l
THE II ESP KIM AN.
I
r
ALUMNI AND FORMER STUDENTS.
Washington, D. C, May 9, 1892.
Dkar IIusi'KKlAK. Your column devoted to "Alumni
niul Former Students" must do a great deal of good deal
to keep the names ol former students on your subscription
list. Certainly it has interested me,- and I am glad to do
my part in keeping it up.
Tlicie has come to be quite 1 Utile colony of U. of N.
people in Washington. II. W. Olmstcad, '84, is a special
examiner in the pension office, and as his place was secured
through civil service examinations it is supposed to be safe
from political interference. He is married and may lie con
sidered as established in this city, in so far as anyone is
established here. He is a prominent member of the Young
Men's Christian Association and is helping in a strenuous
effort to secure a new building for that organization. E. C.
Wiggcnhorn, '86, is also in the pension office, but I have not
yet heard of his being married, or of his Making an active
part in thcY. M. C. A.
J. II. Holmes, '84, is teaching in the Friends' select
school and am willing to whisper to you in strict confidence
mat next mown will probably sec 111111 safely married to a
Philadelphia Friendcss. Among U. ol N. i Indents now
resident in Washington about whom I am not very well
informed are Miss Cora II. Thomas, who is at work in the
fourth auditor's office, and J. P. Sprccher, who fs in the war
department. Theie is one la.ly of theclnss of '86, formerly
a Miss Fisher, I believe, about whom I know a goo 1 deal,
but will only say that when she and 1 wish to recall Univcis
ity days we have only to start the old frat and anti-frat
debate, and then the scene comes back like lire." My own
work the past winter lias been largely to bother congressmen
with matters in which they were not interested and to keep
certain bills out of pigeon holes.
Among those not students who were formerly connected
with the university it may be mentioned that ex Regents Hull
and Hiatt arc now at work here. Many Nebraskans stop in
the city for a few days to see something or somebody, or to
attend one of the innumerable conventions that meet here.
One or the most recent visitors was Chancellor Canlield. Just
at present C. S. Polk, '87, is here for a few days. He was
inveigled into taking on one day a walk through the grounds
or the soldiers' home, and another out to Arlington. The
next morning he lelt as ir he had been on an old-fashioned
botanizing trip at the U. of N. During the present month
'it is expected that Miss Jones, '85, and Miss Mauley, '88, will
came here for a short time, the lormcr with the librarians
excursion from Albany, the latter in the prosecution or her
newspaper work.
The most forcible impression made itpdu me by a years'
residence in the national capital is a profound pity for cong
ressmen, that is, members of the house representatives. A
conscientious member is one of the worst overworked men in
the country, and besides he is compelled to work under con
ditions that almost preclude the possibility or his accomplish
ing anything commensurate with his efforts. It is thirteen
months after he is elected before his congress convenes, and
the result is that after the house has been organized but a few
weeks he must steal away to fix up his fences for re-election.
Then he is crushed by a mass of business detals. He receives
from twenty to one hundred letters a day from his constitu
ents and friends about pensions, claims and appointments.
As he is not allowed a private secretary he is compelled to
draft his wife into the service to save him from part of the
burden. This happens in very many cases. Dttt much
of the woik compels him to visit the departments, and
especially the pension office. The members call it "legging
it." No sooner is a pension secured for a constituent than he
files an application for an increase and the work must all be
done over again. One member said that there weie about
1000 old soldiers in his district and that he received on an
average four letters a year from each of them.
Add to all this that the house itself is an awkward and
unwieldy body in which a capacity for committee work and
log rolling accomplishes more than capacity for dibate, and il
is apparent that the way ol the congressman is hjrd. How
ever, I suppose that they have for the most part brought it
on themselves, and so the pity bestowed upon them might be
put to better use. Youys as ever,
A. G. Waknkk, '85.
Miss Forehand came in from Fremont to see her father
who had charge or Kearney's cotton mill lloat in the parade.
'91 A. M. Troycr returned on the 151I1 ult. from Colo
rado where he has a timber claim.
F. A. Kockhold and John II. Fogarty will be here during
conimmcucement.
'90 L. II. Stoughton may do graduate work at Harvard
next year.
ATHLETICS.
ItUKO 1 till I.
On the cvcirug of the 13th the university base ball club
left for Kansas City to play Hakcr university of llaldwin,
Kan., and the University or Kansas at Lawrence. Most or
the boys denied themselves the luxury or a berth in the Pull
man, but cntcitained (?) the few passengers in their society
during the lonely hours. They were a sleepy looking set as
hey entered the Centropolis hotel in Kansas City Saturday
forenoon and were met in the corridor of the hotel by hair
suppressed smiles or contempt on the faces or their burly op
ponents, the llakers, who had spent the night at the hotel
and were in good condition. The game had been well ad
vet tised, but the rain prevented a large attendance. The
llakers put up a splendid practice game and showed them
selves to be strong players, llaker went to bat first but was
retired without a score. Nebraska followed suit in Her half.
Our opponents again came to bat and a fumble of a grounder
by Stioman gave Tooiner life at first; Holme's wild throw to
catch him at second, allowed him that base, and Heald's
muff or Dowlingls throw A-om center allowed the runner' to
make the first score or the game. Nebraska failed to score
in their half of the second inning as did Hakcr in the third.
But after Homes and Hadley had made outs for Nebraska,
names ici tnc hall Hit linn. Howling convinced the pitcher
it was advisable to allow him a base on balls, and Marlay
filled the bases by being hit. Smith met the ball with his
ict bat for two bases, scoring llarnes and Howling. Pace
was hit by a pitched ball and Heald running in his stead was
put out in attempting to steal second. There was now about
two inches of mud and water to play in and the ball was
slippery and hard for the pitchers to handle. linker univcr
sity now batted out three earned runs. With the score stand
ing four to two against us and the game in danger of being
called on acccount or the rain, Pace came to bal and made a
clean single, stole second and was advanced to third by
Stroman's hit to center. Holmes knocked an easy one to
third making first but ictiring Pace at third. llarnes' h'.t
brought in Holmes and Stroman, tieing the score. Rain was
now railing in torrents and the game with a score or four to
I
t