Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-05-01
4 The Diamond Bracelet.
A Tale Of Washington in 1850.

A4C 03d&0O44o ~ oGC4C t.s
A Tale of Washington in 1850.
1t was working day at the Grand Ro
: tation Office. Pens that had been idlt
for weeks together awoke from theil
drowsy slumbers in cork inkstands, and
scratched away busily over smooth
7 foolscap and folio.
? eJobbins, chief clerk, was in 4 state of
: perspiring excitement, having just been
! clothed with the new commission
circumstance in itself sufficient to oc-
casion deep thrill of anxiety and spec
ulation in the bosoms of twenty clerks,
whose special business was to guard
their sinecures; for, when changes OF
like nature occur, the rotating principle
reyolyes, and decapitation follows: Z
For twenty years, John Jobbins, chief
clerk, had welded pen in the Rota-
ton Office, undisturbed, amidst the
fluctuations of politics and mutations
lof time. While other clerks had come
iiif and gone out, administrations
Ichanged, and death removed its oldest
members, Jobbins still retained his po-
sition, and the white hat hung infiex-
IDLY on its peg behind the door, and his
whittier head bobbed over the big ledger
day after day, in defiance of rotation or
official forms. q e-fl -
He had been there so long, that in
time lie got to be regarded as regular
fixture, which conld not be removed
without destroying the superstructure
itself. In short, eighteen hundred dol
lars per annnm was precisely synony-
nous with john Jobbins, Chief Clerk,
General Rotation Office.
OF course, Jobbins knew that the
fresh Commissioner couldn't possibly
turn him out, inasmuch as nobody else
had thought of doing so for the last
quarter OF a century; but, neyerthe-
les, he felt unusually anxious for others,
especially when the new Commissioner,
Honorable Stony Hast, told him that he
should make some changes in the Gen.
eral Rotation Office.
The honorable Commissioner accord
ingly commenced that same morning
by thoughtfully discharging all the
clerks who had widowed mothers or
sisters dependent on them for support,
and rapidly filed their places with new
corners, who, having been dining for
long time on anticipation, were i'm
mensely astonislied at the possibility of
dining OH anything else.
The Office clock struck the welcome
note of three P. M, which was the sig
nal for everybody to adjourn to their
homes. 1ar fall ric'
Mr.. Jobbins wrapped his cloak well
around him to protect himself from the
keen January blast that revelled and
sung with boisterous melody down
Pennsylvania avenue, and meditatively
wended his way to his boarding-house.
His thoughts were, however, not con-
nected with the changes made in the
General Rotation Office, but reverted to
a pleasant episode in his domestic life.
1t was the seventeenth anniversary of
his daughters birth, and interviewer
with the sad recollection of the loss of
a young and interesting wife, came
host of kindly and pleasant memories.
In this musing mood he reached Mrs.
Gambrey's and mounted the spiral stair
case of the old fashioned boarding
house, unconscious that young girl
had giided to his side, until pair of
arms wore flung affectionately around
his neck, and sweet musical voice
murmured:
dearest father..''
"My own Katie! ~ said Mr.. Jobbins,
caressing her. t'Is my pretty bird lone
ly in this dull cage?" 90
J" Not as pleasant as it was in our old
homestead, to be sure, replied Katie,
cheerfully, 'sbut 1 have plenty to en-
gage my mind; and then, you know,
Rolf is a good companion, and never
deserts me-"
Roll, who happened TO be a New
foundland dog, now rushed towards
Mr.. Jobbing with a bark of delight, and |
tugged ioyfully at his cloak.
1t was a pleasant little family picture,
well worthy of an artists pencil, and at
this favorable moment will sketch Ka-
ties likeness.
She was fair faced girl, with soft
hazel eyes, and brown curling hair,
that fell in great profusion over her
neck and shoulders. Her figure was
slight and graceful, yet well rounded,
for Katie had jumped at once from a
child into very fine developed wo-
man, as all the young gentlemen who
lodged and ate at Mrs. Gambrey's, were
unanimously prepared totestify.
"Come, father" said Katie, throwing
open their parlor door, "you must be
nearly frozen. Your nose looks as red
us a cherry, and your hands are like ice.
Sit by the CRATE and warm yourself
| thoroughly. Dear me. wonder that
the wind didn't blow you away alto
gether.
Talking very rapidly and playfully,
Katie forced her father into the arm
chair, hurried to hand him his slippers,
which had been warming nicely by the
fender, and then with the same noise
less grace laid aside his cloak and hat,
and proceeded to lightly smooth his hair
which the wind had blown about his
face in every conceivable direction.
Meanwhile Mr.. Jobbins sat medita-
lively gazing in the fire, ever and anon
rubbing his hands and extending them
over the cheerful blaze. ias
Finally he looked up in his daugh-
ter's face, and said:
"Katie, do You know this is your
birthday"
"My birthday" replied Katie, clap
ping her hands with enthusiasm. 'Why,
SO tbs. am seventeen, and now, dear
father, since You have so kindly called
to mind the tact, you have surely pres
ent to consccrate SO important an
event?" feGtTs 9n lEEH
Miss Kate smiled, and playfully pat
ted her fathers cheek.
Jobbins smiled too, rather surprised,
and said: t ttt
"a present. Upon my word! You
have guessed correctly. Kiss me, dar-
IL. - .,