The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-06
GIRLS IN BLACK.
The Enrolling Clerks Attired in
SOmbre HueS,
March Into the Senate Chamber
Last Night
CARRYING THE BILL
That Forever Does Away With
Enrolling Clerks.
They Had 1t Draped in
Grape.
Prospects of Adjournment Are
Very Indefinite.

More than a score of senatorial soul
were filed with remorse last night
While they realize they have done only
their duty, in this case it hurt very much.
The bill by Senator Cooke to enroll bills
by printing, thus abolishing the biennial
enrolling force, was enrolled last night,
and six pretty enrolling clerks, dressed
in solemn black, brought the en- rolled
bill up to the senate.
Nearly all of the enrolling force were
there in advance to see the fun.
Miss Phoebe Turner presented the bill
to the senate, and with it set of resolu-
tions prepared by the girls, in which they
express regret at the success Of the bill
which abolishes their office, and the fail
ure of much more needed legislation.
Reading Clerk Ben Rich read the reso-
lutions eloquently, as follows:
Whereas, A condition, not theory,
confronts the enrolling girls of Kansas,
inasmuch as by the passage of a certain
bill our presence, our occupation and our
labors are consigned to the tomb, and
Whereas, We realized and felt until
now that we were part of the legisla-
tive body of our state, but coupling the pas
sage of Senator Cookies bill, the destruc-
tion of the bill to learn us how to cook,
the failure to enfranchise our sisters and
mothers has filled our hearts with sorrow
and dismay and
"W Whereas the time honored custom of
our accompanying our fathers and broth
ers to the legislature, and by the passage
of this unjust, unAppreciative measure
has cut US down in the zenith of our
glory and we fear the same will have a
tendency to disturb domestic tran guilty,
we emplore our fathers to rescue US from
our Humiliation and desp pordeney and
ask your sympathy and tears while We
consign to you our death warrant neatly
enrolled ana properly craped we furth
er ask Him who holds in the hollow of
His hand the destiny of nations and the
care of mankind to treat in tender mercy
those erring sons of man, and strike from
the golden book, the sins of our Senator
Cook
''We'er dying. friends. we're dying.
Slow but sure is our decay;
In ruins our hopes are lying,
Oh why, hast thou driven us away?
"Onee our song and laughter
Shchoed through these spacious halls;
Now from broken hearts hereafter
Wen never hear your calls.
'Over us sad skies are weeping,
The legislature sounds our funeral knel.s
Senator Cook our death watch keeping,
Dear friends. farewell, farewell.
''Resolved, That these resolutions be
inserted in the records of this journal in
order to show how we came to our death.
and each enrolling clerk wear mourning
for seventy-two hours.
'Be it further resolved, that copy of
these resolutiont be draped in Grape and
be presented to Senator Cook"
Senator Cooke took the resolution in
the proper spirit, and said: "My bill
was introduced purely through motives
OF economy. I believe these Young ladies'
have nothing personally at stake in the
matter. Girls with their charming man
ners, rosy cheeks and sweet lips will not
be available for next years enrolling
force They will all be married"
Senator Cooke also expressed the in
tention, which he carried out today, of
presenting the enrolling force with ten
pounds of candy.
How do you know their lips are
SWEET" inquired a senator.
Senator Cooke took the floor and blush
ing, and with some hesitation, said, 81
have had more than thirty years. expert
ence in such things, and-er-I know
from that experience that they are, er-
er-sweet"
The resolutions from the enrolling
force were ordered printed in the SEN
ate Journal 1t was the idea of the Young
ladies' TO have the resolutions read to the
music OF q dirge, but none of them
would volunteer to sing. The enrolling
clerks who participated in the event
were MiSes Lizzie Armstrong, Anna
Brown, A2e Dolan, Ella King, Nellie
FOrney, SSyace Hicks. OLGA Morrison
Sarah Barrett, Minnie Wilson. Jessie
O'Bryan, Mamie Martin, Katie Dav.
Venetta Moore. Sadie Bowman. Lutte
1ytle, Mauda Murphy, Maggie Merry.
Phoebe Turner, Mrs. Ida williams.
The affair created a great deal of
amusement. The senate at the time was
crowded with spectators, and the digni-
ned senate was more boisterous in its ap-
probation of the joke than at anv time
ut this session of the legislature.