Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-17
THINGS HEARD AND SEEN

with the returns whether Mr. So-and-So
was elected?" In nine cases out of ten the
answer is that he was not. The depart
ment clerks, both male and female, have
congressional friends, sure-thing Congress-
men. whom they depend upon for assist
ance toward promotion, and influence in
case adverse administrations should I'M
dertakc to remove them. Many of the sure
things will not be with rs anon. And won't
there he gliding from the small minority?
After the congressional elections in 1890,
when there was republican dead wood ga
lore, the democrats made 1t very painful
for the defeated A mar would rise on the
republican side and make a telling point,
only to have it cut to pieces by reference
to the fact that he would be there only a
short time. 1t is more than probable that
the handful of republicans who have re-
manned through the troublesome times of
80 and '92 will take the opportunity to get
even. Then, as nov, the chairman OF the
ways and means committee was among the
defeated, and Mckinley learned often that
he had led his party down to defeat.
Reed was tainted in the Fifty-second and
in the present Congress OF presiding over
Congress which sunk his party forever
in the sea of oblivion. Think you these
thir gs will not be remembered? Wait anu
see.
One sometimes wonders whether or not
that buffalo head Olson. perhaps, 1T should
be called in the Office of Secretary Smith
in the Interior Department will ever be
hung Up-anywhere, just so that 1T would
be placed on the wall where 1t was intend
ed TO be, rather than to stand about in one
place or another, wherever chance or
Claude Bennett happens to push 1t. This
buffalo, or bison, head Is handsome
specimen of an animal that is almost now
extinct. 1t once belonged to the herd in
Yellowstone Park, and was killed by an
adventurous hunter, who was speedily
hustled out of the park and the game con-
fiscated. Hunters are not allowed to kill
game III the park. The head was mounted
and sent to the Secretary, but there are SO
many pictures of former Secretaries of the
Interior on the wall Of his office that there
is no place to hang this specimen.
Speaking of the disappearance of the buff
falo. for in spite of the naturalists they are
so called, even that little herd in the yell
lowstone, with the most careful nursing,
will disappear before long. The buffalo is
emphaticaIly a will animal, and roamed
the prairies of the west in vast herds of
10000 or more previous to the advent of
the settler and the railroad They retreat
ell before civilization, and civilization cor
nered them and slaughtered them. The
time was when buffalo coat could be
bought for SO. Now one can scarce be had
for $50, AMI a good one is worth $40. Sem
ator Pettigrew tried to tame a herd, and
brought them to u large corral near his
home in Sioux Falls, where he kept them,
watching them die off, and finally sold the
lot to a man who believed they could be
mixed with native cattle and continued.
The mixture produces mongrel that is
as much like buffalo as a mule Is like
a horse, and is good for nothing. The buff
falo is, in the natural order of things. a
vanishing animal. He was useful to the
Indians and the early settlers, but he does
not like society. Settlements within 800
miles are too close, and he quits. AS soon
as the big herds break up the stragglers
slant care that hunters shall not intrude
upon the Yellowstone Park that the few
there are not driven away.
One of the most trying costumes for an
actress is that in which she is required to
appear in bare feet. Juliette Gordon, while
with the Bostonians. tried very hard to de-
wise something that would look like bare
feet when she was playing Mignon. She
had fesh-colored stockings, with toes, but
they were failure, and could%deceive no
one. why don't you go barefooted, as
the part calls for it?' she was asked.
We'll. the best of us haven't feet that
would win applause" she answered, land
have given up all hope of anything but
plain stocking feet" When the Bostonians
sang this same Mignon Mcdonald took the
part of the old father searching for his lost
daughter One night in a western city
they had borrowed child for the little
girl that becomes lost. Everything behind
the scenes was more or less real to the
child, and as Mac came along in his gray
wig and whiskers the little one said
s"eetly: Grandpa, you is tired; you take
my chair, grandpa" And she tried to push
him into the chair. Macs heart was
touched, and he went down in his pocket
and gave the child dollar. In the next
town the remembrance of the episode fol-
lowed him, and he thought he would try
and work it on another borrowed child.
Am l your grandpa" he asked, having
become proud of his makeup, which de-
had been there. Nav" she answered,
scornfully, yer can't CANNON me; that's
a wig yez got on" She didn't get dollar.
Everybody who has ever been at the
Capitol knows all about the Capitol guides.
There are quite number of them, and
they all know the story of the Capitol
from top to bottom Very pleasant and
agreeable do they make themselves to WIS.,
itors who wish to know something of the
law-making edifice. Not long ago one of
the best guides had a curious experience
A lady dressed In what might have been
half-mourning, accompanied by girl,
small for her age, entered the Capitol, and
the gentlemanly guide saw them looking
at some picture and heard the girl ask her
mother something about it-information
the lady was unable to furnish. The guide
in very polite manner, volunteered the
information, and the lady, having a taste
for art, and finding the guide well in
formed on such subjects, conversed for
some time in a general way"about pictures
to be seen in Washington and elsewhere.
Finally he said:
There are other pictures, and, in fact,
many thing of interest about the Capitol
which l will take great pleasure in show
ing YOU" an agreeable offer which the
lady accepted with some hesitation. There
was not a feature in the Capitol that was
not shown and explained. The lady, who
was far away from husband, with a
daughter who would scarcely know what
was up, but whose presence meant a safety
from gossip, was as she thought, enjoying
Irritation with a statesman, while the
guide, regarding the lady as some wealthy
stranger. was expecting handsome re-
ward. They had nearly finished the build
ing, and were looking out over the Botan-
ical Gardens, the lady inquiring what it
was.
THE Botanical Gardens" answered the
guide; 'if yoL will return tomorrow / will
be pleased to show you through them"
This was carrying the Irritation too far,
thought the lady, and, thanking the guide
in the most winning manner for the cour-
tesy he had extended an entire stranger
the lady babe him good afternoon and de-
parted. 1t all came about in such a man
ner, and friendly had been their con-
versation, that the guide could not bring
himself to say that he was doing all this
for hire-tnat 1t was his regular business
but stood there smiling, bereft of speech