Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-08-21
MRS. TOMPKINS, POSITION.
Washington Lady Who Shops for
the Supreme Judges.

The busiest woman in Washington
during the summer recess of the Su.
preme Court of the United States is
Mrs. Tompkins, formerly of Ken lucky.
Mrs. Tompkins probably has the droll.
est shopping list to be found. Just as
soon as the Supreme Court justices va.
cate for the summer months Mrs. Tomp-
kins began to make it up. She has to
buy everything that the nine honorable
justices can possibly want for the COM
ing year, both for comfort and utility
In professional work. Mrs. Tompkins
has the entire care of the nine gentle
men who form the last court of appeals
In the country. She holds q position
that has apparently no title just now,
but that ineffable air of dignity sur
rounding the court depend on her for
its maintenance-much, it is said in Sc.
cret, to the annoyance of the great
judicial minds whom it surrounds.
The nine little pages who are at the
beck and call of the nine big Judges
are under Mrs. Tompkins' control, and
in the intervals between the court and
the time they have to report to her and
the opening of the judicial session,
Mrs. Tompkins keeps them actually
studying as if they were at school. This
is plan of her own devising, and the
nine pages manage to keep out of mis-.
chief. The court room has to be cleared
under Mrs. Tompkins' direction. All
repairs are made in the same way. Mrs.
Tompkins shops during the summer for
the court, and generally comes on
wholesale tour. She knows just W hat
every justice wants for his work, and
never would dare offer an innovation.
The same sort of paper is used year in
and year out One justice insists on
one kind-can't work with any other.
And every one of the nine use differ
ent lot of paper and pens. Certain
firms make special styles just for these
justices, and Mrs. Tompkins knows
where to find each kind. In furnish
ing the court room and robing rooms
all the old style articles have to be du-
plicated. There are certain kinds of
candles and candlesticks on her list,
various shades and grades OF twines,
towels, note pads, sealing wax, pens,
and a thousand things that none but
the initiated could imagine were neces-
sary to running court. Each justice
is entitled to the furnishing of work
room or library at his own residence.
Mrs. Tompkins also has to keep these
supplied, and as far as possible tries to
shop ahead during the summer to last
the coming year. When a new justice
comes in she finds out his peculiarities
as quickly as possible after she orders
his new robe, and as soon as she has
suited him once she settles down to
accepting up Vne same sort OF furnish
ings, which she doles out in true house
wifely fashion as needed.
She sees to ordering the judges
lunches during session and the only
thing she doesn't perform that properly
belongs TO her position is "crying
court" She is young, dark haired
woman, originally from Kentucky, is
very strong in her likes and and dis
likes, and halo of the Supreme court
dignity seems to hang about her. The
only sound that disturbs the frozen air
behind the scenes of the court is the
thoroughly French frou-frou of the
si!ken skirts in which Mrs. Tompkins
delights.-New York World.