The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-16
HIllGTON
By Roy K. Moulton
In the smprcnc Court.
washington. robr,

Washington. February 5.
Dear Editor,-I believe was in
sTucted TO collect an Impression OF
the Supreme Court. 1 did so this morn
ms. The impression was one of un-
utleraoic gloom and / went away feel
Ing sadder than I ever did before At
hrsi glance 1t would appear though
all OF the members were paying for
something on the instalmcnt plan or
were living next to families who opcr-
"te phonoSraphs. or have daughters
taking singing lessons The Supreme
Court must certainly be nursing Sc
cret sorrow. 1t does not seem possible
that any man can be as sad as those
men look
There are good many humorous
things about the Supreme Court. in
Guiding Mr. Justice Hui;hes's whiskera,
winch might appeal TO one with II sense
or the ludicrous. but life there is real.
and life is earnest, and the man who
smiles is lost. There is a tradition
10 the cifec: that man suffering from
influenza happened to sneeze quito re-
Gently one day while the court was Sit
ting, and that he is stil serving time
in one OF the Federal prisons for tho
offcnse.
The matter OF correct attire cuts
quite a figure IN this court. The attor-
ncSs. are expected to wear black ties
ana black frock coats. OF course, they
arc expected TO wear several other
things that need not he mentioned I'm
this chronicle. but they must at least
nave The black ties ana the frock
coats. When went into tho courtroom
after passing the preliminary cxami-
nation. during which told Of the facts
concerning myself which are recorded
on the fly leaf of tho old family Bible
III home, could almost see the official
at the door trying to read the Utmost
secrets of my soul. Loud clothes are
not popular there. The young man
ahead of mo looked suspicious. His
ncckue was of lavender tint
What color is your underwear
young man7" he was asked
Pink" he answered blIthely
step aside, please. This Is no plaoo
for frivolous person"
inside II was as silent as a church
just after the minister has asked
somebody to start a subscription list
slience was so dense that I. could be
cut with knife, and a man with
dollar watch like mine feels very uns
comfortable. One could have heard n
feather drop into n bowl of nusb and
milk. did not dare to sit cross
legged for fear of exposing n nnir
OF green socks that got for Christ
mas
a giddy young thing, evidently from
oskaloosa. Ia. who had in some man
ner smuaEled picture hat with noisy
yellow feathers by the official at tho
door, leaned toward her husband, who
is here with her on her wedding tour.
and asked In n lady-Ilko and innocent
whispeH
who's dead dcar?" |
"Sh-s -sh!' came from the purscd
lips of n dozen ushers.
oh. It was gala cvcn. 7, anv.
body had struck n match suddenly +
about two dozen attendants would have
rage.
Just as though there was not enough
sadness without him, there is an onl
cial crier. Pretty soon he began to
do his crying, and everybody else
started TO crying with him. evidently
out OF pure sympathy. Then the cour,
was In session. and VIC stole safely
away like n thief In tho night, for we
had troubles of our own and did not
want to appropriate any OF those be- 4
longing to tho Supreme Court.