MINIATURES
enforce what she thinks to be a right. There is much in the relation of all sorts of people which may afford amusement to a mind of philosophical tendency.” Thereupon he gave a hearty laugh.
“You must be a very good-natured fellow,” I ventured, “to have got along so comfortably with Mr. Roosevelt.”
“Roosevelt,” he replied, “is impulsive, but he has as little pride of opinion as any man I have ever known. In all matters in my department, when the reasons were explained to him, he was satisfied. He sees through a problem, too, very quickly. He is mentally alert.”
“What do you think of your Supreme Court?” he inquired.
“It is in good shape,” I answered. “The Chief Justice, Mitchell, is an exceptionally able lawyer—and there are other strong men on the Bench.”
“Do you know Hay Brown?” he asked.
“Yes, I know him.”
“Do you know John Elkin?”
“Yes, and he is making a good judge, better than you might have supposed. As you know, he was a politician and had many associations other than legal. But he is doing well.”
“I knew Judge Joseph P. Bradley of the U. S. Supreme Court,” he said. “He had intended to resign, but he died on the Bench. He had his own antipathies. He came to me when I was solicitor general and said: ‘If you have any respect whatever for my wishes in the matter, you will see to it that that man Paxson of Pennsylvania is not appointed my successor. I never have a pain in the finger that he does not hurry down to Washington and send up his card, inquiring for my health.’ ” Thereupon I laughed.
“Paxson,” I said, “was a man of strong common sense, but lacking in tone. He grew rich.”
“How did he make it?”
