The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-05-21
yXAsFIING on NEWS =
= GOSSIP y sa4slEs BOOK. .Ml7a:

WASAlNGION, u. u, fMhy Zl--
When the Sjxtysixth Congress Hhop-
ped off, for Is tntt1al- and special
session. packed, tense galleries were
there. to witness the history
epoch.
In the Senate q gray-naired woman
OF arfStocratic and commenting pres
ence leaned forward with an eager
happy, smiling face as the new Sena-
tors were escorted by their colleagues
70 tbe bar to receive the oath.
%Twice before IN her life she had wit
messed the same scene enacted when
men very close to her heart were
among principal actors in the drama.
Doubtless she remembered the pag
eants Of those earlier years in every
little detail as she sat waiting the HIT
dnS of the curtain upon Mondays
stage setting.
First. It was her father at whom she
gazed down on proudly g,rl In he1
teens she was then, a brilliant and
beautiful belle OF Capital society in
the early seventies.
Then, second time, It was her hus.
band and the Gather OF her boys, and
now Il was one Of those boys, the cid
est.
This distinguished woman In the
Senate gallery who holds distinction
that no Other American woman ever
had was Mrs. Stephen Benton Ellins,
mother of Senator Davis Mkins, the
new Senator from West Virginia. Es-
corted down the aisle by his colleague
Senator Howard Sutherland, he step.
ped brislly and proudly to the front
and became Senator OF the United
States for term of SIX years, start.
ing March 4, 1919.
AT the side Of Mrs. Elkins sat the
gracious wife OF the States Senior
Senator, Mrs. Howard Sutherland, sym
pathetic In the happiness and triumph
OF the daughter, the wife and the moth.
OF three mea whom West Virginia had
given its highest honor and its most
splendid prize.
For both mother and son It was the
most Joyous Of their many Joyous days
filled to the brim with the sincere con.
gratulatious from many good friendi
here In West Virginia, and every.
where they may be, with flowers and
teiegra1ns splitting and hubblin3 telic-
ftatdons.
Al forty two Davis Ellrins sits IN the
highest places OF his venerated fathers
the days to which they were not priv.
tiege to mount until their lives, feplete
with adventure, success and many dis
tincttons achieved and won. had pass.
ed beyond the meridian.
Neither West Virginia Senator. IN
ttoduced any bills, neither addressed
the presiding officer. Nothtng much
outside the routine happened TO them
after Senator Elldns' induction, ex.
cept the unexpected appointment that
came late in the day to Senator Suth.
erland from the leader Of his party
Senator Lodge; Sutherland had been
named one Of a committee Of three %
distribute the Senate patronage. The
other two are New, Indiana, and Len.
root, Wisconsin. New was designated
the chairman.
In the House there was duplicate
offering of the scene in the Senate
There. the routine Of organization'was
attended by more hustle and more
noise. There are nearly 500 members
Of the House and less than 100 in the
Senate.
There are more and larger galleries
fewer frock coats and decidedly more
democratic activity. A commanding
voice and the ability to deliver sledge
hammer blows on the butchers block
are necessary to control that branch Cd
Congress-.
Every one Of the six Representatives
from West Virginia was in his seat and
in his very best attire when the gayel
fell for the first time. =
The two new members were the
first to arrive; there in plenty OF time
to be dead sure and certain not to miss
1t.
They tried bravely to hide their ner.
vousness their feelings Of newnes,
and strangeness.
Wells Goodykoontz. of Williamson
the man who is expected, and with ev
cry good reason, to bring new and add.
ed honors and lustre to the Fifth dis.
trict, as tbs successor Of the able and
painstaking efficient Edward Cooper
swung his rinznez from the end o.
their black braid cord recklessly. Ere,
quently he gazed up at certain gal
lery where a very pretty and happy
face shone and he wirelessed a sa
cred message the meaning OF which
those two alone knew, or ever shaf
know.
Mrs. Goodykoontz looked very sty,
lish and beautiful in fetohinzly tail
ored costume with hat to match, ant
her face was bright and smiling;
very, very happy little woman, NO one
doubted who knew and who saw.
Representative L. s. Dchols arose
sat down got up again, turned round
took off and wiped off his spectacles
The Sixth districts "redeemer," tn,
man from the States Capital who re
tired Adam Brown Lttlepage yer,
quietly and very simply. but quite ct
fecively, none the less, when mos
everybody believed that the popula,
Democrat was unbeatable, was abou
as fused and pink as fair Jun,
graduate. He sometimes leaned owe,
and spoke TO Friend Goodykoontz. IN,
latter nodded as If agreeing that til,
air in the House chamber was sure no
and stuffy; yes, verify. even sweaty.
! The ether four veterans looked OF
with amusement. Probably some o
them did remember that they, too, fell
about the same way. and acted abou
the same way, upon their first intro
duction to Congress-and were inclin
llNII o. 0aI -.