The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-05-04

Grace Greenwood. In recent letter
from Washington, says; There are ru'
mors ~ many changes In. and outgoing,
from, the departments. Anxious heart.
are rising in feminine throats. and AZ.
paritionSof yellow envelopes are hover.
ing In the air before many pale, patient
face. ! hear that an awful inqnisitorial
commission has been visiting an the lady
clerks AZ their desks, and putting "a
them certain close and rather delicate
questions, 10 be answered in writing,
and sworn Ia solcmnly. They are re-
quired 10 state where they were born.
how old heV arc whether they have
property, and are married. and how
much mean property; who was the
Senatorial caitiif who procured their app
pontment, and If they have any hus-
band, father, mother, brother, sister,
daughter, son, mothcr-in-law. grand
mother, or German cousins in Office.
These Government positions ought 10
be open, from the humblcst 10 the
highest. q the honest competition of
any and all loyal men and women, and
do not think that the fact that man
has Senator for father, or even a
President for a hrother-in-law. should
tell too much against him. Such rela-
tionships will happen in the best regu-
lated families.
Another reform | hear gravely pro-
posed u sort Of sumptuary law To reg
iiatc the dress Of the ladies in the Treas
ury Department. | searched the Con-
stitution in vain 10 find authority for
such an exercise Of power. and re-
specially ask what business il is Of the
heads Of bureaus, or the public in gen
eral, how handsomely or fashionably
those fair employees array themselves.
Il they buy their dress with their own
money. honorably earned, and not stol-
en- from the Government; and | believe
that. though millions pass through their
hands, no woman among them all has
yet been arrested for larceny. II l.
claimed that they are improyident. II
were surely well if they all, even the
youngest and prettiest. could set them
selves to lay by something for the rainy
day which may come to the most sun
shiny life; they may moi always be 80
wei on; they may marry; but that's
their lookout. II j. charged that they
wear too rich materials. arrange their
hair too deliberately. and indulge in too
many ribbons. Such extravaganza j.. |
Of course, reprehensible. The cost ~
one ribbon would furnish the virtnous
male clerk with az least couple of
choice Havanas; the money squandered
on one silk dress might be doubled and
in draw-poker. while the
price Of one switch Of hair would keep Il
tohrably temperate fellow in cocktails
Tor fortnight. But | don't see how
these desperate abuses can he regulated.
unless uniform be- adopted. recon-
mend something like that ~ the London
Founding Hospital--plain gowns ~
black serge, or alpaca--alpaca i always
respectable, just--heavy leather shoes.
hick white neekerchief. and A mDb-cap.
With nary bow. The mob-cap would
10 away with plaits, pulls and curls.
md no matter how frowsy the hair
night be underneath il. In this way
uch time would be saved for Govern
ent duties. II Is true that such 4 COS
ume would be very trying and unbc
'oming, but that il an advantage. a.
has been claimed that .sihere Il great
moral support in handsome silk
lress, 80 there i a wholesome moral
oppression and depression in an alpaca
'own, etc. IL were impossible for 4 .
Ireasury copyist thus arrayed 10 be ro-
mantle or attractive enough 10 shoot !
erScif or be the cause II shooting In
liners When woman enters the ~erv- ,,
70 Of the republic, she should make
y her mind 10 retire from the world. .
nj % rcnounce the vanities thereof A. ..
ompletely as does the Carmelite nun.
lse she must not be surprised il the
lale rcformcrs and reporters come
own upon her. | do not think, more
yer, that these women should be allow
q e come and go in their present indie !
struggling way. They should !;
marched into and out ~ the depart
rents Just on the minute, in solemn. !.
lent procession, s'eyes right and 10
ie lock step. How Barber, If the
cad-letter office, would enjoy training I
and out IN this style his gang of ain !,
,mpetent female clerks his terrible
rotesting pen behind his ear, and IN 7
i hand the brush with which he % u
'ftly lathercd the Postmaster General.
he poor women would not like this .
ut Of thing any more than the rcrula- !
IN drcss--they having, many of them. i
e habits and feelings If ladies. and
z traditions Of better days but that's
NATTER. "Ne choisit pas qui en- d
unte," which means. Just about-not Al
put too fine point on it-"beggars y
ust not be choosers.'' y