The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-12-04

OH Monday. at high nOon.' which really
means exactly as the hands point to II m.
There was the usual crowd of people in
the corridors. waiting to get into the gal
| leries, but only Il quarter of these could be
accommodated, so the others wandered
about waiting for the sayel to fall, that
they could get in and see the flowers.
And those flowers. J One flower on Il
man looks very well, If the flower is not
conspicuous for its size. and the man looks
as though he liked flowers. a carnation
and ii man. for instance, go together very
nicely, if the man knows how TO pin the
carnation down properly and does not
| leave it with !, long stem to go 'kitterinS
across his expansive shirt front But Il
| big bouquet OF flowers $and IL man are an
awkward combinations. The man doesn't
know what to do with the long -stemmed
things. He usually picks it up. MS he
would cane. and strides off with the
disconsolately. SometiR.es lie puts it I'M
der his arm, and the buds are sure to get
woefuly squeezed, white, the long stems
stick straight out in front. The ribbons
with which they. are tied string o,it to
wind about the legs of any stray man who
brushes too close.
|. Cd like the White House conseryatories
on exhibition day. The Democratic side
of the House looked as those same consef-
| yatories might after u Kansas cyclone
hail tackled them. Here and there a little
bunch of red, or pink, or white roses or a
lonesome bunch off yellow chrysanthe-
NUNS, and that was all. 1t really was
| uathetic-to the oDIOoker. who did not
know that the immunity from flowers also
meant immunity FROM Tl;tcc,hunterS to the
NJ. C.s who didn't get any. Everybody
| knows who knows anything about it: at
| all; that the flawers that are heaped upon
the desks Gf members have usually a
string tied to tiem. and that string is pull
! cd by place hunters before the flowers are
even wilted. The new members are the
ones who usually get the most flowers
Those WHO btxe grown gray in the service
| just give orders that any howes sent up
| to them Shall be. delivered to their homes
with all cards carefully cut off and de-
livcred to- the NJ. G. 1t wouldn't always
be hest to haye the. cards and letters which
are often hidden among the blossoms laid
on the desk of loving wife
On the desk of Gen. Grosvenor, year
after year, is laid Il small square. violet
tinted box. 1t is tied with violet ribbon.
and when he OPENS it. the whole world
NAV see that it is bunch of freshest
vioIets which he lifts out. No place
hunter ever sends vt0Iets. They are too
modest. No Other iloT er ever graees MS
desk, hut he never app4ars without PINK
carnation in his buttonhole-
On some desks there were huge baskets
of blossoms, the very costlicst flowers in
tbe market. tied with broad. costly sash
ribbons. The card Which accompanied
,hosa great Enthusiastically bore the
names OF hall n dozen ward politicians.
and the senderS wefeofn the gallery to
watch the effect that the delivery Of. the
offering would have upon the recipient.
II the recipient saw the messenger III
time he simply sloped. and gave orders
for the basket to he carted out.
Members are sometimes made the butt
of n GOOD mans Jokes through the eager
ness of their friends to have them partlei-
Larry DISTINGUISHED. This Eanpcned to MI
Burke. of South Dakota. His is great
wheat State. as is well known. and lie
never loses an opportunity to exploit tins.
Monday there stood on his desk for full an
hour before Congress convened. a huge
suuerol niece. a sheaf of 'Sarnerpd gram,
such as is usually placed beside the Gate;
Aiar mt a swell funeral. People from the
galleries gaZed at it with sorrowfal GU
riosity. They supposed the member whose
desk it graced was filling an untimeiy
crave. MeDiI'tIS lCiSStu W ti' rI"''' -
low sheaf and said to themselves that they
had not heard that Mr.. Burke was III
failing health. nor was he. He was there
as Youthful looking and debOnair as ever.
smiling out from behind that funereal
sheaf at all corners. Then some member
asked the gentleman who is proud OF
South Dakota wheat what he was DONG
with that sheaf of barley. and the run
commenced in earnest. Mr.. Blrkes mis-
guided friends had given the order to the
florist for sheaf of wheat. but us florists
never have wheat. but use barley as n
substitute in funeral pieces. because 1t
looks prettier, the florist calmly threw 4
few punches of barley into a shear. ana
had it pumped down on Mr.. Burkes desk
for real. simOn-pure South Dakota wheat.
Mr.. "Barley-corn' Burke will probably
stick to the gentleman for some time.
Over in the Senate. the floral display
was as lavish and as garish as could pos
sbly be made On the desk of MIR. Platt.
of New York. was a huge floral ship. 1t
was four feet long. and had three masts
with silken sails all spread. Its keel was
built of red. white, and blue immortelles,
and it was very costly. as well as shane
~ ship. Upon its bow it bore the tails
manic name New York Senator Platt
was evidently very proud of the trophy,
and showed it to all his friends. Senator
Depew held Il little pink tea reception at
the cloak-room door, and Senator Hoar.
splendid type of the old school of gentle
men. greeted many friends before going to
his desk on which lay half dozen great
white roses tied with a bit of violet ribbon.
No office-seeker sent those roses. They
were too dainty and delicate. Senator
Quay's desk had lot of enormous set
pieces on it; so did the desk of Senator
Penrose.
The Senate was called to order by Sena-
tor Frye. silence reigning. If the stately
Senate were to applaud anything the
medallioned glass ceiling would probably
tumble in. The blind Chaplain. Rev. Mr.
NIilburn. too i'll to appear, sent friend
to fill his place. and Il pathetic note in
which he said that never again could he
stand in his old place and invoke bless
ings upon the Senate. had hoped to
remain at his post till The dropped in the
harness, but his infifmities are such that
he had TO resign.
III