Evening star., 1894-01-27
THE TRAwLER's CATCH.

remember, Ssiid "a. +. Murphy, Official
reporter OF debates in. the Senate, when
was about seventeen years old. that be-
calse 1 was a stenographer ana the official
reporter of the Senate. j was looked upon
as something of a prodigy. One time |,
was required to run up in L. street TO
the residence of Senator Thomas Benton
to see the dignified old statesman relative
10 some point in one of his speeches
Mounting the steps of the residence 4
rang the bell ana waited. Presently the
senator himself opened the door for an
eiderly lady about to leave. Seeing me
stahcing there he addressed the lady: Par
ooh me- Mrs. =, but 1 desire to present
10 you my young friend. Mr.. Murphy
anu as hfted my eyes after acknowIedg-
ing the introduction. the Senator continued:
anu ohiy fancy, Mrs. -, that little boy
,here Is able TO report my speeches. The
Iady was good enough to calculate: rs IL
possible. Senator. And as she stepped
through the door she laid her hand upon
my head and confess enjoyed the double
t 1is.lhetlon 1 had received. even the Sena-
Up al the Capitol they have been telling
tne ioiiowing on Representative Boutelle
A. Seems ne has constituent who is deeply
interested in the Hawaiian matter ana this
gentleman said to Mr.. BouteIie: why
oont you repubs draws I'D a reso-
nn0n-a SLY sort Of device, in which there
sharl .sa pe no reference to Hawaiy'
inat reminds me of a story" replied
tne CONGRESSMAN from Maine "A church
oIeahiZation intending TO give a perform
ailce % Oh some oratorio were a little alarmed
1h.e S,rens ens COST or the thing. Accordingly
sne ulrector OK the chorus suggested to the
.eader e. OF the orchestra that mad engaged:
We got TO Keep our expenses down. ana
a., enousnt We might get you TO leave out
tn,,r ',oinoones' r You know they have only
ie eai III measures an the entire oratorio, ana
~ we lsaNe them out We can save at least
SO, ana no one would be .he wiser
rauer OF the orchestra assumed q
rasic atutude, and answered: That would
be an insult to the conposer,
ihereupon the chorus director observed:
oh' never mind him, he's dead
VI course, Washington people may take
no part in Michigan politics. but bv the
same token they have a warn, nlsce IN
their hearts for Senator las. ucutIIan
VINO, as chairman OF the Senate committee
on Dlstrct of Columbia affairs, made such
worthy record during the Harrison ad-
mlnlstration. IL is mot known. positively.
whether the Senator desires 10 come ack
70 the senate thls term expires in lss,5D.
out the republican party organ of Michi-
gan, the Detroit tribune is on, ror .san
. Alger-he who had the presidential bee IN
his bonnet for a while-as Senator uc
q. .Nulah successor. Gen Algers candidacy.
IL is understood, is the outcome or q Ionc
llght between the republicans of Michiean
1azeh - Plngree, who is now for the thtrt
term, mayor OF. Detroit, aspires 10 he the
80 M, oI Mlcnigan. and ever since ,he
mas oeen IN politics he has been a thorn
IN the side or the capitalists-wfthout re-
gard to party-of Michigan. Himselr a
iafse manufacturer and a man of wealth.
ne mas, IL is claimed. done all in his mower
10 oppose the street car comnan,es ~. 90.
Companies. and the larger factories nv in
creasing their taxes. &c. Now Mr. t,incree
mas ooth Gen. Alger ana ex-senator Tom
Palmer on his side. Meanwhile IL is prom
able Senator Mcmillan is ',sawing wood"
Two young men sat directly I'm front OF
me in the House gallery the other evening
and each one seefhes ldeepiy interested in
Tenn Johnson's speech suddenly one OF
the young men began to utter words IN
low voice. words which had no relation
TO each other and it was annoying. AT
.his ms companion gently placed his open
hand over the mouth of the Incoberenf
speaker and the talking ceased Thep
tne queerly acting person fell to studying
.ne ease ana iace of his handsome gold
Watch, and this operation proceeded sew
efai minutes until the companion reached
over and shutting the watch placed N
IN IN the vest pocket Of the owner. FINALLY.
the restless person, seized his overcoat
upon which he had been sitting. and for
several minutes he asmlessly turned the
coat this way and that gazing at the
collar, me lining, the cuffs. and sleeves
ana gradually becoming more spasrnodic In
his movements. Then the Gonna nion TOOK
small phial from the vest pocket of his
frenc. and, drawing the cork therefrom
heiu II Tor two or three seconds under the
noslrlls OF the agitated person, Then ne
replaced the phial, the singular movements
ceased, and both men were again interested
in what Mr.. johnson was saying What 4
would Ike to know is as TO the contents
Of that phiaL
An ofncial in the State Department who
has remarkable ear for music. but no
knowledge of sight, reading composition
and so on, has two charming daughters
who invariably, but good-naturedly, guy
all of his many efforts at improvising on the
piano. As they are both OF them quite
accomplished amateur musicians. the father
decided TO put a stop to their amusement
at his expense. After considerable practice
he acquired the ability 10 play a certain
composition quite aoceptably. Then. on
New Year eve, he followed his usual habit
ara seating himself at the piano began
TO play in halting sort OF manner as
though trying to formulate some musical
notion that had occurred to him. Several
times did he pick away at bits of this idea
and at last he played the thing through
In his best fashion. oh. papa. that's aw-
ful:' said one of the girls. and her sister
added: YES that's the worst YOU ever
did Then. both together. they observed:
Why don't you give il a namey'
Il would" said papa, 'only IL is already
ohr1stened. IL is the sndante movement
from Memberships concerto" And ever
stree that event the gentleman has had his
piano practice without comment from the
daughters.
The Department OF Agriculture expects
to entertain in a few days ]. b. olcutt OF
South Manchester Conn. and no kin OF
the favored disciple OF Madame BIavatsky
ar. Olcutt has certain theories In relation
to the culture of grasses and he claims
that his theories are supported by experr-
ments he has been conducting on his
Connecticut farm during the past few
years. MIR. Olcutt asserts and says ne can
prove that the best quality of pasture
grasses can be produced upon any fertile
ground where poor grasses thrive by prac-
ticing a system OF pruning among grasses.
Instead of trying to develop a superior
class of grass seed, he plants the poor
and the good grasses together and then
has the crop trod1en thoroughly together
into the soil. When another crop appears
then another trodding is INDUCED IN, the
roots OF the better grasses prevailing until
the desired high quality is reached. Mr..
Olcutt will make an exhibition on the de-
partment grounds Of results thus obtained
on his own farm. rur Fet
Representative Aitken is the grand high
Maccabeepootrah Of Tire secret mutual
benefit organization known as the knights