National Republican., 1884-03-20
A SHOCK no HIS DIGNITY.
The Chief Justice OF the Supreme Court
Encounters Very Fly Ticket Seller.

The Chief Justice OF the Supreme Court
Encounters Very Fly Ticket Seller.
A Washington correspondent to an outside
paper tells the following:
Chief Justice Waite, of the supreme court,
had funny experience tho other day, and as
he has rotated it to any number of friends
the story has had wide circulation in So
ccty. Several weeks ago he had an impera-
tive engagement in Baltimore. Like all
great men, he is proverbially absent minded.
He went up to the court, and after d few mo-
monts' session adjourned the court and came
down loisurely to tho Baltimore and Ohio
depot which is only short distance from the
capitol. As he got out of the street car he
found ne had ten minutes in which to pur-
chasc ticket and get Il seat on the train. As
he went up to the ticket Office he discovered,
to his surprise, that he had only few PEN
mics in his pocket. lie had neglected to pro-
vide himself with "scrip for his Journey"
He looked around tho waiting room, but saw
no one he knew. What was TO be done must
bo done quickly. His engagement was an
important one. So he filed up in the line to
tho ticket Office, and when he reached the
window tho chief justice smiled au awful
smile across tho full width of his ample
mouth, and asked the ticket agent if he knew
him.
"No, l don't" snarled the agent land
what is more l don't want to! What do you
want?"
~ want a ticket to Baltimore and return.
/ am the chief justice of the supreme court,
and l have no money with mo- it is purely
accidental. l can givo you my personal
check"
ooh, know you, l know all the bloods,
but that dodge won't work on me. / have
just had two members of the cabinet try to
blk me out of tickets and no chief justice
dodge gets me. Take your ugly mug out of
ls... q - Ia
who havo money"
The chief justice glared. lie could not
fine the young man for contempt of court
lie felt cheaper and worse than if he had
been q real fraud. Hc blushed and perspired
SO that tho agent had his firm belief strength
ened. The chief justice dashed out of the
station to see if ho could not find some ono to
identify him. lie had only five minutes left.
1t was too short time to run to the capitol.
He saw no one. Across the street there was
q saloon and eating-house. The chief justice
made q rush across tho road, but he stopped
at the door. What if he should be seen
going into u common gin-mill? What would
people say and it was u bare chance ii any
one in there should know him! Spying n
private entrance he rushed in and accosted
tho proprietor with the frantic inquiry of "do
you know me?'
"Yes, bet yer head, do, yer honor" said
the short t-haired, freckledfaced man behind
the bar. "Ye are the boss av the shuprame
coort l SEQ ye livery day going by here on the
cars"
"Will you cash my check" I have no
time to explain. Here the Justice grabbed a
piece Of paper upon desk near by and began
to write hurriedly.
'Shure | will I've seen ould byes off on
tear before get out Of money. Trusht me,
sor. Is it q twenty We want? Here it is.
viii yc have drop befor ye run?"
But before any further explanation could
be made the chief justice had grabbed the
money and was running across the street.
In some way tho ticket agent had learned of
his blunder during the judges absence, and
was all polteness when he saw the money.
Mr.. Waite barely made the train, but he has
not had such shock in his dignity since he
went upon the bench of the supreme court.