The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-06
Description of the Process by Which a
Hayseed Becomes Man of
the World.

them with tenderness and regret TOT theTc
and to them he was a mountain Of great
ness; here is atom of insignificance, but
hope sustalns him and he goes down to
his first meal with statesman-nke tread,
head held high and chest inflated, for IN
the dining-room. surely. he will run
across some old friend who will recognize
his Importance.
Servants Not Impressed.
No one is impressed, however. The
servants trust him quite the same as
they do the other guests and evince no
curiosity. But he notices that the people
near by regard him with interest, not
with a respectful interest. for when they
look his way they smile at each other
and litter audibly. The reason for this
levity at his expense IS not difficult 10
find he is not dressed as other men.
His is the only frock coat In the room:
his the only white string tie, yet since
this is the traditional garb of the states
man and he such. why should they
laugh? II he Is clever and adaptable
he resolves 10 visit q fashionable tailor
forthwith; If he is a dyed-in-the-wool
provincial he determines to stick TO his
clothes and educate the people up to
them. 1t is astonishing what a mission
airy spirit the hide-bound provincial pos
sesses. The spirit Of reform always ami
mates him and he goes about fitting at
windmills with az great devotion as did
Quixoti himself, especially in Washing
ton. where there are plenty of wind
mills
1t actually happened that one of these
statesmen came TO Washington in a
Prince Albert" as he called II. white
string tie. and tucked shirt bosom diclEy.
rather, which. when invited 70 a recep-
ton at the White House. ne refused 70
lay aside for evening clothes. His
friends expostulated with him. even his
mere acquaintances suggested 10 him
that 20 appear az a Presidents reception
in such a garb would reflect upon his
constituency, but he was unmoved. His
wife was approached and begged to
point out 10 her husband that 10 ignore
the conventions discredited the honorable
body OF which he was a member, and
she earnestly labored with him, but he
proudly folded his arms across his noble
chest and eloquently announced that Il
they would not accept him I'm the clothes
he elected to wear, ne would stay away,
but never-nO. never-would he wear
evening clothes or a dress suit In his
parlance.
Was Won Over at Last.
He kept his determination for somi
time. and society accepted him good
naturedly, as Il must and does accept
many freaks. but that was long, long ago.
and for years now he has dressed like
other people and wears his evening
clothes with as much grace as a Turvey-
drop
\ great appointment awaits the new
member ON his first visit 10 the House.
lie has pictured ii as a solemn, dignified
body OF serious men. but he finds himself
in the midst OF what seems 10 his mex
erienced eyes. q mob. men. young, old.
and middle-aged, some OF them dressed
like school boys in short coats and fam
Ing ties and chatyering together like
school boys. without regard 10 the person
addressing them Quibs and jokes flying
about and abundance Of laughter. This
this ribald body. is the House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States.
Shocked, astonished. he conhdes his state
of mind TO a sympathetic-appeaTing person
in the rear when he is told that the real
work OF Congress is done i'm the commit
tee rooms which reminds him that he
has not yet decided on what committee he
viii serve. Appropriations, Ways and
Means, Banking. and Currency all appeal
10 him, but then there is the Committee
on Military Affairs: he was once a mem
Der Of the State militia and he ought 10
be on that. Foreign Affairs also sounds
attractive. He does not know much about
foreign affairs TO be sure, but he would