The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-12-12
SOME FAMOUS GAvELS.
Little Difficulty in DispOsing of Those
Inv sv

Used by Famous Men.
Mr.. Gladstone was asked last summer
where he got all the gaves that hung upon
the walls of his library at Hawarden. He
said:
They have been collected from life long
experience. Some of them date back to col
lege life when I was president of boys soci-
cites, and had the pleasure of welding the
gavel."
If Mr. Choate's committee in the consti-
tutional convention, which for so many
weeks listened to woman's suffrage argu-
ments in the state capitol at Albany last
year, had reported in favor of striking the
word male from the constitution, the
woman suffragists were going to beg the
gavel from Mr.. Choate SO they could have
venirs.
One of them-so sure of victory was She
actually designed gavel pins, and got up
several little ornaments out Of pine to see
how many could be got out of a piece of
wood no bigger than Mr.. Choate's gavel.
Mrs. Palmers gavel--the one by which
she kept order among the LADY members"
during those stormy ante-far days-is one
of the proudest ornaments of her boule-
ward home, and the chair presented to her
by the ladies of a western state for the
committee meetings will doubtless go to the
fair memorial building in Chicago, where
the gavel may also be added to the things
historical
Secretary Carlisle presided over the house
several times, and used many gaveis. In
Washington no gavel is ever permitted to
see the second season of usefulness. Mrs
Carlisle wanted them very much to be-
queathe to her descendants, if nothing
more, for she is one Of the few women who
appreciate their husbands qualities, and be-
leve they will be famous in history
AS the closing days of the sessions APP
preached Mrs. Carlisle always got very
| a ahn no poy NJ x1rhnr Hc
last day was at hand she stationed friends
all over the house to catch the gavel when
the speaker, in accordance with the custom
should throw it, as he announced the ad
journment.
Those present knew Mrs. Carlisle wanted
it, and they let her friends catch it for her
This happened only twice
Lord Rosebery was presiding officer of a
society in Christ Church College, Oxford
The gavel he used hangs now above his Ii
brary mantel in his town house.
SPEAKER Samuel Randall handled three
gavels during his Washington career. Two
were caught by friends and presented to
the daughters and sisters of the Randall
family, and the other was grabbed up by a
man who presented it with his best compli-
| ments to a museum Of historical things in
Richmond. Va.
Speaker Reed secured his famous gavel
himself by sort of subterfuge, stationing
interested friends where they could catch it
Mrs. Blaine once succeeded in catching one
thrown by her husband at an adjournment
of the house.
Bismarck was always singuarly neglect
full of the uses of this important instrument
of good order, for he would thunder his
commands and would stamp upon the pla t.
form and get silence in that way.
There is a German story that the title
Man of Iron came to Bismarck at one of
these meetings. He had frowned upon the
| members of a committee to denote that he
wished silence and then, as there was still
a buzz in the room he brought down his
fist with great force upon the Handicapped
desk. The blow broke it.
1.-THE Man of Iron,' exclaimed one of the
German councillors present.
Eyes, and the man of blood, too' eiacu-
| lated another, as a few drops of blood
| trickled from the wounded palm.
| Making gave.s is very remunerative for
manufa cturers, for they are bought in great
| quantities by the city governments without
| inquiries as to the cost. And many are
purchased every year by clubs that do not
know just what piece Of wood is worth
Then, too, there is call for very eXpen-
sive ones for womens clubs and fancy ones
| for the meetings that are held for charity
| in the winter. something very pretty, in
deed! is asked for, and the manufacturers
| put a great deal of work upon the little i'm
| plements, knowing that the buyers are
willing to pay all 1t is worth.
Speaker Crisp gave his gavel at the close
of the last session to Miss Barrett of
Georgia, one of the prettiest girls in the
state. Several historic ones have been pre-
sented to his royal hghness, the Duke of
York, and in this country a great many
have found their way with the compli-
ments of the chairman to Chauncey NJ.
Depew.
Chester A. Arthur, when he was vice
president, said:
Il presume that swapping my fingers
would call the senate to order or the
tinkle of a bell turn every face to me- But
for heavy dignity, give me ponderous
gavel. Chicago Herald.
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