Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-23
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Members of the lower house of the
next general assembly are coming here
for the biennial allotment of the seats
in the chamber of the repres entatives,
and numerous changes in the locations
of the legislators are likely. The seats
are allotted by Resident Clerk w. S.
Leib, who has been grouping men by
| counties when they are of the same
political faith as far as possible. The
Democrats will occupy the seats on
the east side of the big gold and blue
chamber and the Republicans will
! have the rest. There is a larger num-
| ber of Republicans than usual in the
next House and they will overflow
into the Democratic block. DemandsS
! for aisle seats have run, as usual, far
above the number possible to give,
and 1t is estimated that about one
third of the membership has expressed
preference for such accommo modations.
Most of the older members have been
| given the seats they have requested, al
| though some of the more desirable
have had as high as six men asking
for them. The Philadelphia contin-
gent will be on the western side of the
chamber and Allegheny in the center.
| Representative Richard j. Baldwin,
who has had seat No. for the last
three sessions, has been allotted it
again and Representatives Edwin r.
Cox and George w. Williams, also
candidates for speaker, have been
given their choice. Representatives
f. c. Ehrhardt, Lackawanna, the old
est Republican in continuous service,
and John M. Flynn, Elk, the Oldest
Democratic member in point of SER
vice. have been assigned their old
seats.
/ The popular winter pastime of this
particular part of the Christmas sea-
son is attempting to hide the 'kiddies"
gifts, where they will not find them,
at least before Christmas eve. All of
us have had experience in our child
hood days in attempting to find what
| Santa was going to bring"
A slight variation of the belief that
| youngsters usually make when they
discover hidden gifts was related by @
Harrisburg man yesterday afternoon.
He and his wife had purchased all the
gifts that their hopeful was to have
on Christmas day and instead of hiding
them in closets and beneath beds that
had always proved futile before, they
carefully slowed them all In a barrel
in the cellar, and covered the top
with innocent enough looking pota-
toes. Young Hopeful. however APP
parently taking advantage of mothers
absence one afternoon instituted q |
logical search of the premises from
attic to cellar, where his efforts were
rewarded. He carefully appraised
each toy and then placed them all
back in their hiding place, knowing
from past experience that NUNS"
the best word in such circumstances.
Among other things set of build
er toys had been hidden. Mother took
the young hopeful down town to see
"Santy" yesterday, and incidentally to
see what he really wanted for Christ
mas. Stopping before the windows of
a store with similar sets on exhibition,
mother said, wouldn't you like to
have mother buy you a nice set of
builders for Christmas?"
No" said young hopeful in an un-
guarded moment, THAT set in the cell
lar will be plenty, get me something
else"
| Probably more officials of the State
government will spend Christmas here
than usual. Governor and Mrs. Brum-
J baugh will enjoy the day at the man.
sion and will have a big dinner the
| next day in honor of the Chinese MIN
, lister. Secretary of the Common
wealth Cyrus e. Woods is residing
! here during the winters, and Adjutans
son and Ainey and Superintendent
} Rambo are residing here. Commis-
sioner Black will make his home here
after January /.
If a little incident may be used as
a criterion, the joy of Christmas must
certainly lie to q great extent in an
ticipation. A motor truck rolled up
to humble home several days before
Christmas, at an unearthly hour in
the morning. Out of the machine
stepped burly truck driver with one
enormous hand clutching tiny hob
by horse. He rang the doorbell and
there appeared wan little lady with
worn hands and shabby dress, but oh,
what a smile! The husky truckman.
evidently unused to such transforma-
tions as joy made on the face of the
little mother, handed in the package
and bolted for the machine, while he
| muttered curse that was almost q
blessing and dashed the back of his
huge hand across his face. But as
the machine ratified on up the street,
broad smile took the place Of the
emotion-concealing frown, lighting
up the early morning dusk like a
sunbeam.
IF anything was needed to indicate
that Christmas is here it was to be
! found in Market street last night.
The tallow dips and the piles of
oranges along the store doors and in
doorways of vacant stores were evi-
, trees through crowds and kids" with
candy canes told the story.
James Auter. who will hand out the
candy to the Harrisburg youngsters at
the Executive mansion in behalf of
Governor and Mrs. Brumbaugh, has
presided at that important function
, for twenty-three years. He has given
away tons of candy and kept in line
thousands of youngsters.