The Sunday globe., 1901-05-26
RACY ANECDOTES
BY an Ex-COngreSSman of the Ec-
centricieS of Members.
RANDOLPH'S LEG OF MUTTlN
And Numerous Other Stories Of Od-TIme Law
makers and Statesmen, ior The First Time
Pu In Prlnt-A Rich Chapter Of "reminiscences
and LaughabIs Stories On Statesmen Of BygOne
DAYS.

bulot
"There were many amusing incidents
which happened around the Capitol o.
TINS great nation during the sessions o
Congress when l was young member
many years ago" said an old ex-mem
ber. 1--WE had some very eccentric
members in those days. 1 will relate g
few OF their eccentricities for The Globe
without giving their names, as some o
the members of the period referred &c
are alive and others have near relatives
in public life.
There was an old gentleman who
sat next to me who was neatness tc
perfection i'm person aud i'm habit. He
was a bachelor, and always kept every
thing around him in perfect order and
cleanliness was his hobby. The seat to
his left was occupied by man Just the
reverse from this tidy old bachelor.
This man boosted that he never changed
his shirt but once in two weeks; never
used a pocket handkerchief. although
he ha special reason to carry one, be-
cause of Il bad case of nasal distemper,
and that he had not taken bath for
| five years, and that then he fell into the
river and could not escape getting wet.
! His habits were 50 TevO ting to my re.
| fined gentleman Of culture that he con-
ceiyed the idea of trying to cure his
| practice of going without a handker-
chief by supplying him with some
clean ones, which he proceeded to do
| by placing a dozen new linen handker-
chiefs on his desk, properly addressed,
| without any information as to the do
nor or from whence they came. The
uncleanly member opened the package,
and, after carefully examining each one
Of the spotless white linen handker-
CHI is, he folded them up and said to
his neighbOr, the bachelor, that some
one had thought enough Of him to send
him Christmas present
Now, said he, 4 will send them
to my wife, and save buying a Christ.
mas present for her.
The package was duly forwarded
to his wife in the presence of his dis
gusted donor. The old bachelor rose
from his seat and made for the lobby to
get breath of fresh air. He declared
that he would resign his seat in Con-
gress rather than remain beside such a
filthy man. A friend came to his relief
and offered TO secure an exchange Of
seats With another mem ber of about the
same type Of man As he objected to.
The exchange was made. and the pair
were entirely cOngenial to each other,
One day the old bachelor met the mem
Der with whom he exchanged seats.
and said to him:
" i owe you suit of clothes, because
| made bet that you would not eX-
change seats with me, and the condi-
tions Of the bet were if lost was to
give you a new suit of clothes.
THE next day the member appeared
on the floor of the House as well dressed
as any of his colleagues. and received
numerous congratulations on his neat
appearance. He told his neighbor how
he obtained such a nice outfit, which
drew forth the explanation:
81 think | ought to have a suit on
the same terms
$50 he went after the old bachelor
and told him what had taken place
with his friend.
"'Why, certainly you are entitled to
just the same as the other gentleman,
for the bet included both of you, and
the eupon he also received an order for
new suit of clothes, and the bachelor,
in addition, set up the cigars for his side
Of the House.
There was another very eccentric
member, who never wore shirt collar
or overcoat and always slept with his
head under an open window during the
coldest weather. He declared that he
had never tasted any article of diet that
had animal life He also said that he
never had been inside of church,
never had heard a sermon, but was
constant reader of the Bible and
all religious publications He was
strictly piOus in every sense, he associ-
ated with but few members and sought
the acquaintance of none. he always
gave OF his ample means, literally to
charity.
In the next Congress there were
many singular characters in the House.
Among the number was one who lived
in small room on Eighth street, in
which he made his own soap for shaw.
ing and toilet purposes, mended his
shoes and clothing, kept his public doc.
umens stored in the same room where
he slept and run his shoe aud tailor
shop soap laboratory, cooked his own
meals, and never drew dollar Of his
salary as long as he remained in Con-
gress. When he retired at the expira-
ton of his term he drew it all in
sum He was not a miser by any
means, was liberal with his friends and
those he liked, and, strange to say, was
i'm addition man of culture and re-
finement.
"There was another Of this class of
Another singular character in that
Congress said he never went to sleep at
night without putting in his mouth a
big quid Of chewing tobacco and drink
ing n pint Of corn whiskey during the
night. In his sleep he would swallow
the tobacco, and the next morning
would square it with his stomach by
swallowing a large drink Of whiskey
and put new quid in his mouth. He
said such had been his habit for so
years. He was then IS years Of age,
vigorous and strong had never been
sick an hour to his knowledge during
his whole life, and never missed "a meal
when he could get it.
When John Morrisy, the prize fighter,
came to Congress he called upon one Of
his friends and asked him to do him a
special favor,
"What can it be, Morrisy2n said his
friend, who was also member.
! want you to go to Speaker Colfax
and ask him as request from myself
not to put me on any committee. do
not want to be made conspicuous |
am in this ring not as fighter. but
locker on 10 learn something
The speaker complied with his re-
quest. A few days after the committees
were announced Mr.. ColfaX re ceived a