156 Naturalist at Large 



his not liking one of my favorite verbs. If I say I am 

 going "shooting," there is always the impUed expecta- 

 tion that I will find something to shoot, whereas when 

 I take my dog and go "gunning," I may shoot some- 

 thing but I may equally well walk a peaceful day with 

 simply a little added weight on my shoulder. Also, 

 praises be to God, I note that the dictionary treats the 

 word with distinguished courtesy. What's more I hke 

 it and always have liked it and I love to use it — but I 

 love the Justice a thousand times more. Tell him just 

 this. 



Hiss answered: "The Justice read your reply to his 

 letter with much pleasure and amusement. His message to 

 you concerning that dispute is, 'When he goes to Purga- 

 tory he will get rid of gunning.' " 



Justice Holmes was one of the greatest men I ever knew 

 well — if not the very greatest. What made him seem the 

 greater was the fact that he was not omniscient and that 

 his trifling foibles and frailties accentuated his warm- 

 hearted humanity. 



