The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-24
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE HOUSES IN WHICH SENATORS
AND REPRESENTATIVES, LIVE.

In the Long Ago Days Wives and
Children Did Not Accompany Their
Husbands to Neutrality-suspicious.
They Are in Evidence-The Houses
In Which They Live-Many of
Them Reside in Apartment Houses
and Keep No Servants-vari0us
Matters Pertaining to Washington
Social Life-Other Matters of spe-
ciaI Interest.
Washington. Feb. ga score of years
ago the senator's and representatives who
kept house in Washington were scarce
as the typical hens teeth. They came
without their families and lived in hotels
and clearinghouse. throughout the ses-
sions only; and if the wives and daugh-
ters came on, it was only for a few weeks
In the hight of the season. Nowadays all
that is changed. 1t is the large majority
who set up their lares and penates at the
capital for the congressional term, with
just enough exceptions to prove the rule.
OF course only the comparatively wealthy
can afford the luxury of a whole house
in this most expensive city, where rents
always sky high-are yearly mounting
higher; but the handsome apartment
houses that have lately gone up all over
the city. make what is known as hight
housekeeping popular among home-lov-
ers of moderate means. For about the
same amount that would rent one OF the
finest houses in a country town, one may
secure a cosy suite of three or four
rooms in one of these flats" with heat
and light thrown in; and the women of
the family may fuss with chatting dishes
and gas stoves, or go out for meals, or
have them brought in by a caterer, as
purse or fancy dictates. Many of the
apartment houses have fine restaurants
connected with them; but those are gen.
orally so very expensive that-aside from
having more room-one might az well live
in the SWEETEST hotel.
know number of congressional fam
lilies, who are very comfortably, even
stylishly housed in apartments" with
only the help of a maid on receiving art.
ernoons. preparing most of the meals with
their own hands and getting no end of fun
out of the make-shifts. To be sure.
where nearly every article of furniture is
made to do double duty, as on a trig and
ship-shape man-of-war, callers may IN
knowingly sit down upon the ice-box or
the pocket cookstove, masquerading I'M
Ter Turkish drapery as couch or divan in
the parlor; but that is where most Of
the fun comes in. Right here is hint
to the unwealthy who. through the ext
gencies Of political preferment, are con-
templating Washington as a place of res
.dence afte2 the 4th of March next. While
there is an astonishing rush for apart
ments at the beginning of winter and, not
withstanding their great number. not
nearly enough to supply the demand
one may have his choice between hun
1reds of them all through the summer
md early autumn while Washington e
vet as a deserted village; and as prices
are then at least one-third less, especially
IL arrangements are made by the year
1t pays to make the journey to Washington
on purpose to secure ones home in adj
vance.
AS a rule, it is not wise to ship the
whole home outfit to the capital, unless
one is sure of long residence here. There
is little certainty of tenure in political
life. you known, and the downs" are as
many as the ups To-day nothing of
the wear and tear to heavy furniture.
the Cost Oh us 10 II ways
would buy all necessary makeshifts here
Draperies, ornamental trifies and the
familiar household goods one feels can
not be dispensed with, it may be we'll
enough to bring. but depend upon pick
ups and auction rooms for the rest Sad
TO say. you may pick up great bargains
here. almost any day, through some poor
creatures failures to make a diving; but
you may as we'll he the gamer as an
other, for the or ginal owner is already
out of the running. The red flags that
wave at frequent intervals along Seventh
street and Louisiana avenue are each a
popular haunt of Mrs Tood'es; and while
with the perversity proverhial to auc-
tons, worthless articles often bring a
good deal more than their value, much
great ter business than the celebra ed
coffin are sometimes knocked down to
the level-headed buyer. This is the most
famous place in the country for souvenirs
and bric-a-brac. ard in the parlors of
many house on whose outer portals ap-
pears the familiar legend. FURNISHED
rooms for rent" may be found historical
furniehirgs that excite the sin Of covet-
BUSINESS in the uost RELIGIOUS beast And
they were ell picked up in auction rooms
piece by piece. probably for less than any
fmsy modern furniture would cost Per-
haps that inviting lounge with the beau
t'ful claw feet and the ions heads for
arms. had belonged tn former British am
hasa dor-sold TO the highest bidder when
he was transferred to another field. The