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Around the Capital with Uncle Hank

Black book cover titled Around the Capitol with an image of the Capitol in silver/tiles/collection/2/2313.xml
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Print showing George Henry Lindsay, captioned “G. Lindsay M.C. N.Y.”/tiles/collection/7/7234.xml
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Page spread with text and head-and-shoulders of Members captioned, “W.W. Skiles M.C. Ohio. L.F. Livingston M.C. G.A.,” and a man standing, with the House Chamber in the background, captioned, “Cyrus A. Sulloway, M.C., from New Hampshire, has been longer in Congress than any other member—about a foot longer. While not considered proud or haughty, it has been noticed that he has a habit of looking down on his fellow members, holding his head high on all occasions.” The text reads, “As the polite waiter departed to fill their order, Harry calIed Uncle Hank's attention to the obsequiousness of the colored man. ‘You see, Uncle, that waiter is very polite; you'd better tip him.’ ‘Wall, Harry, I like a joke ez good ez anyone, but when a coon ez perlite tew me, I hain't got th' heart tew tip him up, especially when he's got a big lot ov dishes on his tray.’ Harry laughed outright at the old man's misconception of a ‘tip,’ but soon explained the matter to his satisfaction. It was not long before they were busily engaged in satisfying the inner man, so busy, indeed, that they did not notice the occupants of the adjoining table. A quartette of sombre, dignified looking men were, seated at this table, in the center of which stood a small bowl of crackers, and in front of each gentleman stood a tea cup and saucer. Several times the waiter brought his tray to their table, but always with the same order—four cups of cold tea. It was not long before this caught Uncle Hank's eye. ‘Et seems tew me aour neighbors thar ez great tea drinkers,’ he whispered to Harry. ‘Yes, Uncle, that's Congressional tea—it looks like tea but—’ ‘Et tastes like whiskey, eh?’ interposed Uncle Hank, with a significant wink. The restaurant had now filled up quite perceptibly, and” the text breaks off./tiles/collection/7/7115.xml
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Black book cover titled Around the Capitol with an image of the Capitol in silver
Print showing George Henry Lindsay, captioned “G. Lindsay M.C. N.Y.”
Page spread with text and head-and-shoulders of Members captioned, “W.W. Skiles M.C. Ohio. L.F. Livingston M.C. G.A.,” and a man standing, with the House Chamber in the background, captioned, “Cyrus A. Sulloway, M.C., from New Hampshire, has been longer in Congress than any other member—about a foot longer. While not considered proud or haughty, it has been noticed that he has a habit of looking down on his fellow members, holding his head high on all occasions.” The text reads, “As the polite waiter departed to fill their order, Harry calIed Uncle Hank's attention to the obsequiousness of the colored man. ‘You see, Uncle, that waiter is very polite; you'd better tip him.’ ‘Wall, Harry, I like a joke ez good ez anyone, but when a coon ez perlite tew me, I hain't got th' heart tew tip him up, especially when he's got a big lot ov dishes on his tray.’ Harry laughed outright at the old man's misconception of a ‘tip,’ but soon explained the matter to his satisfaction. It was not long before they were busily engaged in satisfying the inner man, so busy, indeed, that they did not notice the occupants of the adjoining table. A quartette of sombre, dignified looking men were, seated at this table, in the center of which stood a small bowl of crackers, and in front of each gentleman stood a tea cup and saucer. Several times the waiter brought his tray to their table, but always with the same order—four cups of cold tea. It was not long before this caught Uncle Hank's eye. ‘Et seems tew me aour neighbors thar ez great tea drinkers,’ he whispered to Harry. ‘Yes, Uncle, that's Congressional tea—it looks like tea but—’ ‘Et tastes like whiskey, eh?’ interposed Uncle Hank, with a significant wink. The restaurant had now filled up quite perceptibly, and” the text breaks off.
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Date

1902

Author

Thomas Fleming

Dimensions

8 × 7 × 1 1/8 in. (20.3 × 17.8 × 2.9 cm)

Accession Number

2008.113.000

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

The capital is “the glory of the one true republic,” trumpeted Thomas Fleming on the very first page of this book. Fleming provided an armchair tour of Washington, D.C., accompanied by his alter-ego, hayseed “Uncle Hank.” The book was generously illustrated with thumbnail sketches of each and every Representative of the 57th Congress and contained descriptions of the Capitol and its workings.

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