local legislation which would come before the House. I told him
that I had charge of a bill which I should endeavor to have passed, 'It
requires some tact and experience,' said he, 'to engineer a bill through
such a House as this;' and he ended this preliminary conversation by
asking the same mysterious question I had heard the night previous,
viz.; _'Is there anything in it?'_ I answered that I hoped there would
be something in it, if it passed, for the parties interested, as it
would enable us to develop certain matters of interest to the State, as
well as to make a profit for the stockholders. 'If,' said he, 'it is a
bill of such importance, you ought to have some man of experience to
assist you in putting it through.' I assured him that 'our member' was a
man of experience, and would stand by me, and be ready and willing to
impart any instruction that might be necessary. The answer I received
was a sarcastic smile, and the 'Sheriff' left.

I continued to watch the course of legislation for a few days, and soon
discovered that I was the object of considerable interest to a number of
outsiders. Whenever I entered the lobby, the 'Sheriff' and several
gentlemen, who were always in his company, would cast their eyes in the
direction of my seat, and then confer together. They seemed to keep a
strict watch on my movements. At last, when an opportunity offered, I
asked Jones what this 'Sheriff' was doing about the House. 'He seems to
have no business, and is constantly watching the proceedings of both
Houses, vibrating between them like an animated pendulum,' said I. 'Oh,'
said Jones, 'he is a member of the _Third House!_' Here was a new thing
to me. I evidently had not learned all the machinery of legislating. I
asked for an explanation, and soon learned that the 'Third House'
consisted of old ex-members of either House or Senate, broken-down
politicians, professional borers, and other vagrants who had made
themselves familiar with the _modus operandi_ of legislation, and who
negotiated for the votes of members on terms to be agreed upon by the
contracting parties--in short, these were the Lobby members of the
Legislature--a portion of mankind which I had never heard mentioned in
terms other than contempt and disgust. Was I then to become familiar
with these leeches--these genteel loafers, who, having no apparent
business, yet manage to live at the best hotels, drink the best of
wines, and go home at the end of the session