Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-12
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor scenes and cider sketched
on the spot.

The wife Of a United States senator who
figured quite conspicuously in society dur
ing the Mckinley administration and who is
now a widow, has made herself a laughing
stock by the eccentricities OF her mourn
ing. She had prepared and published a me
mortal volume on the life and work OF her
husband, and copies have been presented to
a number Of the senator's friends. On the
fly leaf Of the copy Of the memoirs that
was sent to one senator, the widow wrote
the following inscription: For Senator So
and-so, from the woman whom Senator
Blank loved"
The same woman at a recent social func-
tion here appeared in a costume made en-
tirelv of some white material. Across the
upper part of her barred arm was worn a
piece OF Grape. This was the only badge
Of mourning that she displayed.
At the close Of the first session Of the
Fifty-sixth congress, in June, 1900, the
late CONGRESSMAN Cummings was one Of the
conferrees on the naval appropriation bill.
There had been a tremendous fight between
the house and senate over the armor plate
provision. Cummings had held out until
the very last moment. Uncle Joe Cannon
was one Of the conferees for the house
also. The conferees wrestled all night
over the proposition, and finally about an
hour before the time set for adjournment
Cannon gave in to the senate and so re-
ported on the floor of the house.
Cummings got up, trembling with rage.
end In a FIVE minutes speech told OF his
efforts to keep the house proposition in the
bill. He accused Cannon of weakening. af-
ter saying he would fight to the death, and
then, turning to Cannon. shook his fist at
him and shouted: You're no cannon.
You're only a TOW musket."
Cannon hears Of that speech until this
day.
The great influx Of ulti-milIionares
from the west has had a market effect on
society In Washington, as well as upon its
real estate values, reports a Brooklyn
Eagle letter. Scores of rich people from
New York., Boston and other eastern cities.
as well as from the western towns. have
bought winter homes here and spend the So
cial season at the national capitol. Nearly
all OF these families have plenty of money,
and thew come here for the purpose of
letting the world know of their possess
sions. They give elaborate receptions. ger
mans and dinners. and in a very short
time after arriving are in the whirl OF
the social swim-or at least that part of II
composed of what is known as the rich
set.
So easy has the path into society become
that 1t is now remarked that any family
with plenty Of money and a willingness 10
spend 1t can come to Washington and get
into society" without delay or difficulty.
OF course. there is an old residential set
that keeDs to itself and whose portals are
closed to the new comers. The names Of
tbpsn fanniiiau ea1dOun AMMAN In prgrE a1A
when they give a function the fact is not
advertised in the daily papers.
Any report of Senator Tillman's speeches,
says the Washington Post, must be in
complete unless 1t is accompanied by a
kaleidoscope picture to show the Senator's
face and gestures and a phonograph to re-
peat the tones OF his voice. A recent
speech was no exception to the rule. 1t
abounded in all sorts of EXPLANATIONS very
original and expressive, but also very ex-
plosive. 1t is a curious fact about Tillman
that in the middle of a sentence he will
bolt, apparently at a loss for a word or a
smile. At the end Of this pause the word
is uttered or the simile expressed with such
appropriateness and emphasis as to almost
lead to the belief that he had the card up
his sleeve all the time and only waited a
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could play it in triumph.
Some of his sentences are picturesque.
1--WE want no star pinned to our flag with
a bayonet," is one of his expressions.
United States Senator Burton Of Kansas
once had a bill to collect from an impecu-
nious Irish friend who had kissed the Blar-
ney stone to some purpose. After many no.
tices the captain" deigned to appear in
Mr.. Buttons law office. A half hour CT
complimentary palaver awaited him nothing
and he agreed to sign a note covering the
claim and furnish "the best man in town
as endorser. When the freshman had at
fixed his mark Mr.. Burton, strengthening
his face, sternly demanded:
Now, captain, who's going to be your
endorser?'
The captain INDUCED in another pass
age of the most u~nctious ~fattery, then
leaned over Mr.. Burton's shoulder, turned
the note on its face and said:
You write ]. r. Burton on the back
there and it will be the name Of the best
man in the whole country"
Mr.. Burton endorsed the paper.
president Roosevelt shaves every day,
or rather is shaved" said an attache of the
White House, quoted by the Washington
Star. "A young colored man named De-
laney, who is a messenger at the White
House, is the presidents barber. He is
from Alexandria, Va, and was In the gov
eminent service for some time before he
was assigned to the White House to attend
to the presidents head and face and to per-
form the duties Of messenger.
Delaney usually shaves the president
between 2:30 and 3 o'clock each afternoon,
after lunch is served and the presidents
guests at lunch go away. Sometimes the
shaving is done earlier in the day. / have
seen Delaney making his arrangements for
shaving before 1880 o'clock, at an hour when
the president was supposed to be receiving
visitors, but this was nearly always on days
when there were no visitors or callers watt
ing to see the president. In the cabinet
room is a folding barber's chair, which,
when not in use, is placed against the wall
and remains unobserved. The president sits
in this and is shaved in the cabinet room,
Delaney folds the chair and puts It away
when he gets through. The work is quickly
done, as the president apparently begrudges
the time taken and wants to be up and
doing something.
president Mckinley always shaved him
self using either a safety or regular razor.
He could handle a razor with great ease,