The Washington times., 1894-05-27
capitol Sounds and silhouettss.

Private John II. Allen is cultivating himself
an embonpoint
Representative Brosius, of Pennsylvania,
has voice like one crying in the wilderness
With little effort he could nearly scare saw
mill off creek
1t is pity Mr.. Dingley hasn't mellower
organ with which to deliver his clean-cut sem
tences. Nobody in the House is more accu-
rate!y and learnedly equipped for the work Of
congressional legislation than the ex-Gover-
ncr of Maine.
Ex-Speaker Tom Reeds voice is distinctly
Yankee sound, especially its drawl, of which
he is no doubt proud. orhe would not dwell
on it as nue. as he does. When Mr. Reed
wishes to be severe to his enemies and funny
he raises his infections to fllsetto that Is
quite inimitable.
Col. William C. Oates has returned and ia
looking unusually large. and, as he has Just
been nominated by the Democrats OF Ala
baina as their candidate for Governor, he
looks unusually satisfied. He realizes he has
hard contest before him; but there is the
CLINT of fight in his eyes, and his nostrils pull
safe as do those OF the war horse snuffing the
blood OF battle.
Representative Mores, OF Georgia is one OF
those who need soft pedal to their lungs.
He and Bro5ius. speaking in concert could
shut down a boiler foundry.
Benton McMillin is one OF the ablest takers
In the House, but his voice is not always re-
liable.
Tim Campbelrs county Cavan accent is as
delicious as the hum OF Hybleian bees.
A terror to sensitive auriculars is Repre-
sentative Wilson. of Washington.
No Congressman is more generally beloved
than Judge Culberson. He has no more
affectstion than a mule colt, and has the
slouchiest imaginable way of pronouncing
nHr 10 IN he nm 4fe,itt
convincing utterances. His speech is south
ern and provincial to the last extreme /
doubt, il he tried, whether he could give the
''r' its proper sound. The way he calls court
'.cote" or reporter ''repotah'' is as naive as
the lisping OF child.
Representative Grain, of Texas. is a good
de .laimer. He is also fond OF reading pieces
out OF books. Mr.. Grain finished his college
training in New York, and his accent is
happy medium between the northern and
southern extremes.
Mr.. Bland rolls his sentences as though he
had COB OF hot mush on one side a quid OF
over-iuicy tobacco on the other, and silver
dollar in the roof of his mouth.
Nobody in Congress has keener apprecia-
ton OF dramatic effect than the ex-Con-
federate war Governor of Tennessee. Isham
e. Harris. When any matter of pith and mo-
ment is up and he is at the front his sentences
cut like scimetar and his foreflnger as ne
designates the point OF assault is unerring.
When he sits down it is with great and
decisive firmness, and you believe as YOU
look at his compressed lips that they said
just what they were intended to say-no
more. no less.
Senator Sherman's greatness goes without
saying He has already figured in volumes
of the legislative history OF the country, but
withal, unless when deeply aroused. he is not
up TO the ordinary as a speaker. On a great
theme he is almost mpassioned-certainly
eloquent-and you nearly forget he is notably
deficit n pronunciation. His was striking
and aA'rable figure during the great silver
debate when he instructed the Democratic
Senators how to help Mr.. Cleveland and NJ.
Carlisle out of a hole. All the Senators in
town were in their seats many members of
the House were there; the gallery audience
overfowed, and all hung on his words as
oracular utterances.
Anent accomplishment in speaking well, il
old observers are to be credited. oratory is
not up to the standard of ''before the war"
Very few Congressman are good pronouncers,
and elocution is a rare art. Perhaps Henry
Cabot Lodge could give the Senate some
Delsartian points, but as a whole Senators
badly need instruction. When G. Washing
ton Murray. the ebony-hued member from
Soute Carolina, wrote that thrilling antobio-
graphical SKETCH which appeared in the
Congressional Record, he manifested, as it
has transpired, unnecessary trepidation lest
he should be regarded as poor enunciator.
There is fearful pathos in his little sketch
where he tells how, at the age of 13, ''among
the waits of his neighborhood, he
picksed up his alphabet and acquired an
imperfect pronunciation of monosylables.
Mr.. Murray must have realized ere this that
he need be at no pains to acquire crude
and imperfect pronunciation, even Of poly
syllables. The congressional waits in his
present neighborhood will, without an effort,
supply him more than enough to use for pegs
to measure his elocutionary progress.
Col. Buck Kilgo', of Texas. passed me on
the steps yesterday. and noticed that he had
on seal brown socks with them yaller shoes
Of his'n. Wat.