Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-01-24

A GALLERY GODDESS.
 and now and then a statesman will sit in the gallery and instruct one of thes4. fair students in the mysteries of state craft. It is fact of note among well- informed people that notes and signals once passed between woman in the gallery and a statesman on the floor previous to 1880, the statesman being one of the leaders of the house of rep resentatiYes, who subsequently, attained a high and proud position; man who to-day sleeps the sleep that knows no waking. and in history his name is pure and noble. We'll, let it be so, for the sake of his children unto the third and fourth generation.
 The designing girl of the gallery is a type unto herself. She is modest enough not to attract attention when she does not want to do so, and she is sufficiently independent to attract just as much attention as she wants. She smiles sweetly upon the elevator man and always has pleasant word for the man who tends the gallery door. She knows nearly every member on the floor by name and is acquainted with his most marked characteristics. She is fully capable of discussing a knotty parliamentary problem. and knows each day what IS expected to come up. It is very interesting sometimes to quietly sit in the gallery and hear the chatter of the girls. They talk in stage whispers about the appearance and .E. at of fJ,1a ha of the house and they pretend to know how each statesman will vote on any pending bill. They also affect to know which are the most amiable and gallant among the members and when they can best spare time to go to lunch. The gallery goddess may not be beautiful, but she is sure to be attractive, and, whether she dresses plainly or richly, you can depend upon it she is always stylish. She is a session girl. No one knows what becomes of her when the session closes, and when the new ses- sion begins she is as punctual and as numerous as the claimants who never die and never get old.
 Strange as it may appear there are scores, if not hundreds, of new faces in the gallery this year; and they are ! drawn hither by the hope of office, in spite of the fact that the civil service law acts as complete barrier to their ambitions. Wives and daughters have come with aspiring husbands and fa- thers. They frequent the galleries at the capitol. At first they are sedate, but soon they fall into the custom and habits of these around them; that is to say, a majority of them do. The office seekers who are already here are they who expect to receive distinguished recognition; but some of the seekers after chief clerkships are making their appearance, too. After inauguration day the class will be largely augmented; but the women folk cannot look down from the galleries upon the statesmen, because congress will not be in session after the 4th day of next March, unless the president should call an extra scs- sion.
 If the mothers of Washington knew what pitfalls there are in the capitol building there would be fewer girls seen there. But everybody supposes that the capitol, where the laws of the nation are made, must, be a safe place for man, woman or child. But it is not the best place for misses in their teens to go. There are women there in the marble corridors who would lead angels astray if opportunity were given them. Little girls learn of them the first les sons which lead them in later years to become gallery goddesses.
 The truth is seldom written. This is the nearest approximation to the whole truth that has ever been printed. It is needless to further elaborate the situa- ton. SMITH D. FRY.