Evening star., 1896-12-05
THE NEW CROP,
statesmen Booked for the Capitol and
the Way They Like II,

n al
the Way They Like 1t.
AS The Star reporter tripped lightly I'D
the steps of a hotel where statesmen con-
gregate he almost butted a man through
ninete en-dollar pane of glass In the door.
and was ABOUT to offer the most elegant
apologies at his command when one look
satisfied him that the person butted WAS
an old friend. who was SO glad to see him
that he forgot about the apology.
As 1t happened the butted party was q
member of the House of the recently eIact
ed Kind, and the two sat down to enioy II
together
VI course. remarked the member when
they had talked it all over for half an
nour or more, "of course. newly elected
member of Congress hasn't any business
IN Washington for a year yet. but YOU
know. this is the first time 1 was ever
elected and just couldn't have stayed away
aholner DAY II l had died for it. and /
suppose all the other new ones are pretty
much the same way. I've been here three
Gays now, not doing a blamed thing bui
standing on the street corners thinking of
me future walking up and down the
streets wondering how I'll feel when I'm
mere as a member. and sitting up IN the
gallery Of the House gazing down on the
seats on the floor wondering what I'll
40 Wnen l rise to my feet on that :1oor
and near the thunders of my voice echoing
down the corridors of time. and a whole
lot more of the same sort of ineffable rot
Dut. just the same. a delight to me that
nothing can compare with except the time
when l was in love, and was doing my.
counting.
Sometimes I stand on corner and
Watch the people pass. noting that not one
notices ME. and 1 think that some day
those same people may stop as they pass
and point me out and tell to others that
that is the member of Congress from
Squeedunk, or something like that and
even while l stand there thinking of it, l
can feel my throat stop up and a weight
on my lungs that makes me throw my
ilead back and stretch my neck for more
air. When l come mere year from now to
take my seat l know that much of the
present charm will have vanished, Just as
all things do when the reality begins to
touch the romance, and for that reason
am staying on here for no other purpose
than to revel in the luxury of my drea ms
My wife would have come with me to
have enjoyed 1t just as l am enjoying 1t,
for We have talked it all over a million of
times, but her mother was sick. and she
could not leave, but L heard from her yes
terday. and she is to let me know in a day
or two II she can come and if she can, by
George, we'll stay around mere playing
with it till we get tired, just as a pair of
children do with a new toy. l suppose 1
nave an ambition to be a great states nan
and write my name on the pages Of my
country's history. but 1 feel now as If
didn't care snap whether there was any
thing more to 1t than just what I'm raw
ing now. If my wife were here aid we
could walk around these streets and talk
it over as we have talked when we only
had hope to hold us up, 1 believe l could
quit right here and call it square.
And 80 the Congressman talked for AN
hour. and the reporter was almost sorry
that he knew how wide the difference was
between the congressional ideality and
reality.