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And in this case, the House was just sitting around waiting for the Senate
to finish their business and send notice over to the House,
that yes, we’re going to adjourn sine die.
They called it, adjourn sine die. So during that time
the House went into recess, and we just had to wait.
They had to have a quorum there, so a good number of the
Members of the House were there. And we just had to sit around and wait.
And, so, it became a light-hearted time. Members of Congress would
get down there in the well of the House and tell their favorite joke,
something like that. Or, get down in the well of the House and sing.
They even had a quartet, why I remember, one time, not that year.
But Congressman Louis Rabaut and Congressman Percy Priest—
Mr. Rabaut was from Michigan, and Mr. Priest was from Tennessee—
they liked to sing. They just enjoyed music, mainly barbershop-quartet singing.
And I remember them doing that. Well, I was in the cloakroom
working and they sent word to me that Mr. Rabaut wanted to see me.
I said, “Ok, where is he?” And he said, “He’s down there in the well.”
He was standing at the podium at the well where they speak.
I thought, “That’s unusual to have a Page boy come down there
to the well of the House. Usually they’re in their chair.” And I thought,
“Are you sure?” “Yeah, Mr. Rabaut, right down there in the well,
he wants you to come down there.” So, I went down to see him
and he was there at the Speaker’s podium. And he says,
“Bill, I understand you sing?” I said, “Yes sir, I do.” And mind you
there’s a microphone, a live mic going on, and the gallery is full
of visitors and the House is full of Members. And I said, “Yes.”
And he said, “I understand you sang at your graduation from Page school.”
I said, “Yes sir.” He said, “Well can you sing for us again?”
I said, “I, sure.” So I agreed to sing. I sang the Lord’s Prayer
at the time. It was quite an honor to be asked like that, and I sang
the Lord’s Prayer and it got very, very quiet because
it had been kind of a boisterous audience, but got very, very quiet
and they all listened. And...quite an honor, a very great honor.
I sang the Lord’s Prayer, and even afterward they applauded.
Even the visitors in the gallery, and they’re not normally allowed
to applaud or cheer or anything like that, and they did.
It was a great experience. Then afterward, Mrs. Knutson,
Coya Knutson from Minnesota, who was a music teacher in her
pre-Member of Congress days, she wanted to sing with me.
I don’t remember the duet we did, but we sang a duet down there
there in the well of the House also. I sang, and she sang harmony,
and we sang. Of course, afterward, why they dragged us out into the
hallway to take photos of us, the members of the press took photos of us.