Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-03


branch to the western limits of George
town, on which vines in prOfusion are not
to be seen. They run along fences. climb
porches and in numberless instances cover
the entire fronts of houses.
THE species that is most abundant in the
District of Columbia. I am Informed, is the
Ampelopsis veitchii. its common name being
south side ivy. 1t belongs to the grape
from one now at the botanical gardens,
which was originally imported from a spot
in England very near Windsor Castle
X X X X
81 can understand just how that young
lawyer feels said Judge Liddon of Florida,
the prosecuting officer In the Swayne Inn
parchment proceedings, at the Capitol the
other day. The committee had adjourned
for luncheon. and Mr.. Liddon was referring
to the boast of a lawyerwitness who had
been on the stand during the morning, that
he was "a mighty good collector of bad
debts"
Yes, Stree" continued the judge. remlnis-
Gently. "once upon time Twas mighty
proud of my reputation along the same line.
l was known pretty generally as the best
handler Of bad debts in my neck of the
woods, and being young and enthusiastic, l
was proud of the distinction But one day
was handed a bill against man who
had as good a reputation in his own line
as had in mine. I was never known to
fail in collecting a debt. while he was
never known to pay one. 1t was a matter
of pride with me to get the money. and a
matter of pride with him not to pay. You
know what happens when an irresistible
force meets an immovable object. We fooled
and fddled around until finally got des-
perate. Sam Ribber,' 1 said earnestly,
| you have got to pay I've never failed to
get the money and I'm not going to begin
on an ornery cuss like you. You pay that
money by Saturday morning or I'll have
you In jail Saturday afternoon
a L a.
DON he said to me. that 1 never paid a
debt and you're mistaken II you think
any one-horse lawyer can ruin my lifelong
reputation
"And didn't manage to collect. either"
said the judge. regretfully. s.
We'll. guess you put him in Jail all
right" said listener.
No." said Mr.. Liddon, smilingly. ''the
mean dog found out that I had him, and
that he'd either have to pay or go to jail
on Saturday, so he up and died late Friday
night
X X X
An effort was made a few days ago to
| ascertain something about clerks who were
employed in particular division of the
| Treasury Department nearly twenty years
! ago. During the investigation a number of
| interesting and amusing stories were told
of the clerks.
1T was like a game of politics." re-
marked the person who made the inquiries
In the case Of almost every clerk about
whom inquiry was made there was some
thing said about family matters and official
life. and it was like looking up records
from the cradle to the grave. Scarcely a
clerk in the whole division had a clean
record. so far as the gossips were con-
cerned.
There was one story which impressed
me with the fair dealing Of the chief of
one DIVISION he said. "It seems that a
colored messenger. whose record was the
| best, and one of the white clerks, who
thought he had an extra amount of infu-
ence. engaged In a fight. and the latter
reported the affair to the chief with a view
to having the messenger dismissed. The
chief was busy at the time and had to ask
the clerk what he had said When the
request for the messengers dismissal had
been repeated the chief turned and said to
the clerk: why didn't you can me? I
certainly do enjoy scrap sometimes +" -.
* X
A story is told Of the high esteem in
which the father Of Gen. John M. Wilson
was held as a public official in this city
many years ago. The elder Wilson was
in those early days commissioner of the
land office, and there was great need then
for efficient and honest service in the adj
ministration of the affairs Of that office.
AS time went on Wilson's place was covet-
ed by Representative Joseph Letcher. then
q member of the House of Representatives.
and later governor Of Virginia. Letcher
went to the President and demanded VIII
sons place for one of his constituents.
The President responded that he could not
get along without Wilson: that the place
was one Of Importance, and Wilson had
proved to be SO efficient that he did not
propose to take chances on any one else.
Wilson remained in the place. but Letcher
made a hard fight In the House to get
through a bill to have the office abolished,
but in that he was not successful.