The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-04


next Tuesday or next Thursday, there
was always one place where hilarity reigned.
This was the little smoking room back Of
the reporters gallery Of the house.
Visitors looking from any other gallery
see only the desks and seats rising In the
gallery above the speaker and do not know
that behind the doors through which they
see the reporters come and 60 there is a
very large and connexions room, with tel
ephones, telegraph, long tables and every
convenience for writing. East of this room
Is a coy little den, with easy chairs and a
big, old fashioned fireplace, where in cool
weather a fire of hard wood gives an amaz-
ing air OF comfort-and Uncle Sam pays for
the wood
Waiting For Something 20 BE Done.
Here is where we take our ease, and dur
ing the dull days aforesaid there was really
nothing 20 be done and no chance of any
fellow getting a scoop" on any other, and
So as aforesaid. hisrity reigned. The great
pressure was 70 get near the chair occupied
BY Bill Sterrett Of the Dallas and Calves
ton News-Sterrett the inimitable. the pc
culiar and indescribable character Of the
press gang The group was complete when
Al Lewis Of the Chicago Times sat on one
side Of him and H. l. Merrick Of the Wash
ington Post on the other, punctuating his
stories with humorous comment.
Sterrett has been here many years, and
yet TO those who have known him longest
he is As fresh in interest a. ever. He is lit
orally full Of quaint conceits, and II he could
write as he talks, or. 10 put IL in more com
plimentary phrase, if be could convey his
general manner and tone in printed words,
he would be the funniest Of all humorous
writer's With this he unites characters
tics seldom found with quaint humor lie
has the perfect confidence Of all the leaders
of his party, and every Texas politician
places great reliance upon his judgment.
He is also great lover Of open air sports, a
leading member Of the South Mountain
Fishing club and welcome fellow on all
excursions
Interesting Characters.
Another interesting character, though
one would hardly suspect IL who sees him
A. work. is Alfred j. Stofer Of the Rich
mond Dispatch, who came here from st.
Louis. He seems 70 know the whole gamui
Of American negro character by instinct
and his songs and stories in darky dialect
are irresstibly funny lie plays the banjo
s. member Of the Gridiron club and is al
ways In demand incidentally 10 may b,
added that he took tolerably prominent
part in the so called Hill movement ia Nir
ginia as against the administration. but
little things Of that sort don't count IN ID,
smoking room Aforesaid
Mr.. Lewis, above mentioned. although
humorous In private. rs as "a rule quite ID,
reverse In his writing and is unapproach
able In bis line II is scarcely an exaggera
tiOn 70 say that he deaIs out blood and Wit
ri0l ia the columns Of The Times His
comparisons are az once outre and fitting
aud his description of congressional sceue
j., as country editors say. alone worth th,
price Of subscription lie came here. be-
lieve, from Kansas City At any rate. wher
be wants 70 illustrate by what we do a
home. % his scenes are generally laid iu tina
neighborhoOd
Partial TO DomInos.
Soon after congress adjourus every after
noon there Is "a SCENE Of quite diIerru
Kind al l8i1 Pennsylvania avenue. or "a
we say. just around thcclrurr from New.
paper row that u.s. at The Pres club
Many of the boys n fact. 900 those wh
have no homo tIc,-tHke thcirdiuuer there
and then the regular evening begins. and
strange 20 say, the big game is domino.
Whether 30 is because this game makr- 81
little draft upon the intellect aud is ther,
fore rest, or Tor some other cause. kuo,
not. but every table las It's domino t,r8ut
prominent among them John Miller of Oh
Washington star. president of the Pre-
club. and ) Durham, oicrA Of the commit
Tee.
Another prominent writer sonnet mes sce
a. the domino tables D. Colonel IS. D. lin
man, author oi uLaf many of tine bows al.
the best story 81 the uar. entitled -Corpor.
81 klcNg aud Ills larI " When tf..r,. i-