Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-07-26


to know that Justice David j. Brewer,
who summers at Thompson's Point. be-
levcs that it is an art to loaf success
| fully. According to n writer in the Bos-
ton Sunday Globe Justice Brewer made
this statement In talk as to the man
ner in which he spends his leisure sum
mcr time on Lake Champlain. away from
the daily duties of Washington life.
! The writer's talk with the justice was
as follows:
40, I'm nothing on earth but a loafor,"
said Mr. Brewer; that is, from June to
| october. l am absolutely no account to
anybody in the world, and don't make
a single unnecessary move from the time
| leave Washington till | get back to
| it,"
Then how do you squandcr your al
lotted "a hours n day."
II don't do any fishing or rowng-the
Missouri river is responsible for that. but
that's another story-and ! had one ex-
perience with hunting which resolved me
to rest on my laurcls thcnceforward; so
there Is really nothing for me to do at
Lake Champlain but lie on the grass and
sleep"
But why did you let the Missouri
river stop your fishing caroer?"
MISSOURI TOO MUDDY FOR FISH.
"Humph. you just ought to see that
water. 1t is so muddy and thick that no
self-respecting fish would stay in It for
long, and the only things you can catch
| in 1t are catfish. | used TO be quite Il
| fisher when | was a buy. and was very
proud of my past record, so when we
moved over into Kansas l polished up
my rod and sailed forth to show the
the native youths the temper of my
sporting blood. / came back with Kansas
mud smeared over me from top to toe,
and nothing but some big-mouthed cat
fish TO show for my days work. After
that ] let fishing alone, and gradually
forgot the art. Then a man gets lazy
rs he gets old. anyway"
"Well. what did the Missouri do to
your rowing?"
Justice Brewer threw his head back
and laughed in sudden recollection.
WHY HE DOESN'T ROW.
THAT was n funny experience. / de-
clare. a chum of mine and myself start
ed out to row for a few hours one after
noon. We started gayly off down stream,
TIL 1t began to grow late. | suggested
that we had better be starting back,
against the current. We turned the boat
about. and do you know we couldn't
make three feet against the current. |
pulled on one side and he pulled on the
other. and the boat didn't bulge. Finally, |
We headed for the nearest shore. He |
staid in the boat with a long pole and |
showed along as fast as he could, and |
walked along the bank. pulling a rope |
attached. That stopped the rowing"
And you never feel that YOU owe the |
Missouri a grudge. DO you, for carrying
away in its swift current your delight in /
sports?"
II never miss them any more I'll tell !
you about my hunting experience, and |
WY it is that never do that any more.
THE JUSTICE AS A HUNTER.
II always liked to go along with the
hunting parties, just for the outing. !
couldn't shoot. l don't really think ] .
could hit the side of house if tried: l.
but liked the excitement of taking my
gun and dogs, following around the coun-
try behind the men who had a State rep
utation for accurate shooting.
I'VE had just finished a long days /
shooting and We're almost home. when
some man in the crowd said | couldn't
hit stag If they tied him and stuck my
gun against his side. About that time
big jack rabbit jumped out of a thictet
and l said: Gentlemen, if you are such .
wonderful shots. I'd like to have that
rabbit for. my supper. Away they fired.
and the dirt flew around the rabbit. but
he kept straight on running.
"'Well' I said. lust watch real hun
ter and I stuck my rusty gun against
my shoulder and blew the rabbits head I
off. After the party caught breath again. J.
they wanted me to try my hand at some
real game, but from that day to this
have never shot at any living thing.
because man who wilfuly tempts his
luck deserves n downfall I was quite
ready to rest on my laurels"
did the sport never appeal to you
enough to warrant taking it up In earn
est and learning to hit things?"
II liked It: yes. but I couldn't shoot
quick TO save my life, Just as something
to take very careful aim, and by the
time l decided that where I was point
ing would coincide with the whereabouts
of the creature when I shot there wasn't
a thing in sight to shoot at"
II know the Missouri river didn't de-
stroy your love for walking"
That is right. do lots Of walking
to keep me from getting old and fat" L
SLEEPS ON THE GRASS.
and so on Lake Champlain YOU sim
ply lie on the grass and Sleep"
1T does sound mighty trihing | know"
Justice Brewer, "but ! do work
pretty hard all winter, and then. I think
sometimes it isn't such a bad art after
all, to LOAF successfully.
Somebody once said that loafers are
born to their parts, anyway. and | think
"A man has to have some training and
good deal of talent to idle away his time
In my summer cottage |
never get bored or disguised, and yet
most of the time I am lying stretched
out in my yard or the nearby woods
doing absolutely nothing. My noighbors
drop in to chat occasionally but for the
most part l am perfectly good for moth
iHg the whole summer long"
THAT Is terrible arraignment I Won
der If anybody else could say It with
impunity?"
"Mrs Brewer does" he answered With |