The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-16
TALES OF THE TIMES.
Interesting Gossip Heard Around the Cap
itol at Washington.

itol at Washington.
A western senator who has always been
addicted TO the habit of wearing striped
underwear had n narrow escape recently
on that very account. The striped under
wear worn by the distinguished senator
looked for all the world like prisoners
garb; but, of course, that aspect of the case
did not suggest itself TO the senator. While
en- route to Washington last month, after
he had been reelected for another six years,
the fact came TO him I'm striking way.
Ii was on sleeping car at night. The
car pitched and threw him out of the low
or berth on to the floor, clad In his striped
underwear
Tho lurch of the car startled other folks,
too, and two ladies on the opposite side OF
the car from the senator stuck their heads
out TO see what the commotion was all
about When they saw the senatqx crawl
ing under cover in his str'~ed garb, think
ing he was an oscar convict, they
screamed. and pandemonium reigned. The
porter was summoned, whereupon the Ia
dies commanded him to remove the "con-
yict.n
1t took all the senatorial courtesy the
senator could rake up TO prove an alibi,
and he was finally able to demonstrate who
he was. But he has since abandoned the
idea of wearing striped underwear, having
reached the conclusion that plain 1annels
without stripes are much better and far
safer.
Congressman Watson Of Ohio is Repub.
lican, but living in Democratic district
was defeated for reelection 10 the next con-
gress owing To the hard fight made against
him. 1t seems that his appointee TO the
West Point Military academy failed to pass,
but earnestly requested MIR. Watson 20 re-
appoint him. Tho congressman thought
the young man was more adapted for other
than military walks of life and frankly
told him SO. The young man was appar
emily much incenscd at Mr.. Watson S frank
ness and wrote him a sharp letter, saying
that his refusal TO reappoint him would
cost Mr.. Watson at least 90 votes.
All this occurred before the last election.
The election came, and sure enough Mr..
Watson was defeated in his whole district
by the close margin of 40 votes. OF course
IL was only strange coincidence, but the
crowning feature of the brightness of the
would be cadet, who had only few weeks
before been turned DOWN by Mr. Wat
son for the boys own advantage SO the
congressman really believed, was when the
young man wrote TO tho congressman. He
said he did not think Mr.. Watson had been
successful in the congressional walks OF
life, was much more adapted Co other walks
of life and had better devote himself to 9th
er fields of cultivation. This was exactly
what the congressman had told the boy
about the latter connection with the Mill
tary academy.
A taxpayer who sympathizes with some
criticisms made on rcsCrving all the house
galleries during the counting of electoral
votes visited the capitol. He was passing
through the entrance TO the press gallery
when Doorkeoper Mann stopped him.
"Whcrc can taxpayer goy' he asked
with show Of anger. II find a members
gallery, IA private gallery and a diplomatic
gallery but there's no place for taxpay
err"
care you taxpayerP" asked Mr.. Mann.
"Yes, ard big one too.
Right this way for the taxpaycrG' gal
lery," said Mr. Mann as he pushed open
one of the double doors that lead into the
small gallery alongside the press gallery.
81 thought there must be somo place for
us, grumbled the visitor as he shuflled
down the steps.
There are things that absorb the atten
ton of Speaker Reed besides house pro-
coedings-item, the newspapers. Although
not prolific talkcr for newspaper con
sumption, the speaker greedily reads what
the newspapers have TO say. He gets the
first editions and goes through them eager
ly to the exclusion of everything else. An
instance of this was shown as he left the
capitol. Silhoucttcd against the granite
walls just outside the senate he stood as
mute as statue. In his hands he held
newspaper and went through 10 ragc by
page. Passcrsby looked at the great figure
muiiled I'm his oycrcoat, bat he did not heed
them. Men walked out across the street
10 the car and down the hill g. the avenue,
but there the speaker stood dcvouring his
newspaper. When the last page had been
scanned, then he folded the paper to put II
in his grcatcoat pocket and ambled over
10 n car that took him to the Shoreham.
Washington Post