The National tribune., 1886-01-07
ising young officer, aud great favorite in
Washington society

senator Ialmef, oil Michigan, VINO, like SO
7 many of his fellow-Senators, is several times a
MILL onaire, has at last finished his new house
on Mcpherson Square, and will move into it
this week. He has spent money lavishly upon
| it without and within. 1t is said to be more
elabOrately and richly finished and furnished
than any other dwelling in Washington. The
! Michigan Senator is fond Of good horses. He
owns several, which go spinning over the road
( at gait that crowds the record and which are
dear TO him as the apple of his eye. Unfortu-
nately Mr.. Pamer's lot is not large, and in pro-
! yiding lodgings for his horses he found it nee
/ essary TO place the building for this purpose
directly against the rear end Of his house. The
! stable is an ornate affair, better than most peO-
pies houses 1t is gotten up regardless of eX-
pcnse, and is provided with all known appli-
ances TO make it void of offense TO the noses Of
/ his own household as well as those of his neigh
/ bOr5 ny reason of its contiguity.
But the Senator's next-door neighbor on one
side is a warm-blooded Southern gentleman
named Lowry. Although his purse is probably
not as long nor as full as Mr.. Palmer's he has
ample means, and lives in fine style, the two
! houses being but few feet apart. No sooner
! had Mr.. Pamer's stable scheme been fully devel-
/ oped than Mr.. Lowry entered vigorous pro-
test But the Senator kept right on and fin
! ished it. Then Mr. Lowry determined to have
/ revenge. So he got force of briclllayerS and
! mortar makers, and in a little while he had a
!
most directly against the side of Mr. Palmers
house. Right up past the windows of the lat
ters gorgeous dining-room he carried it, cutting
off completely the light that was expected to
stream through them. Mr.. Lowry vowed that
if necessary he would build the wall as high as
the Washington Monument. But it had a dis
NAL effect upon the Senatorial mansion. The
dining room is as dark as a dungeon. and the
family will have to depend entirely upon gas
light.
MRS. GEN. BURNETTs CASE.
The Pension Bureau is in receipt of thousands
of letters from all parts of the country indi-
eating the existence of widespread but erro-
neous impression that the recent decision of
the Supreme Court in the case of Mrs. Hattie
A. Burnett VS. the United States would bring
about great change in the rates of pension
allowed to widows of soldiers of the late war.
| The decision, which was rendered by Justice
Harlan, on the contrary, sustalns the practice
of the Pension Office. Mrs. Burnett's husband,
Gen. Ward H. Burnett, was allowed pension
of S72 per month by special act of Congress
on account of his totally helpless condition due
to wounds received during the Mexican war
The widow was allowed pension of $50 in
accordance with the provisions of the general
law She, however appealed to the Court of
Claims, claiming the same amount per month
that her husband had received. The court in
its decision used this language: " The widow
at the same rate her husband was entitled to if
his claim were founded upon what in the pen
sion law is technically called total disability
The degree of disability by which his pension
was rated makes no difference with the widows
right. After death all degrees of disability are
considered by law as one and the same, to wit,
total disability; and the rate of pension given
to that grade becomes the rate of pension for
the widow The pensions to living soldiers are
graded according to their respective ncapacty
to perform manual labor. When the disability
is total $50 month is given as an equivalent.
a pension of $50 month, the supposed equiva-
lent for total disability, is, therefore, granted
the widow" The decision of the United States
Supreme Court, which has been so much mis-
understood, simply afiirms the judgment of the
Court of Claims, and the long-establShed prac-
tice of the Pension Bureau has thereby received
the sanction of the highest tribunal in the land.
HE SHOULD WRITE BETTER.
Mr.. Henry Watterson, of the Louisville
Courier Journal, has a weakness peculiar to all
great journalists. He writes such a shocking
bad hand that nobody can read it. He can't
even read it himself on cold days. 1t was this
that caused him to be so numerically snubbed
at the War Department the other day. He
walked into the building with an air that made
the colored messengers and doorlzeepers think
he had just bought the premises and had come
to take possession. Being asked for his card at
Une secretary door lie 1npatlentiy ScrlDbled
off what he intended for " II. Watterson" But |
he made the is like rs and didn't cross them
at all. Mr.. Endicott focused his eyeglasses on
the wretched scrawl for a minute or two and |
then exclaimed " m, Wallerson, Wallerson,
l never heard of any such person Tell him
L don't know him and can't see him now for !
Pm very busy!" Wholly unconscious of the
real state of the case Mr.. Wallerson 3" went off
in great huff, uttering sheoic words till the
very air was sulphurous around him.
GENUINE SURPRISE.
There was surprise party" at the Post |
Office Department the other day. 1t was caused |
by John L. Morton, of Arkansas, who presented |
himself in response to notification that he had |
been selected for 81 900 clerkship through the
Civil Service Board. In accordance with the |
rules the Postmaster General made a reauisi- |
tion upon the Board for material with which to |
fill vacancy, and four names were sent TO him |
as usual. Morton was chosen on account of his !
good standing as shown by the record of his |
examination. There was nothing to show his |
pedigree, the single fact being given that he was |
a schOol-teacher by occupation. The surprise
came in when it was discovered that he was "a
colored man. Of course there was nothing to |
be said, as the Civil Service law recognizes no
On account Of color. The Off
Gals had no chance to back out, even if they
desired to do so, and Mr.. Morton was directed |
TO report for duty iii the morning. He will be
In the Elr5t Assistant PoStmaSter-GeneralS !
Office.
AS TO DAKOTA.
1t is beginning to look more as though |
another star will be added to the flag this
Winter by the admission of Dakota 1t is true
that many OF the Democrats do not relish the
reinforcement of the Republican majority in
the Senate by the two that will be almost GER
tain to come from Dakota, but there is really
no valid excuse for keeping her out in the cold
any longer. OF course political considerations
ought to have no weight in deciding such ques-
ton, but congressman are human, and they
can't help it, Some of the leading Democrats
are beginning to express themselves in favor of
Dakota's admission, although they object to
the proposed division Of the Territory, as that
will give still another presumably Republican
State in the near future. But there is fast
growing opinion that Dakota will get in soon.
PoSTOFFICE MATTERS
The commissions of more than 100 Presidep-
tial postmasters will expire during the month
Of January. Nearly the same number terrni-
mated during December, but comparatively few
changes were made. 1t is expected that large
grist OF nominations will be sent to the Senate
soon. Since July i over 5000 changes have
been made in fourth-class post-offices, out of
possible $1,000,
The time named for receiving bids for carry
ing the mails on steamboat and "star" routes
in the Western States and Territories expired
on Saturday. The number received was largely
in excess of those of previous years. The con.
tracts will be let Feb. 23.