Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-06

employee of the House who wishes his sig
nature to an order for binding, and again by
his clerk, who has a telegram OF moment,
which requires an immediate answer.
In the Senate Chamber.
Half an hour is gone before he is again
ready to start for the Senate chamber, and
fortunate indeed he is If he passes through
the hall of statues and the great rotunda
without further opportunities. Once in the
Senate chamber he is again in trouble. A
Senator has a constituent in the employ of
the House who is in danger of dismissal and
wants him retained. Another Senator has
bill which has passed the Senate and which
ne desires the Congressman to look after
when 1t comes to the House. A third has
request for public document from one of
the Representatives constituents and places
the matter in his hands.
A trip back to the House is attended with
more Interruptions. The Congressman is
urged to offer an amendment to some bill
under discussion. To enable him to thor
oughly understand it the gentleman interest
ed pulls him into window embrasure and
talks rapidly and increasingly for fifteen
minutes. Meantime three or four other gen.
tlemen interested in various projects learn
the whereabouts of the Representative and
stand in circle awaiting his release.
Suddenly there comes relief. A page of
the House darts through the corridor shout
ing, Yeas and nays" and the Congress
STdclOuSly excuses nlmSelf. But he
has only hurried idea of what is going on
and, If in doubt. listens to the roll call to
hear how the Nestors of the House vote,
and casts his vote with theirs
The House no sooner adjourns than his
troubles begin anew. Half a dozen gentle
men from various parts OF the country have
been waiting the opportunity to renew their
acquaintance with him. Each has an AK to
grind. The Congressman is the grindstone
which they propose to use. None has
special claim upon him. Yet fatigued and
weary he presumes the semblance of good
humor and extricates himself as politely as
possible. Finally he makes his escape from
the House through the hinged windows of
the barber shop. reaching his committee
room without further trouble.
The House has adjourned. The crowd has
disappeared. Once more free, he has full
time to collect his thoughts and go to work
Systematically. He remains in his room
until or 8 o'clock seated before log fire in
a flood of mellow gaslight reading the news
papers. porting over bills and reports, scan
ming the Congressional Record, and attend
ing to his private correspondence Anon he
goes down town, gets his dinner and fills
appointments made during the day. Rarely
does he see his bed before midnight. His
days work done he woos sleep, but fire.
come up which had demanded his attention
during the day and which he had entirely
forgotten. After settling in his mind what
to do in each case sleep comes at last, some
full and satisfactory.
An Amusing Incident.
Such Is fair average of days work
done by a conscientious Congressman.
There are some amusing scenes, however
| in congressional life. Mr.. Talbot of Mary
land related one not long ago TO a group OF
his fellow members. He saws that during
the forty-sxth Congress he was called out
of the House one day by a beautiful lady
who had forwarded soiled card to him
When he reached the reception room she
came rushing toward him. telling her name
and exclaiming. MIR. Talbot, 1 am from
Maryland. / am forty-one years old and my
daughter is twenty-one. Neither one of us
has ever had government position"
Madam" replied Mr. Talbot lin VIVA,
| part of Maryland do you reside?''
She then gave her address in Baltimore
M Talbot frightened up, saying, You
are very fortunate, madam. The Constitu.
ton or the United States provides that each
Congressman shall give either mother OIL
daughter an office when the mother is forty.
one and the daughter twenty-one years old
and that each district is entitled to such a
position. All the members of the Maryland
delegation have filled the places allotted tc
! them under this provision with the excep.
| ton of Col. McLane. in whose district you
reside He has not awaited himself of this
| constitutional privilege. Col. McLane would
be delighted to meet you and give You o,
your daughter place"
NJ. Talbot then returned to the chambe,
| and the same card went to Representative
McLane. The old gentleman was ahssn,
| about ten minutes. When he returned he
walked up to Mr.. Talbot and said, Fred
Talbot, you sent that woman to me and
you Know there is no constitutional proyi
sion giving places to mother and daupbte,
| whose ages aggregate sixty-one The Wo-st
OF II is that she insisted that / was deceiy
| ing her when L assured her that she wa,
mistaken. She replied that Mr.. Talbot wa.
| too nice man to lie"
Then Col: McLane sat down and laughed
heartily While minister to France. he fire.
| quentiy told the story with great susto
| AMOS J. CUMMINGS.