Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-31

porters upon the good work done by the


carpenters.
Speaking OF the reporters the
veteran continued. reminds me OF
one, now dead and gone. who was
really wonderful man. His name
was William Hinclis, and he ca me from
SohaSsst, Mass. lie was 4 great friend
OF Stuart Robson. then rising young
actor. Hincks was natural sanius.
lie spoke half dozen different lam
suaSeS. and had 4 Very retentive men,
ofS. lie could repeat verbatim al
most any current quotation, and was
| Invaluable 10 Congressman Who used
quotations il their speeches. He was
snort and stout, with u Ions face, ans:
naa q big round bald head. In talking
he seemed to Jerk the words GU. OF
hlnseit py quick motion OF his
arms. y sicnocranhcr OF remarkable
speed. he confined himself 10 no one
system of reporting. In an emergency
he created a system of his own. | re-
call one instance when ON visiting the
reporters room saw a page OF stono-
graphic characters made by Uincks
In the middle OF the PAGE were large
circles: one had n dot in the center,
and the o-hcr Il dot on the outside
Curiosity led me 10 ask llincks The
meaning OF these odd characters.
Plain ae the nose on your face he
replied. This pointing 10 the circle
with the dot in it, means "lu the
world" and the other, tout OF the
wcrld."'
Some Congressman had used these
words in speech, and lIincks had
made these characters 10 express them.
They had been used in the same sem
tence. which brought them near To-
gethcr.'
In aliuding to his experiences the vet
tcran toia many Il story OF Congression-
al life. lie sympathized with the new
| members in their efforts to solve the
mysteries OF the departments. Their
first great trouble was with the Pension
Office. He said:
az Western member who entered
Congress some years ago dcternnin i %
attend 10 his pension business personal
~. He first appeared at the Pension
Bureau with about 500 letters from ap-
plicants for pensions living in his dis
trict. Entering the Deputy c minis
scner's rooms. and seating himself at
the tnb'c, he carefully selected about
ten letters and called for the file In
each case. They were brought tp him
and he infinitely examined each paper
IS he WAS n lawyer. accustomed to
( briefs. he did his work thoroughly All
day long the clerk in charge Watched
him. At 4 O'Clock Il ucss enger cal Il
his attention 10 the hour FIR the clos
ing OF ihe bureau, and told him that
( they wonld retain the h'es for him and
( lie could b gin work again n the M ,rn-
/ ins. As he was leaving the room The
! clerk Impressed with his remarkahlc
! industry, handed him 4 tablet OF blank
! forms, telling him that if he would fiji
/ them cut properly the bureau Itself
+ would rs 9 tan the facts in ouch q, Q
! and rep IT to him by mail. After thor
oushlF u ders auding The pop 81 The
/ lnsmlcr to * the blants and want
II Il
! ne thcm out. and placed each orc In Il
/ separate Stamped cnvclops. Tho next
/ day he liver d the envelopes person
/ ally at tho bureau. thanked the 81 srl5
F! and reached the House late fo, pray-
I Crs"
The cx-congrcssmnn told many a
/ "reminiscences of his visits to the depart :
I ments in the oldcn times. On one 6c-
/ castor he went 10 the Navy Dcpnr,
/ ment II was while Commodore John
1 u. Walker, now a rear admiral on the
! retired lisr was chief o. the Bureau of
| Navigatton. y young ensign. fresh from
ms cadetsfiN. aud inbued with duo
sense OF his Importance. entered tho
| bureau. Meeting man in a business,
| he said: - y
II want to see Walkcr?"
| Walker?" '''
| The ensign returned "Why, Walker.
| the chief of this bureau"
Il am Commodore Walker. chief of
the bureau" was the reply.
AT this the modification OF the youn,-
olhccr was apparent. He colored. slut
tercu. and when he recovered his speech
| was profuse in his apologies.
commodore" he stammered, IT beg
your pardon"
The commodore bese>chncly re-.
piled: Don't call me commodore: call
me John"
~, The ensign is now a lieutenant, and
did his duty in the cnga gcr'ent ut san
tago. No man is more slit in OH
serving naval discipline and ctio,lctte
| Inc veteran added an ether naval
| story fr7m his repertoire. Uo l,n1
heard Il in Catski'l where CAPTAIN Ron
| Icy -. Evans robbed birds nests md
| chSsed chinmunks when Il hoy. He en-
| ,e!ed n fashion7' bic church in New
| lork while on duty there Fiud.nr ,
! desirable rev empty he occrple1 il and
Dowed In reverence. \ moment after
| W3rd gentlemen nnd q lady In rich
attire seated themselves In the same
pew. The gentlemen scowIed ot m.
| CERTAIN and finally passed III n card
| "itn these words written ,,pos ". ar
| !aF = 400 year for this rev" Can
tan Evans read TIE card wih intense
W.. .Nvsorest Turned it over, ana wrote:
| Cartair Evans fraouentlv drnto, ~,
anecaote7 attributed to h m. but he ~
nfNer evincel disposition to denv hi,
II Soc" said the ola st,,osn,,n
that YOU are having a fine timn co.
"fieham II Roberts. of Utah. 7, 70.
l mn, 5, me OF what happened when OLD
Tii iiooDer canc 10 tho Uou.a &c ,
! ilpigg1fp from -, "a -