The Washington herald., 1909-03-08
WASHINGTON CHAT.
BY THE SPECTATOR.

~N-NSt zen. Luxe T. Wright was Clc-
ated Secretary OF War, he renewed many
Old friendships and made many new
ones while Mrs. Wright. an experienced
hostess and versatile woman, assumed
a leading place among the official women
Mrs. Wright. by the way, is a daugh-
Ter OF Rear Admiral Semmes, who en-
tered the navy as a midshipman IN 1906,
and became commander In 1856. lie made
a distinguished record in the Mexican
war, when he served both on board ship
and as an aid 10 Gen. Worth. but on
the breaking out OF the civil war he re-
signed from the navy and joined the
Confederacy. taking immediate command
OF the Sumter at New Orleans. with
which he ran the blockade Of the Missis-
slppi. capturing several American mer-
chantmen in the Gulf
This enterprise was followed by many
similar ones, and his career through
out the war was full Of thrilling ad-
ventures. OF which he tells in his books.
especially in Service Afioat During the
War Between the States" After peace
was declared Admiral Semmes. who had
begun the practice Of law in Mobile, Ala.
was arrested and brought 70 Washington,
where he was imprisoned for four
months. Upon his release he returned 10
Mobile and devoted the remainder Of his
hfe-he died in lS77-JO literary pursuits
Gen. Wright il the son Of Archibald
Wright one time Chief Justice Of Ten
nessee. Before ne was appointed a MEM
Der OF the Philippine commission by
President Mckinley his career IN Ten
nessee had been a notable one. and he
had gained the admiration and affection
Of every one for his energy in fighting
out the yellow fever scOurge in 1878 Mr.
Taft was succeeded both as governor gen
eral Of the Philippines and Secretary OF
War by Gen. Wright. He is a lOvable
man, very direct very simple. and very
earnest Both as governor or the Philip
pines and American Ambassador to To-
kyo, he added 20 the laurels he had al
ready acquired before he went 20 the
Orient Although he boldly asserts in his
biographies that he is a gold Democrat
the general has held Office under two Re
publican Presidents.
The rtirement Of Justice Fuller has 90
often been falsely presaged that any new
rumor must be taken cum grano sails.
for at sevenJy-six Chief Justice Fuller is
seemingly as active. both mentally and
physically. as when he was appointed 70
the bench twenty-one years ago. He
loves his work so well that il sits as
easily upon him as does his judicial robe
Bat In the next few years. besides the
Chief Justice, az least three members Of
the Supreme Court viii retire-Justice
Harlan. who will be seventy-six in June:
Justice Brewer. who celebrated his seven
ty-first birthday last summer. and Jus
tice Peckham, who Is already past seventy
SO that in all probability President Taft
viii have these substantial pluns 20 ais
tribute.
The other members Of the Supreme
Court are comparatively young men
Justice Moody. the last TO receive his
commission. is the baby Of the bench,
. being only hfty-six. then follow Justice
Day, sixty, Justice White. sixty-fOur.
justice McKenna. sixty-six. and Justice
Holmes. siXty-eight-
Justice Holmes is the son Of Dr. Oil
Yer Wendell Holmes. whose name he
bears. and the hero Of his fathers we'll
known story, MY Hunt After The Cap
tain % II is difficult 70 think of this dig
nihed judge. gray. grave. judicial as a
dashing young infantry officer. but such
he was from the beginning 10 the end Of
the civil war. and thrice wounded: shot
through the breast at Balls Bluf. through
the neck at Antietam, and in the heel az
Maryes Heights II was Dr Holmes
search for this son after the receipt OF
the ominous dispatch. capt H
wounded. shot through the neck. thought
not mortal. at KeedysviTe. q" received after
the battle Of Antietam, that he describes
n his story. which is full OF paIhOs. ful
OF humOr and as appealing 10 those who
have passed through ike experiences as
anything the AutOCrat Of the Breakfast
Table ever wrote.
When the agonized father. after suffer
Ing untold disappointmenJs. finally feels
that he is on the right track and almost
within touch of his son. he writes so
quantity and so chsracterisJicsllv: "Te
DeUm Laudamus, The Lords name be
praised, The dead pT.A in the semilumar
ganglion (which I must remind my reader
is d kind Of stupid. unreasoning brain.
/ beneath the pit Of the stomach. common
10 man and beast which aches in the su-
preme moments Of life as when the dam
( loses her young ones. or the wild horse
is lassoedl stopped short. There was a
feeling as II I had slipped of a tight boot
or cut a strangling EarteT-Only IL was
all over my system. What more could 7
ask 20 assure me Of the captains safety
[ As soon as the telegraph Office opens TO-
morrow morning we viii send a message
10 our friends in Philadelphia and get q
/ reply. doubtless. which win settle the
whole matter"
And then when they at last meet the
/ father and his first born. whom he had
sought through many cities" their only
1 greeting was
How are you, boy?"
How are you. dad2''
such" says DR. Holmes. commenting
on this greeting. are the proprietieS OF
/ life. as they are observed among US An
/ glo-SaXons Of the nineteenth century. de-
Gently Disgusting those natural impulses
I that made Joseph, the prime minister oi
/ Egypt weep aloud so that the Egyptians
and the house of Pharaoh heard. nay.
I which had once overcome his shaggy old
uncle. Esau. so entirely that he fell on his
! brothers neck and cried like a baby in
! the presence OF all the women
A Bias the 'POssum.
I From the New York Tribune
/ We protest against the 'possum on spe-
cial principles. He is mean and fgnoble