Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-29

others who have sought to escape mental
anguish.
Nearly forty years service at the White
House as the doorkeeper Of every prcsi-
dent from General Grant to Theodore
Roosevelt is the rather enviable record Of
Major Charles d. A. Loeffler, now a
retired officer of the United States army,
although stiil on guard at the entrance
of the presidents office.
Fifty years ago he was a German youth,
just of age, who had enlisted in the fam
Gus old Second cavalry for service against
the Indians on the Texan frontier. From
the very beginning he was thrown into
contact with men destined to become great
In the nations history. and when. on July
10 last, he rounded out his half century
of military service he had won promotion
from a private in the ranks to the full
rank OF major on the retired list.
Next March will make the fortieth an
niversary of Major Loeffier's official con-
]nection with the White House, for It be-
gan in March. 1869, when General Horace
Porter, Immediately after the first inau-
guration of General Grant, asked for the
transfer of Sergeant Loefler" to the
White House from the War department,
where he had been on special duty as
doorkeeper and bodyguard of Secretary
Stanton.
Just behind the statues Of General Gar
field. Senator Cass and Ethan Allen. says
the National Magazine, is located the la
dies lobby of the house of representatives,
furnished with some luxury Of rugs, con-
venient tables and rocking chairs and
nearly every seat is filled during the ses-
sions. To observe the way in which the
timid congressman approach this corner
OF the rotunda Of the capitol affords a
study in psychology, Some approach with
the suave nonchalance and debonnaire
bearing OF the cavaliers Of old, as II sure
Of their welcome; others hesitate and ap-
proach gingerly, reminding one of the hus-
band who recalls something he was to
have brought home. but has overlooked It
until he is within sight of home, and
begins to anticipate the household storm
that his negligence will bring forth; the
while he would be ready to assure anyone
that in his house he reigns supreme. It
Is clearly to be seen that the women con-
stituents have their favorites among the
legislators.
There is a very varied assemblage In
that room-the woman in widows weeds
tells the story of a recent bereavement
the trim, exquisitely dressed feminine lob
byist, timid young women looking for APP
pointments-the visitor from home
who is ready to be shown about and see
in reality all that she has hitherto only
read Of. 1t would be interesting to have
a Photographic reproduction OF some of
! the conversations that go on in that cor
ner beyond the whispering dome; they
would ha Interesting civilizations 80 ,,oA,,
phases Of congressional life. Stories are
told there, serious, pathetic and humorous.
Death turks in the cracked mugs Of quick
lunch rooms, according to DR.. Wiley, chief
of the Bureau Of Chemistry of the Argicul-
tural department and DR.. stiles, the bac-
THEOLOGICAL expert of the department. In
the cracks of the china millions Of bacilli
collect awaiting an opportunity to strike a
blow at the persons following the pastoral
pursuit Of slipping a cup Of h~alf-ard-half or
negotiating with a 20 cent order of har-
veyized beefsteak.
DR.. Stiles managed to possess himself
of an assortment of damaged mugs from
Washington lunch rooms and proceeded to
run the bacilli to earth. He came to the
following conclusions: I'VE find the pres
ence Of twenty-three distinct species Of
organisms in the debris contained within
the visible cracks and seams OF the YES
sells examined. The number of organisms
per giveD area OF surface ranged from 4SC
to 14,5SO,OCO IN the final test"
The bacilli Investigations of the Argtcul.
tural department experts were disclosed in
connection with a general raid on Washing
ton lunch rooms and eating places by the
local health department. Warrants have
been sworn out for the proprietors OF sew
eral places found to be particularly filthy
and a general cleaning up is going on In
all public eating places.
Even the free lunch counters are being
visited and cleanliness enforced there. The
public forks on the free lunch counters
will be banished ard toothpicks used. II
has been found the cleanest eating place in
Washington was kept by an old negro.
Congress, at its last session, Appropriated
s., 5000 W for the purchase Of five blocks in
Washington City as a site for proposed
buildings for the Department OF State. De-
partment of Justice and the Department of
Commerce and Labor. The blocks to be
purchased under condemnation process are
those bounded by Pennsylvania avenue on
the north, the great public park called the
Mall or the south, by Fourteenth street
on the east and Fifteenth street on the
west. This section Of the city is directly
east OF the White lot-the large unfenced
reservation south OF the park that sur
rounds the White House, 1t is in this wide
tract that the Washington monument
stands.
The reason for this condemnation pro-
ject is not wholly esthetic. 1t is mainly
utiItarian. New great public buildings
n- h.Inn $4,000 IN the Mnn Nm