The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-11-30
THE CONFIDENTIAL. CORNER.
One of the Singular Attachments of t he
 Congressional Lobby.

One or tne Singuiar Attacuiueubs ot hc
 Congressional Lobby.
 One of the most striking scenes about the capitol during the daily sessions is about the ladies corner" in the stat uary hall, says Washington letter writer This corner is one of the most body. It is unique and full of interest to the members This place, which is behind the great columns and guarded by the statues of Garfield and Ethan Allen, and furnished with leather covered sofas and chairs, has been ire quently described, but the picture in all its fullness has never been given and perhaps never will be done full justice The greater number of ladies who come to the capitol receive visits in the galleries from their friends on the floor, and some days the scene there is of the most interesting of re- captions, But the confidential corner, the place of more seclusion and com fort, is amid the soft leather furniture behind the trusty statues Many representative of the great people spends a social half-hour or so there with comfort and pleasure, and, it is to be hoped, with benefit It serves some of the uninitiated as a sort of school of training for the more extend ed field of social life in Washington. He who would be quite i'll at ease in a fashionable drawing-room or in ladies' society under most any other circum- stances lolls back on sofa beside some fair creature there with an easy familiarity which is sure to rub off some of his roughness of manner and shyness The ladies who ire quent this corner perform a great work in the way of overcoming the shyness of new members. In many cases, however, those who have long since forgotten that they were l awkward or bashful in ladies' society still cling to the habit of visiting this corner and appear to take some delight in the relaxation it affords from their heavy labors in congress.
 This institution was not started as a training school. That feature has merely developed incidentally. Pri' marily it was intended as a place where ladies coming to see congress
 men might sit and wait while mes
 senger carried their cards in on the floor. The backs of a line of sofas uI against the columns form boundary
 of the sacred precincts of the blessed and beautiful, and card reads in big
 black letters, Exclusively for Ladies, etc. An elderly man sits at the table
 with two or three pages at his side ant
 blank cards for the use of those wh'
 do not carry their card cases. vel
 low messenger sits at the entrance t'
 keep intruders out. An interesting ant
 lively reception is always in progres
 during certain hours of the day whll
 the house is in session and the receiv i, ing party is usually numerous and at
 tractive. Some times ten or dozel : members will be among the visitors a one time some seated on the sofas ant some standing behind the columns O : statues in earnest conversation wit , the fair habitues. During the day ther is constant coming and going be , tween the house and this reception
 roors. All the members who are calle . there do not go from choice; and tn 3 woman -hater, who is compelled b politencss to go in response to a carc may be known by his flushed and ar 2 moved countenance and his impatienc 9 to get a,-ay. There are some men wh cannot be cultivated in a social way : even when surrounded by all these at I yautages.- Free Press