The Washington herald., 1906-12-04
WOMAN VISITORS
TO THE CAPITOL

Congress has the same old fascination
every first Monday in December for aa
army of women who because of thel:
fondneSs for the legislative bOdy-col-
lectively and singly-ought TO be lob
byists or at least espoused matrimonially
to the government.
Year after year the same types, grown
familiar enough to the elevator men at
the Capitol. are on hand bright and early
for the converting of Congress. The first
Monday in December is invariably a fair
weather day, so that the display OF
gowns hats. and furs Is apt to be all
that Il should from the standpoint of
fashion.
Yesterday the pageant was hardly as
spectacular. as interesting, as rich in in
cident as the year-ago opening of Con-
gress. There was no drawing for seats,
or installation of new Speaker Many
women considered It hardly worth while
to go to the Capitol to view the flower
show that distinguishes the Senate cham
Der and the House, and then be turned
from the galleries by motion for ad-
had not been previously asked 70 lunch
at the Capitol; the luck-trusters who took
chances of running into Congressional
friends. and alternated between the two
branches of Congress seeking through
whom they might devour the festive mid
day meal.
The official brides were out in force
There are plenty OF them this winter
They would not have missed seeing their
husbands-in the pride Of the possessive
case-hObnobbing the rest of the Con
grcssiOnal timber for a large-sized bribe
They beamed from the galleries. and they
also were beamed upon from the floor
Of the House and Senate.
Two brides in particular received Uncle
Joe Cannon's funny little salutation, after
two good-Iooking members had been
heartily back-slapped by the genial
Speaker
There was a decided air of informally
over the House side. The floor was like a
beehive before Uncle Joe" sounded his
gavel. Mr.. Nicholas Longworth came n
for a large share Of attention from the
women in the galleries. They were as
keen TO look at him as they were to see
his wife. who with Miss Hagner. held an
Informal levee in the executive gallery.
Isn't he just the handsonest man in
the world gushed one woman who oc-
cupied f1rst-row gallery seat. II think
he is quite the best-looking man in the
House. don't your"
Perhaps he is this session. but he
wasn't last winter" said her companion.
Don't you remember that stunning
looking RUPERT man from New York?
The poor thing wasn't returned to Con-
gress. but I don't think he minds. for he
was rather blase about washington.
didn't care for society and women and
all that sort Of thing. He had the most
beautiful hair-black as a ravens wing
and he was always so Immediately
groomed and clothed. Somebody missed
an elegant chance in not catching him,
for they say he has just barrels and
barrels Of money and no one objects any
more whether money comes out OF
breweries or mines.
Il suppose you read in the paper a few
weeks ago how gallantly he stopped a
woman's runaway horse and got his head
laid up in consequence? He's the kind OF
man I like"
That's Bourke COckran's seat down
there pointed out the dark woman of
the pair. Il was up here last spring
during one Of the fiercest debates Of the
session. I sat just over Mr.. Cockran's S
head, and 1 do believe he was deep in the
thrOes of his love affair then, for while
everybody else in the house was listening
TO a great speech. and even members Of
the Senate had come over to hear It. Mr.
Cochran was absorbed in writing a letter.
Time and again he tried TO begin one 70
sui. him, and the way he tore up sheets
OF monogram paper was a caution.
He bent 10 his task like a painstaking
schoOlbOy, but after he had salts
factory first page under way, he wrote
page after page with such a beam of
satisfaction on his face that / just knew
It must be a love letter II was mighty
fat communication he finally stuffed into
an envelope Then he directed 1t care
fully and gazed upon the address with
a smile Of complacency, put a stamp IN
position, and beckoned to n page TO whom
he intrusted the letter with careful in
structions for posting"
do you know Congressman Aiken from
South Carolina? He's another splendid
virile type Of man, said the blond wom-
an. peering through her gold lorgnors,
and he is going TO introduce a bride in
Washington this winter. It was awfuIy
romantic how they met, and he fell In
love with her at first sight in the good
old-fashioned way. While she didn't go
on the stump with Mr.. Aiken, henr she
was OF great assistance to him in his
campaign Mr. Aiken has q taking way
with the natives in South Carolina, es-
peclally with the back district country
people, and In his speeches last sum
mer ne let out that he was in love with
a pretty girl and about to be married to
her II was q lucky move, for all the
world loves a lover. and these country
people just fell over each other trying to
get Mr. Aiken to come to dinner and tell
them all about his sweetheart. The coun-
try women were more interested in the
r,rosnectIve bride +bnn tbav warn in mill