The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-19
YARNS SPUN|NcLOAKRDOMS
HOW CONGRESSMAN WHILE AWAY
IDLE HOURS IN WASHINGTON.
Choice spirits Sparkle Betfmes-A
CoHy Rendezvous for Good Feb
lows Who Love q Joke and a

hGts~Sa
representatives. writes Amos CUMMINGS
in the Washington Post One i patron.
ixed by Republicans and the other ny
democrats. They are really the private
BOXES or the legislative theater. Their
ooorways command good views OF the
chamber and galleries and OF the faces
and figures Of the actors. Within these
boxes electric lights shed sofs radiance.
ana SOFAS and easy chairs invite weary
representatives 10 sweet repose In win
ter cheerful wood fire is ever aeiaze on
uny hearth adorned with Il mantsi Of
Naries2ted marble. Around this ingle-
side gather feS1.vhoice spirits who light
their pipes and cigars and solsee them
selves with quaint stories and reminis-
eeness, while the drowsy hum Of dreafy
discussion IS heard In the house. The
Democratic nook was favorite resort
in days long past OF Governor Andy Cur
TN. sunset Cox. Charles F. Crisp. Dayy
Cuibertson, John r. Fellows ana scores
OF statesmen of more or less renown
Samuel j. Randall. William s Holman.
Fernando Wood and men of that ilk had
no use for the cloak room. Life was too
serious matter for them. Whatever Of
verve and vfvacity was about them was
reserved for post-pran6ial speeches or
club room seanees- They tahooed levity
While In the house. and went so far as
10 hang their hats and orercoats In their
committee rooms in preference TO the
cloak room. The habiiues OF these coxy
hooks are men whose dispositions are
streaked with sunshine and who relieve
the strain of legislative work by opening
the safety valve of mirth To them an
hour In the cloak room Is like recess 10
schoo.boy. Figuratively. they run and
Jump and shout, play red lion." pull
away and snap the whip" To the new
member this daily recess Is revelation.
A. rirst he is Gazsd: anon interested. and
In many cases captivated. He sees well
known statesmen in light entirely new,
and IL gifted with wit and repartee winds
up with becoming Il member of the inner
circle himself and contributes to the fund
or enjoyment. The retailer or Obsolete
stories or OF pithless "reminiscences quick
ly goes 10 seed. but the unique original
Is fertilzed with unrestrained applause
and fourishes like a green bay tree
Hours in the cloak room vary in saiu-
brity like days in winter The atmos-
phere is not always clear Cloudy days
alternate with sunny ones. or the rain
falls, and at times there Is a heavy frost
and freezing weather. One sunny hour
occurred during the debate on the civil
service bill. Silver Dollar Bland and
David De Almond were OF the party.
Carmack. of Memphis. sat nearest the
fire. and John Allen. OF Mississippi. was
~
Moon, of Tennessee. was twiddllng his
thumbs In unalloyed enjoyment, while the
sunny faced START, OF South Carolina. was
extracting comfort from clay pipe made
by a Watauga Indian. There were a
dozen or more in the party John Allen
opened a reminiscent campaign by refer
ring to hot confab which had Just
occurred on the floor of the house
1T reminded me-" said John. ''of a
scene that happened In my district In a
little town down In Oktibbeha county
The sun was about on a level with the
horizon and the chickens were thinking
about going 10 roost. when dispute
arose between two lanky citizens I'm front
Of country store Their language was
quaint and idomatic but painfully viz
lie. 1t would have attracted more than
the usual attention in Faneuil hall and
II would have Mortified Plymouth church
The men were evidently old acquaintance
and on that account were disposed to be
len!ent toward each other. Both were
armed. but neither drew a weapon. They
had almost reached the border line OF
passion when the heaviest Of the two
sprang into his saddle gave his horse
free rein and rode away. AS be disap-
peared at turn In the road some one
turned to the lone man and asked him
who his antagonist was. He's as good
friend and as square neighbor as
you'n see in dogs age was the re-
Spouse. The only trouble with him Is
that when he's drunk his mind won't
work AT all, and when he's sober he's
cussed fool"
John Knocked the ashes from the alleged
perfecto and looked unconcerued. while
his colleagues roared with laughter. Be-
fore the merriment had ceased Mark
Smith. OF Arizona, sprang into the me-
lee. ITS q good story" he said. "and
several years ago In Arizona. Two
friends OF mine were riding near the Mex
lean border. when they were startled at
seeing the body of man swinging from
the limb Of a tree. II was evident that
Judge Lynch had been holding court and
that a verdc. had been rendered in ac-
cordance with the evidence in the case.
Some one had saved the sheriff OF the
county much trouble and some expense.
A group Of buzzsrds were perched on a
limb above the victim, gazing al paper
p!nioned upon his back. AS my friends
approached the buzzards stretched their
wings rather reluctantly and tapped away
100 yards or more. The hofsernen rode
around the body and finally deciphered
the inscription on the paper. Somebody
had written upon II the words: This
was very bad man I'm some respects.
and laundering sight worse In others
The buzzards were evidently In guam
Diary over the inscription for the body
was untouched
II was almost TOO CHASTITY a story TO be
amusing bu. Marks way Of telling II
captured the coterie It's one thing 10
tell a story and another thing 10 write II.
The voice and accent 81 the narrator can
not be photographed. nor can his facial
expression be given. All these add 70 The
rest % the narration. and AID materially
in making the denouement. The laughter
over Marks story had hardly subsidsd
before the Hon. Ike Hill. Of Ohio burst
into the cloak room with important news
from Columbus where great senatorial
fight was raging The news started John
Alien afreSh He said that the matter
would probably be fixed up according 70
the logic OF negro down In Mississippi.
The financial situation and it's relation 20
he African rare were under discussion.
Il tell you. Ephralm. what an Dc trouble
wild De niggsh. an why he don't done
prosuah ike De white man. va see. de
pirgah he don't know how 90 transfer.
mellow Now &c white man he know how
10 ,ransfpF-yes indeedy. Now. we're am
&c INK IN de nut II done gib nv note
20 a white rnsn.to sit 500 fer 20 make
crop MD. he done transfer Il % d n@r-
chant an d. merchant he done transfer
=