Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-04-16
5fiscellanu.
Surface Life at Washington.


The following is from a Washington
correspondent of the Springfield, Mass,
Republican
1t is very singular fact that the dark
side of clerkly life in Washington is
known very little of outside the capital,
while it is forever thrust at the faces of
the Congressman in the local press. The
Chronicle, the Star and Republican all
had, on one day, just before Gen. Grant
came in, thrilling communications from
department servants. One recounted at
length the sufferings of family man on
the meager salary allowed him, gave in
graphic detail the humiliating story of
the struggle to keep up appearances, and
closed, of course, with the usual call for
additional compensation. The hue and
cry made over economy nowadays stiles
the appeals of the really needy who
swarm at the capital. Washington is
an expensive place, and many man
who comes there with the frmest convic-
ton that he shall save money soon finds
himself fearfully cramped. Clerks with
families are, however, happier than sim
gle men in the city. "Get married, or
cut your throat, if you have to live here, .
said clerk to me who had had a dozen
years of experience on the spot. The
town is SO largely made up of bLase peo-
pie that insufficient provision is made for
the amusements of the few hundreds of
clerks who are gathered in from every
corner of the Union. OF course there
are many single young men in the de-
partments who lead delightful lives, hav-
ing no responsibilities save to themselves,
and finding the $1,000 or s1400 allotted
them quite enough to allow them luxu-
rious lives. Naturally the majority are
cultivated, and consequently undergo all
the dangers of the intellectual man when
he is thrown into the city vortex alone
Some of the worst features of the Pari-
sian and Viennese Haison crop out here
But the greatest danger to youth OF
sentiment and character, in accepting q
situation in one of the departments, is
that he will become more or less aimles:
gradually degenerate into fossil-get
touch of ennui. When first came
here" said a man of no small literary
pretensions, to me, rejoiced in the in
fnitude of my leisure. From nine tc
four only, and not much to do ; fanciec
| should write astonishing quantity anc
quality. But find that | have accom-
plished no more beyond my regular worl
than / used to when business occupied
my head fourteen hours daily" This i
the experience of hundreds. The vas
quiet of the long corridors out of whicl
the rooms occupied by the clerks in tn
departments open, gradually influence
the clerks themselves. To go, for instance
from the blaze and hustle of the Avenu
into the dark basement of the patent Of
fee building, and poke into some of tn
dingy offices of the pension or India
bureaux, is enough to give an outside
the "blues." Half dozen somnolen
individuals are seated at desks, workin
in the most leisurely manner and a
most fearful lest they shall not hav
enough work to Eli in the time of thei
office hours. As you enter, one man ful
lively slips letter under a blottin
sheet, and takes up instead the govern
ment paper he was examining anothe
yawns, and lays down the morning ps
per; and third looks guilty, for he wa
doing nothing but staring out of the vii
dow. Thoroughly busy days in any {
the departments are extremely rare : i. c
to the ordinary clerks. And this ver
dead level of indifference in which the
earn their fixed salaries units them fl
farther effort-for outside labor-eve
though their families bitterly need Il
extra money. They have in many cas-
more the air of prisoners than of sal
ried employees. / was much struck Wi
the remark of Washington gentlems
of great shrewdness and experience,
we walked through one of the depal
ments where dingy cheerlessness is 4
: rule. 81 tell you" said he, "gover
ment ought, just as matterof econom