The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-09-19
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.1

Inc neM justice oi the supreme
court, Oliver Wendell Holmes. is re-
ported to have Inherited from his IA
Their n sparkling wit and Il very well
developed sense of humOr. Speculation
rs already rife as to what will happen
Il the new justice III an nadvertent
moment attempts to exercise either
alterations
There has not been a fash of humOr
I'm supreme court proceedings, for
which the court was responsible. since
its organization. and II joke, if made
by member of the bench with the
court in session would certainly be at
tended by disastrous consequences.
A joke or witticiSm calculated TO
make a member OF the supreme court
smile would he like exploding bomb
shell I'm the courtroom. There are a
few members who probably would not
recover from the SHOCK. The others
woulH be safe only in case they were
utterly unable to comprehend the new
members meaning.
Chief Justice Fuller. although an af-
fable man away from the court, is
anything hut humorist. Justice Har-
Ian is man OF broad Sympathics, but
he has the serious cast of mind which
is nodded by long service on the bench.
Justice Gray probably never made a
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.
! "TIeilo, Gray" said Vance cheerful
ly, ARE you travelling for pleasure or
Is your wife along?"
, Mrs. Gray was 80 much along that
she overheard the North Carolina
mans inquiry, and Gray never forgave
Vance. That may be why he detests
humoristS.
One glance at Shlras. the member Of
the court from Pennsylvania, would
satisfy the most casual observer that
he has no time 10 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
Ppckham of New York would brighten
him by the look of amazement with
which he would receive the slightest
suggestion of frivOlity.
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
moment its habitual bearing of ex-
IRENE gravity.
A Launch With n History.
One of the finest steam launches in
use on the Potomac is the launch Mer-
cedrs Of the fleet 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 Il tender OF the Spanish
warship RPina Mercedes. and when
that vessel was captured the launch
fell into the hands OF the war depart
ment. She was used for 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
rior workmanship. and she is perfect
in all her appointments While quite
a small craft. being but forty feet long,
she is admirably adapted for her pres
ent use.
Our COinmakerH Go to China.
The Chinese emperor has compared
the money which is being turned out
of his mints with American coins and
has come to til" conclusion that it is
not handsome enough. 4 cable mes
sage was received from Minister Con-
ger recently asking that two Ameri-
cans skilled i'll the operation of mint
ing machinery be detailed TO take
charge of the Chinese mint for the
purpose of Introducing American meth
dds. There had already been some cor
respondence on the subject. and on re-
ccipt 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 were selected several weeks
ago, but there was a hitch on the mat
ter OF salary. The Chinese officials
thought they came too high. but finally
.rnSentcd to pay the amount asked.
Statesmen Who Keep ScrapbOOks.
Nearly all members OF congress keep
craphnoks. Even Mark Hanna has
full set of all those pictures of him
self The late additions TO his book,
by the way. are quite different from
the earlier pages. Congressman Loud.
who apparently is as obfvious Of all
that is said OF him as anybody. keeps
a complete scrapboOk. For the period
of time it covers the largest scrapbook
is one kept by Senator Beveridge's
private secretary. Ii has already
reached two large volumes. numbering
$50 pages each and taking three solid
newspaper columns TO page. Bev-
eridge. IN spite of his youth and short
term OF public life. is one of the best
duNVTllStu Iiltll lOtfth tue PubiAS.
Postal Economy.
During the last year the government
has saved S25, 200 by the substitution Of
a small metallic clip in place Of rubber
bands in the handling of registered
mail. Mr.. MichPlangclo w. Louis Of
the supply division made up his mind
year ago that it was extravagant to
issue rubber bands for this purpose
and told the pOstmaSters he would
give them the clips instead. There
was protest, but Louis was firm.
They did not get the bands, and the
books at the end of the fiscal year
showed the above sum ito the good"
This reveals something of the proper
tons of the nostsI esta hliShInn"'
Stops the Cough and Works off hhc Cold.
Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets cure cold
in one day. No Cure. No Pay. Price 70 cents.
I.ii."oIn t-;hrdraI.
The Lincoln cathedral occupied nine
ty years in building. An English con-
tractor has recently estimated that he
could reproduce it in a few years for
SJ,OOO.OU0
Lotteries.
The lottery is an Italian invention.
Prussia has had state lottery since
1903. France and England have ahol-
iShcd the state lottery, but other Eu-
roppan states derive much revenue
from this source.