Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-10
ABOUT THE CAPITOL.
The Worlds Fair Visitors and the
- Guides.
FOREIGNERS ARE NOT GENEROUS.
A Fruit Stand in the House Cloak
Room.
A ENATOR'S COURTESY.


The capitol guides are having a great
harvest this year. Though the worlds fair
may be q financial failure in Chicago. 1t II
a great success from a mercenary point OF
view In the eyes Of that small fraternity
whose livelihood depends upon interesting
large number Of curious sight-seers VINO
come to view the Capitol building The
Capitol guide Is a curious individual ana not
entirely without interest.
The men who belong to that fraternity
confine their operations to the Capitol build
ing. They are twelve in number and are
the historians who instruct thousands OF
American citizens in historical events. cpl
sodes and traditions, not to be found in the
works of Bancroft. Ridpath or any other
chronicler Of the biography of this nation.
They are a cunning lot Of fellows. quick
witted and sufiiciently versed in a rapid
study OF human nature to size up their au-
dience and shape their discourse accord
inely. Taking as they do TO thousands OF
people from all parts of the country and
from foreign lands. they are building up
fabrication Of fables which bids fair to give
this country a tradition rivaling those of
ancient Greece and Rome. But they are
very entertaining and make a pretty pen
ny out Of their enterprise. The Capitol
building this year has been thronged with
visitors from almost all parts Of the world.
Foreigners with various costumes and man
nefs troop from the House to the Senate
to lend their ears to the echoes and listen
with establishment to the tales and tradi-
tons which are woven about the pictures
and nearly every foot Of space in the build
Ing. If one-haf Of those who have been
busy taking notes indulge themselves in
the tempting occupation of tourists of writ
ing books on their travels the whole Of
Europe and Asia will be deluged with liter
allure on American travel.
Foreigners Do Not Pay Wen.
The Capitol guides. however, are not al
together pleased with the foreign customs
| and have had an opportunity to observe the
Idfnerence between the American and the Eu-
| ropean idea Of compensation for services
They say that II the thousands of for
eigners they have shown through the
building and exhausted their informant
ana imagination on paid half as well as
Americans, the whole corps of guides would
| be IN most nourishing state of prosperity
| THESE guides are licensed by the Capitol
police board to ply their profession in the
| puuoing 1ner number is restricted and
| no outsiders are permitted to encroach upon
| their field. They receive no compensation
| from the government and make no definite
4 charge Tor their services. They have found
/ 1t profitable to leave the question of pay
| ment to the generosity Of those in whose
| service they have been emil Logged While
/ they have had to deal with Americans, they
say that this plan has worked admirably, but
| money comes harder from the foreigners
| THE early part Of the season." says one of
1 them. was very disappointing. Most Of
/ the visitors We're foreigners. and travelled
| In large droves. one guide taking a dozen or
twenty In tow at one time and getting paid
| az II there were but one or two. Thanks
| to the financial stringency which brought
Congress together. however. and to the fact
that the American tourists are appearing
L IN In rho md
| beginning to come I'M"
Without any salary or definite compensa-
| ton, these Capitol guides make a bout S75 a
month each by showing visitors through
pointing out to them the most convenient
men In sight as the prominent figures in
/ rational affairs. They call dollars out of
the echoes and make rich rewards by point
| Ing out to the throng of brides and grooms
the Whispering galleries. where they can
make love to each other a hundred feet
apart without any Of the passers-by hearing
them.
Thrifty Cloak Room Attendants.
This extra session Of Congress, with its
l talk, has proven a windfall in the way to
| some Of the colored men who have charge
! OF the cloak room in the House. Parched
mouths and husky threats have resulted
| from too much talk by the representatives
| Of the people. and these enterprising GUS
l u
| q clever means Of turning 1t to their ad-
| vantage In the cloak room on the demo-
] cratic side they have fitted I'D fruit
| stand, which Is making Italian vendors en-
| vious. Piled in profusion are great big juicy
| California pears, red-cheeked apples, plump
| yellow bananas. Malaga grapes and a great
| variety Of other juicy and tempting fruit.
] These are sold to members who. having
! talked their threats dry. come there for rest
| and refreshment. and there is f1ourishing
| business being done. 1t is quite common
\ thing to see half a dozen or more Repre-
| sentatives standing around the cloak room
| with punches of grapes. apples. pears or
| bananas in thetr hands. munching away or
| sucking the juice with great relish. A pro-
longed speech is followed by a bath in the
basement below, change OF clothing, a
shave or a shampoo In the barber shop, and
| a feast on fruit to top on with.
Threatened to Put Him Out.
The decorous Senate is often shocked in its
dignity these days by demonstrations Of ap-
plause from the gallery. The rules of the
Senate require that the utmost decorum
should be preserved by spectators in the gal
leries and the doorkeepers are instructed to
preserve perfect order. During the debate
/ that IS now in progress there Is a very large
number of spectators. They take sides, and
| in spite Of the injunction to preserve order,
| they cannot be prevented from bursting out
/ in spontaneous applause on one side or 9TH
| er when some striking point Is made by an
| orator on the floor The demonstration OF
interest is greater. probably, than 1t has
ever before been in q discussion in this body
The Vice President has frequently to ham
mer his gavel on the desk to cut short the
expressions of approval which break out
first In one section of the gallery and then In
\ another. The other day a very dignified
Senator who is quite society man and
4 extremely anable to ladies, was sitting In
the reserved gallery with two ladies tc
| whom he desired to make himself especially
| agreeable After listening to the debate fol
| a few minutes. they became interested ir
| conversation and were having a most jolly
| chat, with laughter and pleasantly, when q
| new doorkeeper, mindful only of his instruc
tons to preserve perfect quiet in the gallery
| walked down and laid his hand on the Sen
| ator's shoulder and Informed him that If ht
| and the ladies didn't keep quiet they would
| have to be put out Of the gallery. The Sen
! ator was too indignant to explain that hi
| was a privileged character and that senator
iaI courtesy permitted him to be as discour
teous to the rest Of the Senate as he chose
| and the doorkeeper had to assert himself ir
the most peremptory manner to establish
| order. as he thought. Since then the door.
/ keeper has discovered the official position OF
| ne gentleman and has been a little nervous
but thinks he was right.
| Case of Resemblance.
Sergeant Montgomery and Policeman Ais
| of the sth precinct bear stricking similar
ny. and for that reason Malinda Brown
made mistake in preferring charges
mt Of poin