Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-10-13
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

The new justice Of the supreme
court, Oliver Wendell Holmes, is re-
ported TO have inherited from his ia
ther a sparkling wit and very well
developed sense Of humor. Speculation
Is already rife as TO what will happen
# the new justice In an inadycr1rnt
moment attempts to exercise either
W.iilc the court is engaged in its de.
libcrHtions.
There has hot been a flash of huuor
in supreme court proceedings, for
which the court Was responsible, sine"
its organization, and a joke, if made
by II member Of the bench with the
court in session, would certainly be at,
tended rs disastrous consequences.
4 joke or WilUci-m calculated to
make IA member of the supreme court
fmi'o would he Ike exploding a Tomb.
shell in tho courtroom. There are II
lew Ecmler~ WHO probably would not
recover from the shock. The Others
Woul he SHfp ouly in case they Were
utterly unable to comprehend the new
members n,anii-,
chief Justice Fuller, although an AT
fable nan away from the court, is
anything but humorlst. Justice Har-
IAN is IL man OF broad sympathieS. but
he has the serious east OF mind which
is nodded by long service on the bench.
Justice Gray probably never made IA
joke in his life and considers levity in
bad taste The late Senator Vance Of
North Carolina once met Gray in Eu-
rope in some old Italian palace.
Hello, Gray" said Vance cheerful
ly, ARE you travelling for pleasure or
is your wife along?"
Mrs. Gray was SO much along that
she overheard the North Carolina
mans inquiry, and Gray never forgavs
Vance. That may be why he detests
humorists.
One glance at Shiras, the member Of
the court from Pennsylvania, would
satisfy the most casual observer that
he has no time to ponder over jests
and no interest in them. 1t is not on
record that Shiras has laughed heartily
since he was accused, wrongfully, it is
now said, Of changing his mind upon
the income tax.
Justice Brown would discourage the
most inveterate joker and Justice
Peckham of New York would brighten
him by the look Of amazement with
which he would receive the slightest
suggestion Of frivolty.
Those who know the court best do
not think Justice Holmes will be able
to impress it with his sense of the lu-
dicrous or cause it to change for a
moment its habitual bearing Of ex-
trene gravity.
A Launch With q History.
One of the finest steam launches in
use on the Potomac is the launch Mer-
cedes Of the feet Of the quartermas-
ter's department, L. S. A., and detailed
for service as the pleasure launch OF
the officials Of the war department.
She has during the past summer car.
ried many Of the leading officials of the
government on pleasure excursions,
and all praise the beautiful little boat.
The Mercedes has history. Built in
England for the Spanish government
she was made tender of the Spanish
warship Reina Mercedes, and when
that vessel was captured the launch
fell into the hands of the war depart
ment. She was used for a short time
In Cuba and at the close of the war
was brought here and fitted out for her
present service. The boat is of supe-
r1or workmanship, and she is perfect
III all her appointments. While quite
small craft, being but forty feet long,
she is admirably adapted for her pres.
ent use.
Our COinmakers Go to China.
The Chinese emperor has compared |
the money which is being turned out
OF his minis with American coins and |
has come to the conclusion that it ia |
not handsome enough. A cable mes |
sage was received from Minister Con
ger recently asking that two Ameri-
cans skilled in the operation Of mint |
ing machinery be detailed to take
charge of the Chinese mint for the
purpose OF Introducing American meth
ods. There had already been some cor
respondence on the subject, and on re-
eeipt of the cable Mint Director Rob.
erts detailed Assistant Assayist Ma.
gruder and Assistant Superintendent
OF Machinery Emory. both at the New
Orleans mint
They We're selected several weeks
ago, but there was hitch on the mat
ter or salary. The Chinese officials
thought they came too high, but finally
consented to pay the amount asked.
Statesmen Who Keep ScrapbooLs.
Nearly all members of congress- keen
Even Mark Hanna has
Full set of ali those pictures Of him.
self. The late additions TO his book
by the way. are quite different from
the earlier pages. CongreSsman Loud
VINO apparently is as oblivious of AN
that is said of him as anybody. keens
complete scrdpbook. For the neriod
d line it covers the largest scrapbooli
IS one kept by Senator Revpril,...s