmas
until the first Monday in January; and
this is always done, even at times when
there is a great pressure of public
business and the expression of grave
doubts as to the propriety Of such &C
ton. No exception to the rule has been
made this year.
Two years ago the speaker announced
the chairmanships and membership of
the committees of the house before the
Christmas holidays, and therefore many
able men carried to their homes and
hearts feelings of happiness and faces
beaming with Joy, while the disap-
pointed gentlemen either remained in
Washington or else returned to their
homes with heavy hearts and lugu-
brious faces. The lottery of life differs
but little in its hopes and fears, aspira-
tions and regrets, whether among the
high and mighty or the poor, meek
and lowly of this earth. at the date
of writing the committees have not yet
been announced, but / have reason to
believe that the chairmanships, at
least, will be given as indicated in
previous letter.
The two weeks vacation is enjoyed
no more by the statesmen than by the
employees of the two houses of congress.
Although the doorkeepers, messengers,
watchmen, laborers and little pages do
not depart from the city at this season,
they enjoy that respite or repose which
comes of relief from labor with con-
tinuance of income. This great gov
eminent is not only rich, but generous,
and pays it's annual and session en-
ployes their regular salaries whether
they are on duty constantly or not.
The three hundred and thirty-three
members of the house and eighty-four
members of the senate receive between
$l4 and $15 each per day; the vice pres
ident and speaker of the house each re-
ceive $4,000 per annum more than the
other members. The total salary of
the two houses of congress is very near
$4,000 per day; the sum expended for
the salaries of employees and other Incl
dental expenses amounts to nearly 3d.
600 per day; SO that you will see that
two weeks vacation costs the country
over 100000. While this is large
amount of money it is an insignificant
sum compared with the amount paid to
the members of congress for services
supposed to be rendered during the
long vacation from March to December
every second year.
But this is not the time of the year
for formidable array of facts and fig
ures. All of us who can afford to spend
money during the holiday period are
willing to do so for the salzes of our
wives and little ones, and we must not
draw the line too closely around those
who are our public servants. This city
is already putting on holiday appear
ance. The windows of all the stores
are filled with attractions for the young
and old; principally for the young.
Most of US who are merging into the
sere and yellow leaf of life are attract
ed by the brightness and freshness of
youth, reflected in every countenance
as the children gaze upon the good
things in store for them, and which
they know will be purchased and placed
within their reach upon Christmas
morning.
There probably no pleasure so great
and no joy so far beyond the bounds Of
description as that which comes to
father or mother while accompanying
little child merging from babyhood into
girldhood, and viewing the dolls and
other toys which SO delight the spirit Of
the little ones. Such pleasure has been
mine to-day in walking through the va
riety stores with baby fingers clasping
my hands. The originality of express
sion of infantile ideas, and the beauty
of youth lighting the countenance as
various attractive sights appeared be-
fore her eyes, can be understood by the
reader better than the writer can de-
scribe them. Every foot of space upon
the floors of the stores was occupied by
the surging crowds, everybody seemed
full of good nature. The ripples and
peals of laughter and delight from tho
little ones, the brightness in the faces
Of mothers on every hand, some Of them
rich, many Of them poor, and not few
of them wearing the burrows and
wrinkles of household drudges; all
these combined to make harmony and
an orchestration only equaled by that
which entered the soul of the great mu-
stefan who sought the lost chord. IN
consciously found myself quoting the
words of the organist who Struck one
chord of music like the sound of a great
Amen"
One of the industries of a large city,
at this season of the year especially, is