The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-15
ONE HUNDRED BOWS A DAY
Gen. Batchellef's Polite Function at
the Postal Congress.
He Bends the Hinges of His Spinal
Column While Bidding the Dele
gates "Bon Jour-"

President Batcheller, Of the postal con
gress began to bend his back and to shout
bon jour, Monsieur" at the appointed
hour this morning. Gen. Batcheller is one
Of the hardest worked men in the congress.
His work. besides being quite irkSone to
himself, is intensely so to some of the
delegates. 1t is work that is very trying
on the muscles OF the back, and the rear
fastenmgs of the suspenders.
Gen Batcheller takes his stand on the
crimson doormat that marks where the
central corridor ends and the reception
room begins The pale-faCe clock that
ticks away the time indicated $50. The
general stands with his pdtent-leather
shoes planted on the veivety wool OF the
crimson doormat, and his back to the
crimson curtain that swings from the gol-
den rod.
As the approaching delegate tells the
hacliman To call at OF clock, the general
gently clears his throat as though tuning
up his voice for the French recitation
which he is about to render.
As the delegate trips over the brown
stone threshold OF the old Corcoran Art
Gallery building, Gen BatCheller plunges
his white hand into the bosom of
his black-satin, polka-dot waistcoat, and
assumes an elevation Of the eyebrU WIS iuli-
eating his pleasant surprise at the I'M
expected arrival OF the delegate, just as
Trough he hadn't been watching his APP
prOaCh for two squares.
I he delegate pauSes in front OF the red
mat. He lifts his glittering silk hat. The
eyes of Gen. Batcheller rise several degrees
higher and his shoulders undergo a con-
tracing movement. a gracious smile be-
gins 10 light up the intellectual face OF
the general. 1t is a smile built on the
same plan as that used by an actress when
she is surprised by the bouquet which she
paid for before the play
Gen. Batchcller's smile widens and deep
ems. person unskilled i'll the interpre-
tatiun of smiles might think that Gen
n3tcheller was about To ask the delegate
to take drink. Then the general begins
his bow. One of these diplomatic bowSiS
very serious thing TO attempt and difficult
10 do, but it has been said at the congress
that Gen. Batcheller can pick a pin from
the floor without bending his knees.
The white hand of Gen. Hatchcler CON
polka dot waistcoat as though he were
trying to smooth out stroke of apOpleXy.
Slowly and steadily the upper part Of Gen.
Batcheller inClines toward the cellar. The
delegate is sinking, too. Lower and lower
they sink The blood ruShpS To their heads
and the veins of the forehead are dlsteudeh.
When the bow reaches its lowest depth the
gentlemen begin to pull themselves up.
BY this time both gentlemen are smiling
like tooth-rO WIDER advertisement The
eyebrows of Gen BatchelleT go higher. his
lips part, his throat pulSdteS, his teeth
CLEAN. ard a voice as weet as the wind
harp's dying strain lsps Bon Jour, Mon
sieur" The bows are repeated, tue dele
gate checks his hat and siiver-mounted
cane and goes into the upper stories, into
whose sacred precincts the football of the
great American reporter is no longer III ard.
There are about 100 delegates, and Gen.
Batcheller goes through this eXhaUSting
process for each delegate every morning.
Gen Batcheller has been heard to say that
he expected, if the congress lasted many
more days, To splice his spinal vertebrate
with corset Stcels. One OF the ATTACHES
suggested that if the general would hitch
a cyclometer to his gallUSeS it would show
that he bows once for every minute of The
working day.