Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-16
A GENIUS OF THE LAW.
JUDGE RANNEY'S METHOD OF
AIDING his MEMORY.

stores OF the Capital.
WASHINGTON, May 1b.-People who
think Judge Ranney, of Pan-Electric
fame, is not up in legal lore make great
mistake. His lack Of national proml
hence prior to his participation in the
present famous suit has led many into
the erroneous supposition that he has
fnst emerged from some remote section OF
tAe backwoods. The truth OF the matter
fl that he is one Of the brightest lumi-
varies of the New England bar, and is
universally acknowledged by his col
leagues as being one of the legal encyclo-
pedias OF the House. The only fault that
be ever found with his Congressional
9areer was that 1t did not entail sufficient
work to make him happy. He is no longer
able to make this complaint, and says the
present is the most satisfactory portion
OF his TWO terms. MIR. Ranney may be
saIc to be inspired with the genius OF
law, and could easily make $4,000 per
year were he 10 remain at home and de-
vote himself TO the practice of his
profession. He has sort OF a
legal intuition, and can settle
point of law almost at a glance. lie is
happiest when engaged In legal study,
and there is no harder workman on the
Judiciary Committee He has a wonder
full faculty of carrying all the points OF
case in his head, aud has a curious way
OF aiding his memory. When he is look
ing up case and reading the papers in it
he notices nothing going on around him,
and when ne cones to a point which he
wishes to remember he writes it down on
a piece of paper. He does not keep the
paper nor pay any attention To it. The
writing of Il down fixes it as indelibly in
his mind as though be had stencled it on
his brain. After he has been reading in
the different parts of the House you may
find his footprints in the memoranda on
the members desks at which he has been
sitting. He makes notes any place and
always leaves them Just where he makes
them. Judge Ranney is rich. He owns
line home in Boston, and he lives while
here at the Arlington Hotel. He originally
came from Vermont, and is a man about
50 years of age, with a big head covered
with bushy gray hair, a dark face and
eyes which look out from Overhanging
brows. He has a pleasant family but does
not 20 into society and seeks to avoid no.
toriety.
LADIES IN THE GALLERY.
1t is not intrequently the case that
member delivering a speech on the floor
of the House has no more attentive lis
tener tnan the wife VINO peers down on
him from that portion OF the gallery re-
served for members and their families.
Almost every day between u and in the
afternoon a visitor TO the House can see
in the members gallery tall, handsome
woman, with three pretty children.
She is the wife Of Representative
Rogers of Arkansas. The evident
admiration with which her eyes follow
every movement of her husband has be.
come matter of comment to the gallery
habitues. Her face is a study whenever
her husband rises to speak. She has one
as those dark, oval, Southern faces, with
a pair of black ewes whose expression is a
m ngling of intelligence and refinement.
Wnile MIR. Rogers is speaking her ex-
preston IS mirror of the current of his
thoughts. Mrs. Morrison is another
lady WHO is almost as frequent
ly a visitor to the House. She is
usually accompanied by one or more
young ladies. When Mr.. Morrison takes
the floor, especially ifany revenue matter
is under consideration, she listens to Ills
words eagerly, but she seems TO be giving
a critical hearing to his arguments, with
view to Discussing them afterwards.
She is fully abreast with her husband in
political economy. All his tariff bills
have been prepared with her assistance.
She is tireiess reader OF politico-
economic works. Indeed, it is said
she is as we'll Versed in Adam
m st women are in Bertha Clay's novels.
Rumor also has it that even Mr.. Nor
risOn's speeches pass through her hands
for revision before being delivered. IL is
only natural then that she is always at
hand when productions of which ste is
the joint author are to be given to the
world. Mrs. Reed, wife OF the Repub-
hcan leader OF the House, is almost as
regular a follower OF the proceedings Of
hpr bt1 nd hn
missed a day since the session began. 1t
must be pleasing to her to note that be is
the only man who can get the close atten-
ton OF every man on tue floor Like most
successful men, Mr.. Reed owes much of
his success in life to his wife. When he
married her he was a school teacher in a
Western State. Her wealth enabled him
to return to Portland, Me where he was
born, and take law course, and her en-
eoursgement and assistance have helped
his rapid advancement in political life.
He IS very often at her side in the gallery,
and generally walks home with her in
the evening. Frank Hiscock's is also fire.
quently seen at the capital. She is a
stately woman, with a long, pale face,
which bears on every feature the impress
OF culture and strong will power. Ii is a
we'll known tact that Frank Hiscock is
naturally one OF the largest men in the
House, though one of the most brilliant.
W lth all his ability he would probably
be plodding along the path Of "A country
lawyer were It not Tor his wile's pushing
hand. The wives of several other mem
beers are also frequently on hand TO hear
the learned efforts OF their husbands, but
the above are tbe most conspicuous.
SECONDHAND BOOK STORES.
Not the least uninterestng of the curl
GUS places with which Washington
abounds are its secondhand book stores.
They vary IN pretentiOusness from one
occupying every nook and corner of
fouTstory brick building near the Treas
ury TO out OF the way little places whose
stock lie contained IN single room OF di.
minutlye dimensions. A tour OF the
whole, however, Will generally put the
seeker in possession OF almost any work
known To the catalogues OF any decade In
the last century. These b0nks have been
gathered from all quarters Of thecluutry
OneYO ume may have belonged h. Andrew
Jackson, aud one can see his dasAlng
autograph on the title page. Another
may have come from stephen A. Douglass
library, aud IN many cases one VIII ind
books from the. collections u Carroll OF
Carrollton and other men whose auto
graphs have now mercantile value. The
state Department paid So 30 at book
auction not long ago for an almanac, aud
IL would readily nave given 500 for II. II
was one That Jefferson had used and il
eonta ned many notes ~ Jelerson's band.