The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-20

again with more motions to adjourn.
Finally he carried his point, and to save
further trouble the leader of the house,
Mr.. McMillin, came to the front and as-
sured Wheeler that at the proper time
he could have his support in a motion to
be heard for twenty minutes.
1t is not often that we see one man.
and he q very small one, fighting, 900
successfully, but that is what Wheeler
did In this case and the members ap.
plauded him for his pluck Though the
most nervous and excitable man in con.
gress, he is great fsvorite. His actiy-
ity is like that of flea or a monkey.
When he is in hurry he runs through
the hall of the house like a page.
Though threescore he runs up and down
stairs as If he were mere boy. 1 have
seen him travelling bareheaded at q two
forty gait between the house and tho
building in which he does his work, 300
yards distant.
When he makes speech he is bun
die OF nerves palpitating in clothes
Every word is accompanied by q ges-
ture, and if it were possible for the hu-
man frame to make more rapid motions
Wheeler would be fast speaker. But
his delivery is regulated by the number
Of gestures which it is possible to make
In given time, and so he doesn't talk
very fast, though words come out of his
mouth like bullets out of six shooter
a speech by Wheeler would read some
thing like this:
"Mr. Speaker Fright arm uplifted), /
denounce (both arms uplifted) this infa-
nous Fright hand pounds deskl bill Qeft
arm shoots out right angle) and declare
Stands on tiptoe and filings both arms
about) it to be tyrannicel (crouches be-
hind his desk like panther just ready
to spring upon a victim) and d (hits
desk) a. describes circle with his left
arm wildly m pounds his breast) n
(claps his hands together) a. Sweeps
both arms together from extreme right
to left blel'
Ihere was congressional row one
night last month in John Chamberlin's
famous restaurant. A far western mem
Der of the house, a New Highlander and
southerner were the combatants. Some
ugly words We're passed, when the far
western member picked up champagne
bottle, which was about half full, and
broke it over the head of one of his an
tagonists, scattering the sparkling liquid
all over the room. Some blood was
mixed with it too. At this critical juno
ture the southern man drew a knife and
was about to plunge it into the body of
the champagne club swinger when a by.
stander caught the weapon and wrested
it from his grasp, cutting his own hand
severely in the operation. Next day
two members of congress obtained leaves
of absence ION account of sickness"
There have been few rows in the
senate during the session. a public and
long continued quarrel is that between
Senator's Morgan and Sherman. The
former is the great champion of free
silver, the eloquent defender of the white
metal on all occasions He seems to i'm
agine that Mr. Sherman is about the
greatest enemy his precious metal has in
the world. and that the Ohio senator is
in league with Lombard street and Wall
street and the money kings to make the
rich richer and the poor poorer. He
never misses chapce.to fling at Mr..
Sherman some words that will be pecul-
iarly unpleasant to that gentleman. OF
course 1t is all done in the most polite
manner, as rule, as BELTS senatorial
courtesy, which requires that when you
tell man he is, in your opinion, scoun-
drel you shall do SO in language to which
he cannot take exception.
MIR. Sherman endures this persistent
goading for three OF four days, and then
he stretches out his long body, raises his
long arm and retorts. Tho retort is not
always mild and sugar coated, and one
day these great senator's, probably the
ablest men on their respective sides of
the chamber, were actually questioning
each others veracity in public speech.
Two or three weeks ago the gossips of
the senate thought they could scent a
duel or shooting match in the air. Sen
ators Harris and Sanders had had some
sharp words, in which Mr.. Sanders used
language which seemed to question Mr..
Harris veracity, and Mr.. Harris had re-
torted by expressing his opinion that
MIR. Sanders was double dyed ecoun-
drel, or words to that effect Now, ar
gued the gossips, both arc fighting men.
Harris has the reputation Of having
whipped his weight in wildcats in his
younger days, while Sanders was the
leader of the vigilantes in Montana
years ago, when to be vigilante meant
being shot at while engaged in tho
wholesome task of running down and
stringing up enemies of society But
there was no duel, and so far as can
learn there have been no mutual apollo
gies or anything of that sort. So an
other has been added to the long list of |
feuds already existing in the senate.
A bit of senatorial friction which end
ed moro hapnily was q collision be- |