Pages In Congress

There are lads now einployed as pages In the house and senate who have undoubtedly ernbarked on careers which will revolve abont the huge marble building ou Capitol hill. Some one of thern may live to step into the shoes of Captain Bassett, for instance, the aged and dignified assistant doorkeeper of the senate. who began his services in the upper j ehamber over 60 years ago and is appiiv.-iitly good for several years more. Some of them may become plain, ordinary, everyday doorkeepers of the house or tenate. There is one man watching a senate door these days who has occupied that one position ior 14 years. For years before he began this work he was similarly eniplo3-ed in the house of representatives. The pay of a doorkeeper is not very large, and the distinction which attaches to the place is absolutely nil. The work is not arduous, however, and the man who fulfills it does uot have to use either his hands or his braius to any estent - a fact which seems to have had weight withiome of the doorkeepers. If the paren ts of the lads who are now running about the capitol at the beek and nod of senators and representatives were to be guided by the experience of persons who have held these positions, they might display less anxiety to condemn their offspring to an undesirable