The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1902-06-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
gIspeciaI Correspondence.l

The provision for Il municipal build
ing in the omnibus public building re-
lport of the committee on public build
ings of the house is highly satisfactory
to Washingtonians generally. The Dis
trict of Columbia under the present
form of government has never had a
building it could call its own, a build
Ing in any way suitable to it's needs,
convenient of location or beautiful to
look upon. In the old days, under the
territorial form of government, the
city hall was the District building, and
it filed the requirements tof that pc,
Rod. AT the time it was constructed
the present city hall was one Of the
beautiful structures of the city. 1t
was hardly built for wear. however,
and has outlived it's usefulness by
r1any years.
When the establishment of the pres
ent form of government was accom-.
plished, the three commissioners were
placed in rented buildings and moved
from place to place as the work of the
various departments increased and de-
Nanded more room. For years the
commissioners, the board of trade and
the various citizens organizations have
appealed to congress for a municipal
building that would provide adequate
accommodations for the departments
of the city government.
scotch CCstuu,e For tI,a NJrsau,n 81
The National museum has received
from Peter Henderson, a military
tailor OF Edinburgh, Scotland, a COM
lplete Scotch highlander's costume for
the exhibit for which the museum is
now preparing and collecting of cos
tunes of the different tribes. nations
and peoples of the world. This costume
arrived in Il Theoretically sealed tin
box. and no one III the museum had
the slightest notion of what it contain
ed until it was opened. The costume
is magnificent and Of the bright red
and green striped plaid of the house Of
Gordon.
The "skene-dhn,' or black knife
that forms part of every highlander's
equipment, is incased in a silver and
leather Sheath. The handle is of black
bog oak carved in the form of a thistle
head. while the end of the handle is
bound round with Il silver rim engraved
with a design of thistles and in which
is set an immense "cairn-gorm," or
handsomely cut and polished topaz, one
of the few precious stones found In.
the mountains of Scotland.
A~stonished Her visitors.
There is a young lady in the navy
department who has a fine sense OF
humor. Part of her duty is to index
the official mail signed by Judge Oar
ling Of Vermont. assistant secretary OF
the navy. Two ladies of her ~acquaint-
ance dropped in upon her the other
day, and in the course Of an interest
ing exchange Of feminine views one or
them exclaimed suddenly:
What Id like to know is what do
you do with yourself here all day. any
how 20
oh, not much was the reply OF the
clerk, except to read a lot Of letters
signed Darling"
Her visitors We're astonished at the
statement and sighed for additional de-
tails. but they were not Forthcoming.
Insignia of Library
In olden times the profession of a
man was proclaimed by the insignia he
wore. That custom has long been aban-
doned, and in u day Il general cannot
be distinguished from an apothecary
save by his bearing. An exception
must be noted, however, in the case Of
the librarian of congress. Mr.. Putnam.
who, like his predecessor. Mr.. Spofford,
carries Il green baize bag to and from
his Office. not for the purpose of an
nouncing his occupation. but to facili-
tate the transportation Of his papers.
The custom is such a practical and SEN
sible one that nearly all of! his employ
ees have followed their chiefs example.
and a voluminous green bag has come
to be regarded as the insignia Of the
staff of the library Of congress.
When the Doctors Agreed.
Not long ago a number of doctors,
representing all the conflicting branches
OF the profession, We're arguing before
the house committee in be-
half Of a bill relating to- the public
health.
Upon this measure" said the
spokesman of the physicians, all the
doctors are agreed.
Representative Hepburn of Iowa
threw~up both OF his hunds. "Gentle-
men" be exclaimed. you had better
leave the room at once 1t is the first
time ! eyer knew doctors to agree, and
! am afraid if you stay here any lon
ger your harmony will be disturbed"
Their Relationship.
Arthur Simmons. a negro doorkeeper
in the White House for the last thirty
years. has been friendly toward Sena-
tor Simmons of North Carolina. When
asked why,-Arthur said:
why. Senator Simmons is almost
related to me. My father was a slave
of Senator Simmons father, and we
have known each other since we were
boys together. He is a good man. and
! like him"
Kermit Reached the Limit.
President Roosevelt does not believe
in interfering with the pleasures Of his
children, but at u recent cabinet meet