Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-02-21

opportunities. he meets others who
are there upon similar business and
who urge him to give whatever aid he
can.
Back to the Capitol he goes without
accomplishing the object sought. Be-
fore he gets into the House he is urged
to favor this neasure or to oppose that.
A friend desires him to press upon the
Committee on Claims some personal
bill. Another wants him to see the
Committee on Military Affairs and use
his influence toward relieving some man
from the charge of desertion. A third
tells him narrowing story of young
lady who has lost her place in one of
the departments and appeals to his SYM
pathies to do what he can toward rein
stating her. A fourth has claim in
the Auditor S office, and urges the Con
gresham to revisit the department and
use his influence toward securing its
payment.
A fifth is a Washington correspondent
who wants his views on Hawaii and the
Kanaka Queen. Here is a man who
has trouble in the Patent Office, and in
defiance of the law wants the Repre-
sentative to visit the Commissioner and
expedite the matter if possible. Here
is another from away off in California
seeking place as clerk in the Mare Is
land Navy Yard, and there a third
who wants a rare book printed by the
Agricultural Department years ago and
entirely out of Print. Here comes a
page informing the Representative that
Senat II So and So wants to Speak to
him moment in the Senate chamber.
The Congressman starts for the other
wing of the Capitol and is met by con
stituents who desire cards of admission
TO the members gallery. This necessi
tates visit to his committee room. Be
fore he reaches it he is stopped twice
again-once by an employee of the
House who wishes his signature to an
order for binding. and again by his
clerk, who has telegram of moment,
which requires an immediate answer.
Half an hour is gone before he is
again ready to start to the Senate cham
Der, and fortunate indeed he is if he
passes through the Hall of Statutes and
he great rotunda without further i'm
portunites. Once in the Senate cham
her he is again i'll trouble. A Senator
has a constituent in the employ of the
House who is in danger OF dismissal
and wants him retained. Another Sena.
tor has bill which has passed the Sen
ate, and which he desires the Congress
man to look after when it comes to the
| House. A third has a request for a
public document from one of the Rep
| resentatives constituents and places
the matter in his hands.
A trip back to the House is attended
with more Interruptions. The Congress
man is urged to offer an amendment to
some bill under discussion. To enable
him to thoroughly understand it the
gentleman interested pulls him into Il
window embrasure and talks rapidly
and increasingly for fifteen minutes.
Meantime three or four other gentlemen
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
shouting, Yeas and nays" and the
congressman graciouslyexcuses himself
But he has only Il 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 new. Halt dozen
| gentlemen from various parts of the
country have been waiting the oppor
tunity to renew their acquaintance with
him. Each has an AK to grind. The
Congressman is the grindstone they
propose to use. None has special
claim upon him. Yet fatigued and
weary, he preserves 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
lurther trouble.
The House has adjourned. The
crowd has disappeared. Once more
Tree, he has full time to collect his
thoughts, and go to work systematic
cally. He remains in his room until s
or 8 o clock seated before log fire in a
flood of mellow gaslight reading the
newspapers, pouring over bills and re
ports, scanning the Congressional Re-
cord and attending to his private cor
respondance. Anon he goes down
town, gets his dinner and fills appoint
ments made during the day. Rarely
does he see his bed before midnight.
HIS days work done, he woos sleep,
but frequently in vain. A dozen or
more matters come up which had de-
manded 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
times weary and troubled, but usually
peaceful and satisfactOry