Evening star., 1909-02-21

goes to the Capitol feels in duty bound to
shake hands with the representative from
his or her district. Ever and anon is he
piled with the question, How do you like
Washington" In spite Of the fact that he
may have served a dozen terms in Con-
gress, he is certain to be asked this. A
number of members whose home folks
have habit of fockng down to Wash
ed dialogue. which they find adequately
meets the requirements OF the situation
and is so firmly established in their con-
scous mind as to allow the subconscious
to pursue. unintermittently. a train of
thought on matters Of state.
The Smiths from Podunk. Squedunk
and Chicago pirouette up to the doorkeep-
er, present their cards and ask for Repre-
being hunted up Mrs. Smith and the
Misses Smith produce hand mirrors and
with deft touches soon have each un-
ruly lock In place. Each furbelow is
given coy twist and powder is dabbedi
in just the right spots. Meanwhile Mr..
Smith and Robbie pace the floor. clear
ing their throats and Strengthening their
ties.
The page appears and says, Repre-
sentative Blank is canning
My, what poor grammar these boys
use" observes Miss Imogene Smith.
They get that from those ignorant rep
resentatfves from out west replies Miss
Caroline Smith,
A stampede.
Representative Blank appears and the
Smith family take him by storm and bear
him off to secluded corner. where for a
few moments he gasps for breath, re-
covers sets his dialogue in motion and
returns to the question which had en-
gagged his attention previous to the Smith
interruption, namely: Whether the COM
mttee on acoustics shall meet or shall
not meet.
How do YOU like Washington" cho-
rus the Smiths
Mr.. Blank is ready; he is always
ready; he has arrived because he was
ready, as he will tell you in his auto
Biography. He replies with a half
smothered. ecstatic:
"Charming."
ut is delightful" MARBLES Mrs. Smith.
and eyes her husband sourly as if re-
preaching him for his ability to land
an official position in WASHINGTON.
Mr.. Smith coughs and suggests:
The Treasury is interesting. an't it,"
Il have travelled far and wide, wide
ana iar' east and west. north and south.
but in all of my peregrinations it has
never been my privilege TO visit a more
intensely interesting building than that
magnificent structure wherein are stored
the moneys of these United States of
America thus delivers the Hon. James
Blank, grandiloquently, erecting for him.
heights he can effectively and Impress
lively make use of his dialogue
!
The Smiths are rendered nomentarily
speechless by this shaft Of silvery. elo-
quence.
Mrs. Smith finally cuts in with:
We'll, the folks out home all sent their
10. I mean their regards.
Home. home!" Mr.. Blank dwells on
the word and smiles sad, far-away
nrS rP nv,@ efxv1,c ffc1,<l
slightly.
A wistful look comes into the eyes Of
the whole family.
There is no place like home" heaves
the Hon. James Blank.
Whereupon the Smiths are moved to
contemplate home and wonder whether
the cow, the cats and the chickens are
being properly fed.
Miss Caroline Smith, by way of chang
ing the subject, says:
'The Library is terribly fine, isn't it?'
Mr.. Blank considers for moment and
then goes into raptures again.
Says Mrs. Smith
We're all looking forward to that
post office building. Do you think they
will begin work on it soon?''
WhereupOn Representative Blank
thinks real hard and finally tells them
that it will be built just as soon as he
can decide upon the plans, which are
technical and voluminous as to be we'll
nigh maddening.
At this point Mrs. Smith pulls Bobbie
from behind Mr.. Smith.
This Is our Bohbie," she says. Hell
be seventeen next year. and we just don't
know what to put him to when he gets
out of school. His great-great-great
grandfather fought in the revolution. We
are patriotic enough-yes, indeed l should
hope We were patriotic enough" docks up
quickly at Mr.. Smith) ito believe We
should give at least one child to our
countrys service. 1t is but little. consid-
ering the benefits derived from living in