Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-03-28
Washington Letter.
Government Clerkships, How they
XIII -Washinstdn
Ladies'; their Dress, etc.
Receptions, etc, etc.

, Government Clerkships, How the
, Kill observation-disclosures
Ladies'; their Dress, etc.
Receptions. ETC., etc.
: WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Feb. q. 1878.
, To the Editor of the Arant Courier:
suppose the lime will never come whe
office seeking will be unknown here. Go,
; ernment clerkships are the goal aimed /;
as the highest ambition of many a youn
man and young woman. If they coul
but obtain a position they think the
would be well satisfied. They get it, an
they are satisfied, and that is just tn
misery Of it; and that is why feel tina
too much cannot be said against such pr
sitions. The occupants settle down int
the narrow ruts that these clerkships lea
to and lose all ambition for any higher life
1t is a life of monotony, life that trans
forms pe1ple inl9 nonentities. Their worl
is almost entirely routinous and unchane
ed, and tends to nothing that is ennobling
This is what some one aptly says of them
"When they once take the salary of Gov
ernment clerk, get comfortably seated il
the splendid palace Of the Nation, breath,
the intoxicating atmosphere of politics ant
public life, the chances are that their lives
will prove bitter failures, and nothing bu
the rude hand of power, as it drives them
out at last to taste want and loneliness, TN
fitted for any useful calling, will ever awak
en- them from their dreams until too late
to recall the fact Of Il wasted lifc." give
an instance corroborative of the above
which is but one among scores and scores
Some years ago an ambitious and enthusi
astic young man left Il decent and growing
business in the country for Government
clerkship. He married sweet young girl
who was a school-teacher in the same
country village he came from. His family
increased, but his salary did not Govern
ment salaries rarely ever do). His wife
g ew sick, and every energy was taxed to
the utmost to meet life's necessities. Fin
ally he lost his place CLERKS almost always
lose their places after Il term of years., and
the old story of want and wretchedncss
followed. To-day he mops Government
floors and cleans Government spittoons,
and is as thankful for the chance to do it
in these hard times-as he was for the first
he obtained.
As Lent approaches, the gay whirl OF
society grows quicker, and people who
sise themselves up to it are fast wearing
themselves o.it, prepariny-nOt for wOr-
ship or religious thoughts and actions, rs
Lent is supposed to indicate, but tor !; sea-
son to be passed in fearful exhaustion and
WEAKNESS and general worn-out feeling.
We are told that Tie leading ladies in
Washington society this winter are excep-
ional in their culture and refinement that
hey are something more than mere but
erflies of fashion. We admit that they
night be-that they are capable of being
more. The Misses fvalts are well cd,l-
:ated, in the best sense of the term, and
cultivated. SO are the Misses Schurz, the
,lder of whom has charge OF her fathers
nome and acts as a mother to her little
)rothers. Miss Sherman doubtless pos
esses much depth OF character, and Miss
olatt, the Presidents niece, is certainly
halning. But, after all, don't see but
hey fol,ew the same old round Of testivi-
les that others have and do; they dress,
md daice and call and receive calls, and
lave little or nothing left for better things.
Is to- the ''dress REFORM we so fohdly
loped for from Mrs. Hayes and the new
Jabinet ladies. there is none Of it. Mrs. |
Iayes dresses as richly and as eXpensively
S ever Mrs. Grant (who was called so ex-
ravagant in these mattdfs) did, only in
'etter taste; an4 her young lady quests
ppear in as elaborate toilets as they can
'rocure. The wives of the Cabinet men,
ers are four of them too old and dignitied
or fahcifi' dressing. Mrs. Evarts wearing
Mourning, and Mrs. Thompson wearin-.
lack because it is more suitable for an
lderly lady. Mrs. Sherman, the Y sunyest
mong them, chances to be u woman of
uiet tastes and of nc pcisonal beauty.
Ter richest toilet ttis Winter has been of
lain black velvet.
Mrs. Hayes is an admirable hostess. She
always cor.,riving some new and pleas
mt fcat,.re for her weekly receptions.
-ast Saturday it was two receiving parties
her own in the East Room, and second
n the Red Parlor, consisting Of Is young
aides, whom she invited from Cabinet and
families. These receptions
will continue to Lent. but the Presidents
ast levee will take place this evening.
ADAMS.