The National tribune., 1906-12-06
AT IT AGAIN.
The National Bear Garden Opens With the Usua! FloursMany
Faces are MissedNew Members Sworn New York Senators
On Deck-Nominatons of the President.

Washington did last Monday-just
took a day off and went up to the big
white building on the Capitoline Hill
and took look at the animals. WASH
ington sleeps thru the Summer, you
know, and only sits up and takes no.
tice when that dear Congress is in
session.
The day wasn't so balmy, but lot OF
women seemed to think it incumbent
upon them to make it seem so, and they
put on airy, fairy garbage and wended
their way early to the Capitol to get
seats. Seats are at premium the day
Congress opens, and there are instances
on record where people have stood in
line for 10 mortal hours to be able to
get seats; but, believe me, it isn't worth
the price. 1t is first come. first served
of those who have cards, and there are
always thousand more cards issued
by members and Senators than there
are seats 1t is the easiest thing in the
world to make friend happy by ''Why,
yes. indeed, two cards; half a dozen, if
you like, Always at your service for
a little courtesy like that. Hope you
will get good seats. No thanks are
necessary, SO delighted to have been
able to do you any favor! Call again
when you wants sSomething!"
And the NJ c. bows his faithful con-
stituent out, knowing full well that if
the tenderfoot isn't up and jumping
for that seat by the time the bronze
doors of the Capitol are thrown open
at o'clock, he won't get close enough
to the hall of either chamber to see the
tops of the bald heads.
And the tales of woe you hear: "Oh,
but I simply must have seat, you
know. ] am Mrs. Senator Blummery's
COUSINS brothers wife, and Mrs. Sena-
tor Blummery would feel perfectly
dreadful if she knew I didn't get a
seat," And the only thing the poor
doorkeeper can do is to show her the
bulging doors of the gallery, and ex-
plain to her that even an omnibus can
reach its limit.
Then comes the high and mighty
Mrs. Senator herself, Is minutes
before the gavel falls, and angrily in
quires of the doorkeeper how he dared
to permit all the seats to be taken be-
fore she arrived. He knew she would
be there. She never missed the OPEN
ing day since the Senator was elected
(and that was two years ago, SO that
this made her second "opening")
Then she declares that doorkeeper will
be fired; she will see to it at once
Senator Blummery will never submit
to such an insult, no indeedy. He
wants his wife to have the very best,
always, and he particularly desires that
she shall be in the front row to give
him inspiration for his days duties
Senator Blummery is devoted to me-
you know" she adds confidentially.
But the doorkeeper can't make an
other inch of space on that account, and
she goes away swearing vengeance.
Rubhar Sfamp kufoyrnuh
Then comes Mr. Importance from
Blankville bearing a talismanic card
with Senator Somebody's name on it,
done with a rubber stamp autograph,
but he doesn't know it. He pushes
through the crowd and hautily de-
mands admission, but he, too, gets the
marble stare.
mo room"
''But Senator Somebody assured me
that ] would be well taken care of by
his special doorkeeper?" he declares
loudly
Senator Somebody doesn't own any
doorkeeper round these parts" re-
plies the D. K. with a grim smile glad
to get back at a Senator who has been
pretty rank and overbearing at times.
Senator Somebody's pork barrel is
empty and he's got all that's coming 10
him this trip. March spells % for
him." And Mr.. Importance fades into
the suburbs of the amused crowd and
falls downstairs in his eagerness to get
away.
And so 1t goes.
Over on the House side 1t is Just the
same, only more SO. The same push
ing, pulling, jamming crowd, deter
mined to get into the galleries. They
want to see the Speaker. Now the
Speaker never puts in an appearance
in the House, not by any chance, on
any day, until the clock is on the
stroke of 12-just exactly. And as he
opens the swinging door at the side of
his little white marble throne, the Ser
geant-at-Arms walks before him bear
ing aloft the Mace, the emblem of au-
thority of the House, and as the gavel
falls, the Mace, held above its pedestal,
slides into the socket and remains there
until the Speaker vacates the Chair,
when the Mace also vacates its pedes-
tai and leans up against the wall until
the Speaker comes back to his own. 1t
is one of the little remnants of Eng
lands Parliamentary ceremonial and
doesn't amount to shucks, as the saying
goes, but We cling to it, just as the Flag
flies over the White House when the
President is at home, and is pulled
down when he leaves, just exactly as
though Old Glory went out of business
every time the President crossed the
District line for n canter on Bliestine.
The crowd wanted to see Mr. Long
worth, son-in-law Of the President.
And him it saw, for he was circulating
around at a great rate, shaking hands
right and left, his shiny bald pate
looming up ivory white, and his round
face bearing an expansive grin. The
crowd also wanted 20 see Mrs. Long
worth. 1t tiptoed and lunged, and
craned and showed every time a whole
some looking, youngish lady put in an
appearance, just sure that Mrs Long
worth had arrived, and then drew back
in chagrin as some knowing one said
THAT Alice Roosevelt No indeedy.
She wouldn't be caught at market in
that hat. She knows how to wear
clothes, she does"
Wanted to See Defeated Members.
The crowd wanted to see Wadsworth
of New York, and see how he took hi,
defeat, and he didn't look as though
he "had took" it at all, and whether
Gen. Grosvenor had lost any of hi.
white hair worrying over his retire
ment from the position he has so Ions
filled with honor, and neither has he
They were curious about Hearst, ant
wondered IL he woulC put In an ap
pearance, when if they had read tn
papers they would know that he wa
scouting round among the cactu
hedges of his California ranch and ha'
no intention of ever darkening tn