Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-05

QUEER SPECIMENS on LITERARY ooxrosrrrox-
TUE RUSH OF TIE sEEp SEASON
One days mail Of a Congressman, ~ vol -
lected, would furnish material for . romance.
One might naturally conclude that the thou
sand OF letters distributed among members
each day dealt only with claims against the gov
ernment-pension cases and the dry details Of
legislation, with here and there pathetic sp-
peal from poverty for assistance, but there 10 Q
great deal more than this in Q Congressman
mail An average Of about eighty thoussnd
letters per month pass through the House poss
once into the hands Of the Representatives V
De read ana answered During last month. the
shortest of the year. IL 40 letters we're received
ana nearly as many sent out A careful selec-
non on. OF these would result in q collection Of
extraordinary Interest for q museum of curl
osites IN literature. The study Of them vould
open up great held for observation of human
nature, and one could derive from them q
more varied experience 10 the characteristic
ana peculiar Ideas OF people throughout ths
country than he could get in ten years traveA
The quaint philosophy contained In some of
them, the confding simplicity Of others and
the pathos and romance Of still others would
appeal TO one who 10 q sentimental sympathissr
with his brothers in this little world We live %.
LITERARY cuRIosITIEs
Many OF these letters would be q treasure I,
the dialect writer and would prove 70 the stu
dents OF literature how far from accurate the
average educated literary man is in his At
tempts % reproduce the language Of the igno-
rant and the idioms of remote Communities.
ahere are letters from the mountain regions q
tennessee and Kentucky and from the jewellers
on the Santee and from the Scandinavian set
tiements OF the northwest which. while written
IN tngilsh-or. ct all events. in no other known
language-were utterly unintelligible until
translated by some one familiar with the dia-
iect the spelling being phonetic and an exact
reproduction OF the local dialect. One lettss
from the mountain district Of Kentucky re-
Gently was almost musical in its phrases and
sentences sounded exactly as written. but con-
Nesed no more intelligence than the Greek de-
scription Of the blacksmith at work on hi. anvil
would TO q man who did not understand Greek
iet TINS letter was written by Q native-bora
American, whose pareats and grAndparenss
we're Americans anu among the earlier settlsrs
OF that region. But. being translated by ons
familiar with the dialect, the corruption OF he
language was easily traceable.
VARIETY OF SUBJECTS TREATED.
One could hardly imagine the curious sub
jects with relation TO which people write 70
their Representatives in Congress and the CON-
fdence which is shown in these letters. A
member from the south showed letter the
other day witten to him by a woman living m
the country, the simplicity Of which proved its
sincerity, and the object OF which was TO seek
his aid and advice IN matter Of virtue and
morality personal to the writer. II is not an
uncommon thing FOR parents who cannot agree
upon suitable name for their young Of
spring TO refer the matter to their member for
advice. Some of the West Virginia members
get good many letters OF this sort One mem
Der got letter the other day from the mother
oil presumably buxom and beautiful country
lass just budding into womanhood asking hfs
opinion as to the ACCESSIBILITY of allowing the
young Lady TO marry q young man who Was
paying court to her, and giving q full descrip-
ton OF the young man 8 character and prospects
In order TO enable the member the more readily
to come to conclusion. Another letter came
from young lady whose true love course vAs
running the usual rugged way and who sought
the members wisdom for the solution Of prob
lens which she and her lover could not settle
these are but examples OF Q great many
such letters which are received by members
VINO represent remote districts where the
simplicity OF uncultivated nature prevails
some OF the questions propounded by these
simple people would puzzle Q Solomon. and
member experiences no little embarrassment
IN answering them, though be yho has the
wisdom to speak like Delphic oracle il in a
fair way to make himself solid with his people.
getting credit for it where his advice proves
good and not running much risk Of censurs IN
any event
SUNBKR OF LETTERS PEA pAI
Inc number OF letters received by members
In the House vary from i've or ten Q day. which
is about the e.tent Of ths mai :, NJ -
heimsr of New jersey to $50 each day, which
Is about the average number Of letters received
Sar;na ! ~ .. naIer Oh onio. Mr. Hareef
oann.e '' auer circulars Al oves The
SH Ieceising replies which swslls has
onns , nans 70 tne highest notch But about
gre o'ner MEMBER OF the House equals him.
That other member is o'Donnsll Of Michigan,
VINO oeing an avowed candidate for the noni-
va. n"S'on a. governor OF Michigan, Is writing "
an .e.ei'Is letters from people throughous
inc state. Daizell, who f playing bug politi-
.Si ssme IN fennsyiVania and laying hn wires
succeea M. quay In the Senate, receives an
sn seraee Oh ABOUT wv letters a day. hspresen-
s s1.nes az muI ana Enochs have been getting
H o1us 1oo letters Gay during the session
-; lug % Massacnusetts mas steady run dur
ms eaIn session OF congress OF about $50 every
uay' nnie wilson Oh hentucky, Feel OF Arkap-
sss, rehdieton OF west Virginia and Houk Of
nessee run CLOSE up 10 MIN In their aver
ases AS RUE members representing city dis
tricts receive less mail than any others in Con-
4 Il - L. 49, IL