The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-03-07
THE SUPREME COURT CIRCLE.
1t Forms n Self Interested Social Cominu-
nifty In the National Capital.


A serious faced, sombcr garbed and high
hated procession is one Of Washington's
interesting everyday sights 1t occurs on
Pennsylvania avenue. 1t is the solemn
march Of the justices of the supreme court
from the capitol to their homes in the fash
ionablo west end. At 4 o'clock the court
adjourns. 1t matters not If counsel is in
the middle of an argument. The justices
sit where their eyes fall upon the face Of
the marble clock over the door. As the
long hand verged on 12 and the short hand
Is ut A, the chief justice stops the proceed
ings and announces that the hour of adj
journment has arrived There is only one
instance on record in 10 years when the
session has been prolonged beyond the usu-
al hour That was when Mr.. Cleveland
then ex- president, made his only appear
ance before the court. At 4 o'clock he had
not quite finished his argument. Chief
Justice Fuller interrupted with the usual
announcement.
II have but little more to say" replied
the cx-president, thumbing two or three
typewriter sheets. Il would much prefer
to finish tonight, SO that l can take train
for New York.
With that Mr. Cleveland proceeded The
chief Justice bowed, and the court sat un
til 90 minutes past 4. 1t was u great in
novation.
Ten minutes after the adjournment
the members of the court are swinging
down the avenue at five miles an hour
gait. Sometimes they are in pairs, some
times in threes, sometimes singly. Rarely
they are in chatty mood and talk and
laugh Oftener they stride along with
their heads bent forward, each absorbed in
lie tn "a
degree that he may pass members of his
own family without recognition.
The supreme court circle forms little
community of itself for social ends. 1t
has its days and its dinners The esprit
de corps Is strong. 1t embraces the fami-
lies, tho private secretaries, the officers of
the court, and even extends to employees
and servants. The supreme court page
for tho court has corps of pages to go for
books and papers and to bring glasses of
water--feels that he Is an entirely differ
ent young person from the senate or house
page. Then there are the supreme court
messengers. Each Justice has messen-
ger. AS soon as u new Justice comes to
town he is called upon by the colored man
who served his predecessor. The colorcd
man introduces himself and Immediately
assumes all of those minor duties and cares
which come within the province of well
trained messenger. To some now justice
it is II novel sensation to have messenger
take charge of him. One of these messon-
gers called upon u western appointee and
briefly announced
Il was the messenger of the late Mr..
Justice So-and-so."
"Well?" asked the successor.
i've come to be your messenger" said
| the colored man.
II don't know that I need your serv-
ices, replied the justice.
"Oh, yes, SIR" said the colored man,
you do Every member of the cot has a
messenger. I'm yours.
Unabashed by the protest and the cool
ness, the colored man attached himself
without further explanation and entered
upon his duties. The service may seem
awkward at first, but the justices soon find
that il is pleasing. There is no case on
record Of a justice dispensing with his
messenger after tho ice is once broken.-
| Leslie's Weekly.