The Washington times., 1894-03-26
STORIES FROM 1.-THE
SHOW At WASHINGTON. y

Of the House. Here is little story that Sen
ator Cullom relates. 1t was back in the
Forty-ninth Congress. The Illinois Senator
went into the House one day and found it in
the greatest excitement. Members were run
ming up and down the aisles. and Springer's s
stentorian voice was shouting above the tur-
moil and confusion.
Finding that nobody paid any attention TO
his remarks he jumped upon mis- desk, but be-
fore he could free himself for action he felt a
restraining hand upon his coat tails. ''Bilf'
Morrison, who was leader of the House that
session, gently pulled his vociferous colleague
back to the floor.
''Springer," +" he said confldingy, placing his
hand on the others shoulder, you'd better
quiet down. It's no use. You can't distin-
guish yourself in this House unless you get on
the Speakers desk and stand on your head. "
Blackburn says that the Indians have the
most extraordinary taste for whisky of any
class of men he ever came in contact with.
He tells this story to prove it:
He was travelling alone through Indian
Territory in a not very thickly populated sec
ton, and, although he started with u gene
rous quantity of liquor, the supply, with the
exception OF single quart flask, became ex-
hausted. While in this condition he met a
Cherokee Indian, very intelligent fellow,
who asked him to extend the usual courtesies
to fellow-traveler.
The courtesies were promptly extended,
and, as the brand was the finest Kentucky,
the Senator was hardly surprised when the
Indian, who was mounted on beautiful
horse. eagerly offered him So for the re-
mainder of his bottle. The offer was de-
oil ,rhn tha InIi ntfa raI
saddle. his bride, and finally his horse, but
all without avail.
did you ever hear OF thirst like that?"
the Senator inquired OF the friend to whom he
told the story.
"Why didn't you tale the Offer Joe?" was
asked
Great heavens. man. exclaimed Black
burn, lit was the last bottle bad ON earth!''
One of the characters of the House is the
man who is known as Farmer" Edmunds,
OF Virginia. and he is ever ready to tell stories
upon himself.
In the Fifty-1rst Congress Speaker Reed
placed him upon the Committee on the Re
vision OF the Laws. and THAT rare old fellow"
as the Maine man alluded to the Virginian
after meeting him. went TO the Speaker and
wanted to know why he put farmer on such
a committee. But Tom Reed was equal to
the occasion.
''Mr. Ednunds," he said. In his placid man
ner $50 be candid with YOU, when | got
nearly through my work was compelled to
stick some of the new men on the Democratic
side in any places / had left When | first
came to Congress the Speaker put me down
at the tail end of the Committee on Territories.
and pledge you my word and honor that at
that time l would not have known territory
if had met one walking down Pennsylvania
avenue"
The virginian offered no further objections
to his committee place
In spite of its advertising properties, the
beard OF Senator PETER has its drawbacks.
He is a great letter writer, and likes to de-
vote much of his time in the Senate TO this
occupation. But his famous beard is so long
that it rests upon his desk. and when he is
engaged in writing it wanders along the paper
and seriously interferes with his penmenshlp.
He is compelled to hold his beard of the desk
with one hand while he writes with the other.
Vice-President Stevenson has two fads. One
OF them is not keeping his shoes blacked. His
other is an unwillingness to WELD the gavel.
He has always had horror Of gavel with
regular handle and back in the DAYS when he
presided over small meetings IN MS own state
he would use his cane or umbrella In prefer
enee. He has carried this feeling into the
Senate chamber, and refuses to use the regu-
lar ivory gavel which has called the Senate TO
order for many years. Of course. in the Sem
ate chamber he cannot use an umbrella to
preserve order so he has straight piece of
ivory without handle of any kind, and with
this unique piece Of desk furniture he pounds
the sounding board in front of him.
Tom Reed was lounging down Fifteenth
street in an especially good-natured frame of
mind when a wild-eyed admirer. who had
taken a drop too much. jumped out from
doorway and waving his hand familiarly
gave him a drunken greeting. 1t was u
startler. but the ex-Speaker sized the situa-
tion sensibly and waved his hand smilingly
in return.
.'Aiter all. - he remarked. refiectively, your
drunken man is the only really free man. So
long as he isn't absolutely dangerous or OBJ
noxious he does about as ne pleases and no.
body thinks OF obiectinG. The rest of US are
constantly cribbed. coffined and confined
inflammation for Girls