Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1897-01-29


and now and then statesman will sit
in the gallery and instruct one of thess'
fair students in the mysteries of state
craft. II is a fact of note among we'll
informed people that notes and signals
once passed between IL woman in the
gallery and a statesman on bhe floor
previous to 1880, the statesman being
one OF the leaders of the house of rep
resentatives, who subsequently attained
II high and proud position; n man who
to-day sleeps the sleep that knows no
waking, and in history his name is pure
and noble. Vol, 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 atten ton 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 knotty
parliamentary problem, and knows
each day what is expected 10 come up.
1t 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
characteristics of the men on the floor
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 n session girl No one
Knows what becomes of her when the
session closes, and when the new SEES
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, il 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 a complete barrier to their
ambitions. Wives and daughters have
como with aspiring husbands and fa-
theirs. They frequent the galleries It
the capitol. At first they are sedate,
h,,N 10 4, - 4
habits of those around them; that is to
say, 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 cali 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 supposcs
that the capitol, where the laws of the
nation are made, must be safe place
for man, woman or child. But il 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 10 the whole
truth that has ever been printed. 1t is
needless 10 further elaborate the situa-
tion. SMITH d. FRY,