Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-10

aEce or the senators, desks Wnen tney
came to the Capitol at noon He was al
ways alert and ready to run an GRAND. and
before long he became a, pet-a Senate mas
cot. A lovable little fellow, he won the
Webster took occasion 70 see that the boy
would not be lost to the Senate by having
him appointed a page, be being the second
page to serve that body. ..
Young Isaac was the, recipient of many
favors at the hands OF Daniel Webster.
The latter would frequently call him to
his side. take him upon his knee and talk
to him kindly. The little page had no
these days but the time was to come when
their relations became more formal. Cap
tain Bassett never forgot the day when
this change came about: Mr.. Webster
wanted a carriage and he. sent Isaac to
find one The boy walked around the Cap
ftol but the ever-present hackmen were
for once cut of sight. He went to the
Senate and going Familiarity up to the
statesman whom so many held in awe said
There are no carriages, Senator. They've
all gone"
There was no carriage! Perhaps Mr.. Web
ster thought the boy had sversel on that
line where familiarity breeds contempt
and that he had been indifferent to his
command. He turned on the page. annoyed
at the delay he suffered in not being able
to leave the Capitol when he wished, and
with the severity for which he was so well
known on greater occasions, said:
Get me a carriage; get one IL You have
to go to Georgetown
From that moment Isaac no longer APP
proachet Webster as child might approach
its father. He always went to him for
nally, as a soldier might go to a martinez.
and no overtures on the part of Webster
could draw the child to him as of old. The
rebuke nearly frightened the life out of
young Isaac, and he found carriage.
There We're no street cars in those days, no
telephone to quickly communicate with a
livery stable, but If carriage were want
ed 1t was necessary to find 1t somewhere
anywhere. Capt. Bassett never forgot how
he ran on that occasion, here there, every
where, wondering whether there was a con-
spiracy among the hackmen to keep out of
his way, nervously looking back to see if
Webster, whose austerity was riveted on his
memory, was giving him chase. Finally he
got the coveted vehicle and Webster was
appeased.
Strange stories have been told about the
effect of this rebuke on young Bassett. A
fsvorite story is that the boys hair turned
the explanation of this fiction is that the
Bassett family were given to gray hair
early in life, and the captains began to
turn white when he was quite a young
man.
Familiar Figure.
Nc Senator has been pointed out to so
many visitors to the Capitol as has Capt
Bassett. For a generation he has been one
of the sights of the building as little to be
overlooked as would be the marble room
adjoining the Senate, or the echo stones in
the old House of Representatives. 1t was
before the war that ne was made assistant
doorkeeper of the Senate. At the assem-
bling of the Senate he could always be seen
at the left hand of the Vice President He
stood 1eVerentially as the chaplain asked a
divine blessing on the proceedings of Con-
gress. Tall, always attired with scrupulous
neatness, for many years wearing a black
broadcloth Prince. Albert coat, his long
white beard and hoary locks allowed to
70 a, cIO
marvellous degree of precision. his se-ere
countenance and ever watchful eve are
features Of his appearance remembered bv
every one who has seen Capt. Isaac Bas-
Sett, assistant doorkeeper of the Senate
1t was his proud claim that he never missed
a single session, day or night, of the Senate
since 1881, until two years ago, when he
broke down during the night sessions when
the repeal of the Sherman law was being
considered. But he stillocould claim lntil
the meeting of the present. Congress, that he
had never missed the opening of Congress
for slxtyfour ~ years. bore upon him
be in the Senate when the rFifty-fourth Con-
gress was called to order, and from noon of
that day his attendants noted that he grew
worse. All during the Summer and fall
Capt. Bassett hoped to be- able to be at the
Capitol on December. 3, and as that day ap-
preached and he did not gain strength he
still hoped he would, be able to be taken
over to his accustomed place. even If he
Capt. Bassett has not enjoyed a sinecure
all his life. During late years he has been
relieved from much Of the active work that
fell to him formerly, A. H. Stewart his
assistant on the floor, assuming many of his
duties. But for years he was to the Senate
what an executive officer is to man-of-war
Everything was in his keeping, and if any
Senator had a complaint to make he made
it to the captain. The Senate has al
ways been fastidious body, and Capt. Bas-
sett knew the Spanish proverb, There is no
such thing as trifie.' He was everywhere,
familiar with every detail of the Senate, so
far as it rela ted to the material comfort Of
that body, and never merited reproach for
an oversight All the pages looked upon
him as father and he ruled them by love
rather than through discipline.
His Home Life.
Capt Bassett's home life has been a happy
one. For many years he has lived on Cd
street just north of East Capitol. The house
was built many years ago, and has com
Portable side yard, while the captains love