Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-31
SIGNS. OF THE Session.
How HabitueS" Of the Capitol Draw
Correct Inferences.

Some Of the habitues Of thesCapitol have
made such a careful study of the signs Of
the sessions of Congress that they can tell
with considerable accuracy what Is going
on within the halls, without being present
on the floor or in the galleries. The halls
of the House and Senate are SO construct
ed that they cannot be seen from the cor
ridors. One not admitted to the floor must
go IN the gallery on the story above in
order to see the senators or members of
the House To the uninitiated it would be
idle to attempt to guess what is going on
without remaining In the gallery But the
signs OF the session may be Interpreted by
the habitue.
For instance, If the House has been in
committee Of the whole during the day,
the moment of the committees rising and
resolving itself again into the House can
be determined with absolute accuracy by
the different sound of the gavel,. as it
passes from the hand of the chairman to
that Of Speaker Reed. The feeble pound
ing Of the gavel from time to time during
the day records the fact that it has NOT
yet passed into the strong hand OF the
speaker Suddenly this feeble rap h sue
ceeded by two resembling. blows, which
ring through the corridors and echo along
the arches. 1t is then known to the
lounger in the corridor that the comnittee
mas risen and that the Speaker h in COM
mand. -
II, during a quiet and uneventful day,
the stlilness Is suddenly broken By the
force OF sledge hammer foilr or five times
IN rapid succession on the Speakers desk.
IL Is known at once that a hot time mas
started up in the House, and that men,
GERS are 1l'ng1ng phrases at each other in
Reed. -
H. at intervals of about two seconds. a
sharp explosive sound bursts through the
cracks IN the doors. followed now and then
ny confused, shutting sound, lik, the
saiiery gods coming down stairs after a
lHeater performance, the habitues Of the
corrioor knew that DeArmdnd Of Missouri
- speaking. ard that the democrats are
applaudfng him. If now and then is heard
sound like the distant shrieking Of. IA
locomotive whistle, the office seekers Who
nave been hanging about the doors Of the
mousse for months to ambush their tnem-
oers viii make rush for the galleries,
saying: Grosvenor Is giving it 20 civil
service refor,n!"
When there is a smell of birthstone ard
smoke, and blue blazes are, Seen thro,. h
the ground glass windows Of the republican
Cloak room, 1t is at once suspected that
hartman OF Montana is in there tellin:,
some OF the western republicans what ne
thinks Of men who haven't slre Courage
OF their convictions"
III there Is card sound like two boards
being eiapped together with great force.
ABOUT TOUR times to the minute, 1t is Car
non bringing his hands together to empha-
SIZE 10 The House the Importance CT bein.,
econt n:icai about appropriations
II Teller is seen going into the Senate
chamber with his hair, which Is worn POM
pador, standing particularly high, as if he
had been running his fingers through it,
1t is recognized as sign that he is about
10 denounce before the Senate the wicked
ness OF the money Lower
II the crowd is seen pouring out of the
galleries OF the Senate, and senators are
seen rushing into the corridors in great
haste, 1t signifies to the habitue that Sena-
tor Stewart is again submitting remarks
upon the Crime of 70 Stewart acknowI-
edges that senators do not like to hear.
ABOUT that, and he takes no otfense at the
peculiar demonstration with which his an
preach to this subject is received.
There is one secret Of executive session
which can never be kept a minute. Every
habitue of the Senate wing Of the Capitol
knows that when, during an executive ses-
sion, with the doors closed and guarded
Two bells are sounded after a some
what protracted session, Senator Morgan
has been talking for some time. Two bells
denotes that senators have retired to the
cloak rooms or elsewhere, and there is not
quorum in the chamber