The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-10
WEDNESDAY,

a little piece of money I am going to
pay on my grocery bill"
asked, "Who is your grocer?" He
told me, then added, But 1 would be
willing towel, let the grocer wait,
if 1 could find out about the decision
in that case"
1t so happened that Judge Valentine
had a few days before this particular
time finished the opinion in the case
in question, and the sight of that gold
coin upset all my efforts to follow
the judges suggestion to remember
to forget" and all the points Of that
case were remembered without my
CON-" said I, and he handed it to me.
I was surprised that it was only a ten.
as it looked as large as twenty while
he held it. I looked closely at it, then
to walk away, when Mr.. Lawyer in
quired, where are you going?"
replied, ITO ask Judge Valentine If 1t
w1uld be ct, the proper o6 Ting for me TO
Did you ever see a cat nosing
around in the grass jump when half a
brick or an old shoe lights near her?
If so-well, that's about how that hon
orable member of the bar disported
himself when he caught the drift OF
remark 1 don't recall all he said; but
I remember he said, For Gods sake!
and how pleased he would be If l kept
1 L
of the occurrence-"just forget the
whole thing" Did hand the money
back I did not hand the money
back nor did I make any promises;
and this is the first time have men
toned the little episode. That after
noon the cashier of a certain grocery
handed me a receipt for $40, to be
credited to our lawyer friend, which
receipt T mailed to him without COM
ment. Later he thanked me feelinely,
but no further mention was ever made
of this little slip of his by either of u.s.
We were good friends as long as he
lived. and never knew or heard of
his doing anything of a shady nature
again. I guess this little lapse Will
not count for much against him, any
way, as he was a mighty decent man.
MANY things of real interest occur
red while 1 was playing FRIDAY" to
Justice Valentines "crusoe, but I'm
not writing A History of the World.
Justice Valentine stood for every
thing that is good, beautiful, just and
of good report, and would not tolerate
that which was unjust, impure, or
base; and all in all he was one or the
most kindly and lovable of men.
Time and politics mix things con-
Siderably at times.
Justice Brewer of our supreme court
was appointe ed to a federal judgesh1p.
Governor Click, Democrat, appointed
Judge Hurd, Democrat. to succeed
Justice Brewer. The following NO
vember, William Agnew Johnston, Re-
publican, former attorney general, was
elected to fill out Justice Brewers un-
expired term, and has been there"
ever since.
Johnston Held Out Glittering Hopes.
When L congratulated Justice john
ston on his election, he handed me
what I then thought was a bunch of
caloricized atmosphere about having a
strong desire for me to become his
stenographer, adding, however, that
e ~ inc o. a
Judge Valentine, but that it might
come about some day.
Later after different arrangements
were made in Judge Valentines of
flee, and when Judge Johnstons
stenographer could no longer resist
his laundering to go into the real estate
business and gather in the great gobs
of wealth thereunto apperta1nlnS, anu
resigned Judge Johnston ran me down
and coaxed me into filling the yawn-
ing void in his office.
Justice (now chief justice) Johnston
was my boss for many years, and until
hard lines along the health route
caused me to resign; but during all
that time I never knew him to talk
back to his wife, or violate either the
civil or criminal code of Kansas; and
if he ever fractured the Decalogue, 1
never caught him at it.
Kept Pick From Working.
The only cause for complaint 1 ever
-
he wouldn't always let me work when
wanted to. For instance, several
years ago Topeka had team in the
Western League, managed by one
Goldsby, and known as "Goldsby's
Golden Giants" They won the flag
too. I saw that team retire the st. |
Joseph team, at ST. Joseph, in the first
inning. when only three balls were |
pitched, and the ball never touched
the ground nor the catcher's hands!
Frequently, when our team was play |
ing at home, Judge Johnston, along |
about 1880 a. M, would call me to his |
room, and say, '+Well, Mr.. Smith, sup
pose YOU don't want to work this af |
ternoon?" To which I would always |
reply. ''Oh, yes, I do, judge, if there's |
to doI-rather work than not |
any day!" But he would manage some |
how to keep me from returning after |
dinner If [ CHANGED to be late at the |
game, the boys would hold my seat for |
me in the same old place One day, |
lust before the game started, as SUI /
preme Court Commissioners Clogston |
and Greene, accompanied by Justice |
Johnston. came in and took their ac-
customed seats, some one sitting near |
me asked his neighbor, Don't them |
sperm court fellers ever miss gamer,
His neighbor replied, II don't think"
Several times during the last few |
summers that 1 was @stiIl on earth"
and happened to be driving homeward |
from the neighborhood of the baseball |
park about the time the game was over, |
I would see several gentlemen who |
looked to me like present or former |
supreme court justices seemingly lis /
tening to the singing of the birds in |