The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-03-15
An Interesting Letter.

position as stenographer at Washington
D. c., has written the following very in
letter to DR.. and Mrs. w. F.
Waight of this city.
Washington, D. c. March 3, 1906.
DEAR Folks: All week l have been
trying to find opportunity to write to
you, as promised several times, hut as |
have been doing some outside work af-
ter office hours, and as Anne wants to
do all the talking O nights, this is the
first chance l have had even to make a
start.
l have not yet asked Anne how she
likes Washington, not wanting to be
like the newspaper reporters who jump
onto the foreigner before he sets foot
ashore, demanding to know his impress
sions of America. / have thought it
best to wait until she has seen the city
before asking whether she likes it. But
take it from Edna's letter that she has
expressed herself to you folks as being
pleased with things here. 1t may be.
like it and is making the best of it. But
outside Of the natural inconsistencies
which she is bound to feel at times, do
not see how she can help liking the
Capitol. 1t is beautiful and interest
ing place, and as spring draws near it
becomes still more beautiful. And then
again, am here, and it seems to me
that she ought to be contented and
happy in the FIJI Islands, if were there
to hold her hand.
Anne has fallen into good hands at
our boarding house. Mrs. Isham and
her mother and sister do all they can 60
make things pleasant; and there is also
young lady boarder with whom Anne
has become quite chummy. She is out
every day sometimes twice day. with
some of the women, taking in the sights
and "pilling" around the stores. Miss
Henckel, the young lady referred to
above, works at night at the Govern
ment printing Office and can RIM around
a good deal during the day. She is
talking now of taking Anne to the roller
skating rink, but have issued a posi-
tive ultimatum to Mrs. Wood that if she
comes home dragging one leg behind
her, shall disown her. So perhaps she
will not have the courage to try to cut
any pigeon wings on the floor Of the
rink, but will content herself with be-
ing one of the interested bystanders.
Anne looks about three hundred per
cent better than she did when she ar
rived here, and while she is not yet at
her best, have hopes that she will
soon be able to "sit up and take notice.
Even now she is able to eat three and
some times four square meals a day
even being able to take the fourth one
at Chinese chop suey joint. If she
continues getting "worse" l shall have
to turn her out to pasture, for l reall,
can't afford to pay out any more none.
for board.
Mrs. Wood has been up to the Capito
several times and has seen both tn
Senate and House at work. In this sh
is away ahead Of me, for | have neve
yet been there when either house wa
in session, except on Washington
birthday, when | saw the Senate 0
rather dozen of it, when they listene
to Washington's farewell address. A
soon as they get to having night ses
sons, shall go up a few nights.
You know what big Office work il
don't you? We have sent you picture
of it. The building is something lilS
six hundred feet long, with corridor
running the length Of each floor.
little while ago was out in the col
ridor, when an old farmer and his wit
turned the corner and looked down tn
long corridor. The old man said Gee
that's long lane!
AS Joe seems to be interested in th
Capitol, some of these days when | ca
get the time and figures together | wi
write her something about the buildin
Our building here is the largest of i
kind in the world, having something lii
five hundred rooms, and housing b.
tween two and three thousand peopl
but of course there is nothing as int
esting about it as there is about tt
Capitol. Also, when we can get oppo
tunity to take in the White House v
will write her about that. Although
pass the White House twice a day | hay
not yet been inside. ] am also going
try to persuade Anne to take a trip
the top of the monument. She seen
rather dubious about it, even whe
viewing the thing from distance, and
dare say when she gets up close al
sees how high it really is. she will kic
out absolutely and refuse to go so 4
toward the sky. Perhaps | can convin'
her that Leon can be seen from the tt
and then she will be anxious to so up.
Tho other doy cOminr thrOuph fl