The Senate Reception Room—The People Who Haunt It—Republican “Ladies in Waiting”—“Women with Claims”—Their Heroic Persistency—A Widow and Children in Distress—Claim Agents—The Committee of Claims—A Kind-hearted Senator’s Troubles—Buttonholing a Senator—A Lady of Energy—Resolved to Win—An “Office Brokeress”—A Dragon of a Woman—A Lady who is Feared if not Respected—Her Unfortunate Victims—Carrying “Her Measure”—The Beautiful Petitioner—The Cloudy Side of her Character—Her Subtle Dealings—Her Successes—How Government Prizes are Won. The room itself means only grace, beauty and silence. The moment had not come for dis-illusion, thus I went forth without a word regarding its human aspect. To-day, dear friends, we will go in and face that. We sit down in the shadow of this Corinthian pillar, and, looking out see the most noticeable fact is that this lofty apartment is thronged with women. A number are conversing with senators; others are gazing toward the doors which lead into the Senate. Some seem to be waiting with eager eyes and anxious faces; others are leaning back upon the sofas in attitudes of luxurious listlessness. Do you ask why they are here? Are they studying the stately proportions and exquisite _finesse_ of the ante-room? Not at all. It is not devotion to the aesthetic arts nor the inspiration of patriotism, which brings these women thither. They are a few, only a very few, of the women—with “claims,” who, through the sessions of Congress haunt the departments, the White House and the Capitol. [Illustration: THE LADIES’ RECEPTION ROOM. INSIDE THE CAPITOL.—WASHINGTON. ]