The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-09-02
PRECOCIOUS PAGES.
Important Aids-de-Camp OF Our
National Legislators.
bright Youngsters Who Know That the
Moon Isn't Made of Green Cheese
How They Add Many Dollars
to Their Regular Income.
Especial Washington letter.


In recent conversation with one of
the pages of the house of representa-
tives became acquainted with some Of
the inside facts about these important
aids-de-camp of our national legisla-
tors which may be of some interest to
my readers
These pages, who seem to be con-
Meeting links between the members Of
congress and the outside world, do not
obtain their enviable positions in the
employ of Uncle Sam without a good
deal of endeavor both by themselves
and their parents Almost daily, from
the date of adjournment until Decem-
Der, the sergeant-at-arms is compelled
to listen to an account of Willie or
Johnnie. who, in the opinion of their
respective parents, would be an adcrn-
ment to the public service, and grace
the marble halls of the capitol build
ing. At first the new sergeant-at.arms
is all urbanity and listens courteously
20 each fond parent, occasionally taking
notes of what she tells him. After
awhile more candidates appear, and the
custodian of the mace begins to feel
trife uncomfortable, but still, believing
it to be a necessary evil, grins and bears
it. When, however, his office and the
adjoining corridor are filled with a reg
ular line of schoolboys, each waiting
his turn, the newly commissioned officer
feels that patience has ceased to be
virtue, and declares that he will see no
more boys-for that day at least.
In the senate, where the rule requir-
ing pages to be within the ages of
twelve and sixteen years is strictly en-
forced. the anxious parents experience
the most difficulty. 1t is amusing to
note how many large boys there are in
Washington who still retain their knee
breeches-the result of another rule of
the senate which obliges pages to wear
knickerbockers. One of these boys, at
present a page, will hardly be able to
hold his position another year, as,
despite his short trousers, he is nearly
six feet tall. Added to that, he is not
stout. Sc that, on the whole, his general
appearance would be improved were he
to ret out the hens of his trousers. But
he has such an innocent expression of
countenance, and goes about with his
head held SO high in the air, as if commu-
nicating with the occupants of another
world. that the sergeant-at-arms never
thinks to question his statement when
he says that he is below the maximum
of sixteen years.
A young married man who has since
been transferred to another branch of
the service, but who was for many
years page, was. during that period,
the envy and admiration of all that
knew him. When he first came to the
marble headquarters of the government
he was quite young and retained his
position as page until his sixteenth
year. At this time, owing to n change
OF administration, a new sergeant-at-
arms was chosen, who, anxious to in
gratiate himself with the senator by
whose influence the page had been APP
pointed, retained him in the service.
From that day to this, that boy has not
grown an inch, and were it not for the
little black moustache which he was
compelled as matter of policy to shave
off every morning during the days Of
his pageship, but which now adorns his
upper lip, ne would still be as youthful
looking as the little boys who run err
rands for the senators.
This year the boys were given a scare
by some one waggishly inclined. At
the beginning of the session the Ser.
Ueant-at-armS was heard ~ mako a ra.