Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-09

:" //fiN
day."
'"That is new title to YOU" she said, as
she saw the look of inquiry on the Scribe's
face. well, we have to be designated by
some kind of a handle you know, to set
us apart from the other divisions of the
politico-social world, and Representative
woman gets to the pith of the position We
occupy much quicker than she is the wife
of Representative So-and-So.' Don't you
think SO, now?" she asked with u smile
that would have melted the heart of
brickbat, but the Scribe being smile proof,
only entered the possible new title on his
note book. Representativewoman sounded
odd, but. all things considered, quite proper
us a OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES day very
different from that of a-well, Senator
wcman?" he queried, stumbling little
over the new terms.
"Oh, my patience! Don't tack a title
like 'Senatorwoman' onto the female CEN
tingent of that dignified body" Mrs. Silver
exclaimed. They won't stand it for a mo-
ment. You have to approach senatorial, So
ciety with just as much dignity as you 10
the official body"
well, but how about this Representa-
tivewoman's day." queried the Scribe, re-
turning to first principles as safer, under
the circumstances In what respect does
"There! 1 knew you didn't have the
slightest conception of what my question
meant" she declared with CHEEKY laugh
How does it differ? Why, bless you! IL
bears no comparison to the days Of other
women in society. Why, do you know
said Mrs Silver, beginning to take the
Scribe into her confidence. do you know
there isn't harder-worked lot of women
in all this great city than the wives OF
Representatives."
OF course the Scribe did not know it up
to that moment, but wisely accepted Mrs
Silver's statement of the fact, and sug-
eested that she proceed to elucidate.
DO you see this package of 1etters?' she
asked, holding up bundle of half hun
dred. That is my morning mail. L get 1t
right after breakfast-it would spoil my
appetite to get it beforehand come IN here
to read and chat with friends as they PASS
through" Mrs. Silver and the Scribe were
sitting in the small reception room of the big
hotel in which this particular Represents Ia
tivewoman and her husband reside nine
months in the year.
A Long List of Duties.
MY mail is often a half larger than my
husbands" she continued, extracting a
long, gold dagger from her hair to do duty
as an envelope opener. He gets a salary
of $4,000 a year for voting as his party
wants him to- and he shirks even that
responsibility by being paired, if possible,
ON all troublesome questions. He has a
clerk to attend to his correspondence and
keep all that is disagreeable from his
knowledge, and to act as go-betWeen and
buffet betwixt himself and the irate heads
of departments on whom he seeks to I'M
load his hungry constituents. He has no
social duties except those that ] plan and
arrange for him; he sees his tailor but
twice a year, and then only to be measur-
ed, for / do the selecting of his raiment,
outside and in. If his meals are not salts
factory, interview the powers that be and
have the evil remedied; If troublesome
callers are announced, l expected to
report him as engaged, or out or indis-
posed. l have to read all the papers in
our congressional district, and keep
scrap book of the clippings that refer to
him. AS there are fifty or more weekly
papers and several dailies, that task is
no sinecure. The duty really belongs to
his clerk, but l never have been able to
make a clerk believe it.
when the constituent from way back
visits Washington, it falls to my lot to
show him the sights, for my husband must
seem to be too busy to indulge in such re-
creation. I rush him up to the Capitol,
but before taking him to the gallery send
a messenger to my husband with word to
keep bis manly form off the inviting
coucres, his feet off his desk, and his cigar
out of his mouth when on the floor, till
he is sure that l have departed with our
guest You know the stock exchange style
of transacting the business of the House
Of Representatives rather shocks the eco
nomical ideas of the frugal way-back con-
stituent Their ! take the constituent
through the departments on the fly have
nv lesson about them as we'll learned
as any guide who gets 90 cents an hour
and then I take him up to shake hands
with the President. Sometimes we shake
and sometimes we don't. If the President
can't come down to his high noon hand
shake with the common peopie-of course
I always select that hour to introduce the
constituent-the ushers at the Executive
Mansion know the little story they must,
tell me before him of the Presidents re
greet that pressure of business, &C. and
the constituent goes away perfectly saus-
and dreadfully sorry that he has been the
cause of getting me refused an interview
with the chief executive! 1t Is harmless
subterfuge. you know.
She Wins Her Way.
II don't take him to teas and receptions.
The seeming extravaganza of it all would
pa1alyze his thrifty old heart. But I take
him to the theater. and invite lot Of
pretty girls to go with us. That completes
his captivation. He goes back and tells
the home people that l am the right wo-
man in the right place, and that 1 am not
ashamed to recognize my husbands con-
stituents anywhere. Don't you know
said Mrs Silver, suddenly, she jabbed
the gold dagger back in the stylish top
knot, Il like the constituent from way
back He isn't always up to date in attire
or etiquette, but he is honest, and he Is
grateful for my little attentions, and that
goes a long way toward recompensing me
for the hours and hours of precious time,
to say nothing Of cab and carriage hire,
that | am forced to eXpend on him.
."Then there is the irate constituent who
hicks up and comes here without warning,
and on the strength Of the speeches made
in my husbands behalf by the step-uncle
of his mother-in-laws foster sisters hus-
bands cousin, demands a collectorship or
a consulate When he fails to get even a
sit as cleaner Of cuspidors he begins to
threaten us with the power Of his potent
influence That sounds ridiculous, but
such men do possess lot of power for
evil. and my good offices are inlplored by
nv husband for the suppression of the
irate constituent. If you think it is easy,
lust try it once. I'd sooner arbitrate be-
tween a moonshiner and United States
marshal, but I am not often vanquished.
A handsome toilet a perfectly appointed
dinner guests who are several shades
above his social sphere, to flatter his van
ity, and my undivided and adoring atten-
tion will generally do the business.
He feels complmented at the social at
tention, and get him invitations to houses
where we dine on friendly footing-and
he. too, goes back home singing the praises
of myself and husband, but soured on the
administration, which he of course be-
lteves has singled him out to make him a