The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-29
Banjo Praises.--3. \

There is door in the middle of the
partition, a double door, held open by
two pages. through which the chief JUS
tlce mounts TO his chair, which is in the
middle OF the row, the senior justices
marching up on his right to their places,
while the junior justices walk all around
behind the partition and-up to their
places on his left. A page
stands behind each chair bright
faced, well-dressed lad. The chief JUS
tice looks to the right to see that all the
senior justices are in place, then to the
left to see that all the junior justices are
in place, the proclamation is made in SOL
emm tones, the justices make their
naughty bow, and then sit down in the
chairs which the pages cautiously push
forward. Then, and not till then is the
supreme court ready to do business.
OPENING THE SENATE.
Vice President Stevenson has made the
opening ceremony in the Senate more
impressive than it was, by several changes
in the arrangements. For example. a
few minutes before IL o'clock all the
pretty, pleasant little pages in their
knickerbocker suits range themselves
directly in front of the senatorial desk in
semi-circle, each boy standing in front
of a desk and being separated from the
next boy by the space between the
desks, so that it is a well ordered line
Then at one minute before IL the Vice
President himself walks in from his room
behind the chamber. followed by the
chaplain, Rev. DR.. Milburn, the blind
man eloquent" led by the smallest of all
the pages, who conducts him, at Mr.
Stevenson's request, not as formerly to
the clerks desk, but to the Vice Presi-
dents place, while the Vice President
modestly takes his station at the side of
his desk on a level with the clerks desk.
and the other officers of the Senate form
in line in front of the clerk desk.
The Vice President takes up the little
white ivory barrel, which serves him for
a gavel, brings it down with light tap
on his gresn-covered desk and softly
says: THE chaplain will offer prayer !"
AT this word every senator in the cham
Der rises to his feet and bows his head.
If he does not close his eyes, in what
seems to bea reverential attitude, and
remains thus while the blind chaplain,
in his musical and sonorous voice, and al
ways original style, invokes the divine
blessing. Chaplain Milburn,n said MIR.
Reed, when he was speaker, and DIR.
Milburn was chaplain of the House, "can
tell heaven more news in his morning
prayer than any other man ever heard. .
This was just Speaker Reeds quaint way
of describing the striking illusions which
Chaplain Milburn likes to make in his
prayers to current events in which con-
gross is, or ought to be interested.
The chaplain S eloquence is not affected.
but entirely natural, although sometimes
his expression becomes very ornate. 1t
has been said that he makes the most
eloquent prayer ever addressed to con-
gress," but this remark, besides being
stolen wit is not true, for his PRAYERS are
not TO congress, but are sincere and
heartfelt, however elaborate in Language.
He is remarkable man, who, if he had
not been blind would probablg Have had
a great place In the public eve and who.
even with the disadvantage of blindness.
has done a great deal of good in the
world, and has reputation all over the
country which any man might desire. He
must be nearly 20 now, and while his hair
and his beard are turning gray, he seems
vigorous as ever as you see him walking.
almost always bareheaded, for he believes
in air and sunlight, hat in hand, on bright
days, by his daughters side, down from
the capitol
When he finishes his prayer in the Sen
ate he shakes hands with Vice President
Stevenson, who then takes the chair, and
is led by the little page down on the floor
where he asks TO be taken to one after
another of the senators VINO are his
especial friends, that he may. in his for
nal and dignified way, shake them bv the
hand and bid them good morning. Every
body has q tender and sympathetic feel