Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-01-28

TAKING THINGS EASY.
trayals, have said that women in Wash
ington are attracted more by the brass
buttons of the young officers of the
arm. and navy than by anything else
masculine in this city. There is an ele-
ment of truth in the assertion, but our
ladies have some higher ambitions than
the slurring statement would indicate.
Senators and members of the house of
representatives come in for large
share of the attention of the fair sex.
Three fourths of the audiences of con-
gress are made up of women and often
there are few others in the galleries.
Except few strangers and section OF
the colored population, who find the
public galleries comfortable as sleep
ing place, few men listen to the proceed
ings of the house and senate. For some
reason the senate, while not entirely
neglected, is not as popular with the
gallery goddesses as is the house. 1t
may be because the senators are older
and less gallant, though there is surely
gallantry enough in that decorous body
of sages. But in the house there are
a great many young men, and few of
the youngest and handsomest are I'M
married. This may account for the
preference that is shown that branch o.
congress. There are always women in
the galleries known as the Speakers
gallery" and the members gallery
though often there is not a man to he
seen anywhere above the floor of the
house.
During the very cold weather many
unemployed colored men go to the cap
itol, take seats in the warm galleries,
and, having no appreciation of the
forensic discussions, go to sleep and
sometimes snore so that the watchmen
or door-keepers awaken and eject them.
But despite their indulgence and bathless
condition these poor fellows are Amer
lean citizens, and they have as much
right in the galleries of congress as
any of our prosperous merchants, man
ufacturers or milllonaires. No cards of
admission are required to the gentle
mems gallery" or the ladies gallery"
as the signs over the doors read; but
cards are required of those who would
enter either of the galleries reserved Tor
representatives and senator's.
The southeast gallery of the house of
representatives faces the entire men,
bership on the floor. The congressman
have but to lift their eyes above the
dead level of their desks, and their
thoughts above the dead level of dreary
legislation, to behold a vision of love-
illness, and they often do lift both their
ewes and thoughts. Even before the
hour for the meeting of the house, the
fair habitues of this gallery come trip
ping through the corridors, singly and
in pairs and ride up in the elevator with
the assembling statesmen, and then take
their places in the gallery, smiling
down on the most attractive branch of
this great government. The women
who have business with the statesmen,
or make any pretense of having pusi-
ness with them, keep to the lower cor
ridors or sit in the corner in statuary
hall, which has been set aside and fur
nished as waiting-room. Those who
60 to the gallery are there for entertain
ment or instruction.
They are usually there for entertain
ment, and many a serious Irritation has
started between the girls in the gal
leries and the representatives on the
floor. Several years ago congress
man from California exchanged glances,
smiles and signals with gallery god
dess, and finally he went to the gal
lery, seated himself by the girl, was
welcomed and became the most ardent,
attentive and affectionate of lovers.
Just before the close of the session of
congress the statesman received a card
from the brother of the lady and
lively meeting was held in the speakers
lobby. The brother gave the congress
man "a hours to marry the girl, under
threat of death. The entrapped con-
gresham left town that night, declined
O denomination. retired to private life
and has never since been in Washing
ton. He was brilliant fellow with in
tense ambition. but he fell away out
of sight politically because of his fiirta-
ton with gallery goddess.
In the galleries, however, there are
many women who are diligent students
of legislation and human nature, taking
broad and sweeping view from the
gallery elevation. Some look upon the
entire aggregation of talent on the floor
with undivided admiration, but most
of them are hero worshipers, each hav-
ing one or more favorites whom she