Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-04

novel is not there ID any great num-
bers. J1dge Smiths theory about
reading books that time has sifted out
as valuable is supplemented by posi-
tive notions about -buaing books. He
does not care for anything by piece
meal. Selections, and complications
have no attraction for him. II an au-
thor attracts his favor he wants the
complete work, preferring to make
his own selections. AS would be In
ferred from what has been said here
tofore, Judge Smith is d lover of old
books. and 1t is, no small pleasure for
him to: scan the. shelves of the big
secondhand book establishments at
Washington. picking up a priced vol
uime here and there. Selections made
this way. however, are with a view
to adding something to his store of
knowledge on those subjects in which
he delights, rather than to add the
rare or curious to his library merely
fo- the sake of that.
Has Genial Disposition.
So much has been said here about
Judge Smith and his books that the
reader who does not know the man will
be about ready to believe him book
worm, and, perhaps, a recluse. NO
more erroneous idea would be possible.
Along with his love of books and study
Judge Smith has an affable nature and
a genial disposition, and enjoys per
sonal acquaintance with more Of the
people of southwest Iowa than perhaps
any other man. He is unpretentlous,
and never protrudes the learning he
possesses, and has the happy faculty
of putting at least anyone with whom
he may be thrown, while on the other
hand he is lost in no company, and on
no subject, unless perhaps it enter into
the purely technical. His rare adapt
ability is we'll illustrated by what was
said by young attorney of one OF the
county seats, where Judge Smith held
court while on the bench. Judge
Smith is liked by everybody in our
town because he knows them and
speaks to them when he sees them. He
treats us young fellows with as much
consideration, both outside and inside
the court room, as the older men, and
j is never distant with any of us. II ne
meets one of us on the street, it's
Come on, Ben, let's take a waikiki And
an hour spent with the judge that way
is delight to anyone" But to know
Judge Smith in his home it is neces-
sary to understand him among his
books, and to learn how, with but com
mon advantages, and no college educa-
ton, he has come to be one OF the
ablest men of the state, and, as his
close friends realize, one of the able
men of the country, with a promising
future before him 1t is necessary thus
to know HON a mother ambitious for
i her son started him on the road to a
good education and success when his
i years were yet very few in order tc
!, appreciate what his home life is to
him.
When asked the other day how he
, spent his vacation at home, If it was
not true. that he put in much of the
time raising radishes and lettuce, can
mas and sweet peas, Judge Smith re
piled: "Well largely So" OF course
as fact these things get little of his
time, as the duties of the congress
sional office and his law practice make
heavy demands upon him, but for pas
; time morning and evening in the spring
>. of the year he likes nothing better
than working in his small garden
!, small, because the dimensions OF the
: lot forbid anything else-and watching
! ! the development of the plants. Int
I Gamma bed is his favorite here, ant
it is likely that if he could have bu
: six-foot patch-and, in fact, he ha
! but little more than that for cultivation
l he would raise cannas
!. Receives Many Callers.
Judge Smiths personal popularit,
$ means much to him in the way o
q work as congressman. Well know
a as he is from one end Of the distric
! to the other there is scarcely cit1ze
4 who does not know from personal e1
q perience or from his neighbor that
), he is troubled about anything at a.
/, in which a congressman might be {
a any assistance to him, he is sure OF
: cordial welcome and earnest conside
alton at the hands of Judge Smith. A
a result the stream of visitors from tn
/ time congress adjour1s until its SCI
'. sions are resumed again is continuous
g All these callers are received at tn
u Smith home. The house is but thre
II blocks from the heart Of the city, an
n the Judge has established no up-toW
s. office since his election to the distrit
IS bench, fourteen years ago. His la
and general library occupy two room
20 of the house, and it is here Jude
s. Smith receives all callers on whatevt
Il mission, and it is here that all tt
work of the congressman and lawy'
or is carried on.
lie 1t might be supposed that with man
n people there would be hesitane
re about going on business to priva
TX house, and especially to the home
h the congressman. There is none
e. this feeling among the people of Cou
III Gil Bluffs and the ninth district wit
reference to the home of Judge Smit
m There is nothing about the modest l.
n tie home to awe the humblest citize
it. and no one calls there for help of al
he kind without going away with the fe'
it ing that ne has been, more than W.
lr- come, and that on another occasi'
ne the same cordially will await him. tt
IT. demands made on a congressman, al
particularly on a man of Judge Smith
temperam ent, take wide range. Q
er portunities for little acts OF llindne
w, ond pbi1onthronv are NOT lacking