The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-02-26
A WASHINGTON ROMANCE.
A SAD STORY.

corridors of the Interior Department at
Washington is the following notice:
'There are no vacancies in this de-
partment Applicants cannot be seen.
Application in writing will be received
and placed on file for further examina-
tion.''
| called the attention of the venerable
clerk, who was showing me around and
giving me lessons in Civil Service re-
form, to the notice, and remarked:
"I suppose this is another device got
up to deceive people ?"
'' Yes, it serves the purpose Of deceiv-
ing applicants to limited extent, but 1t
was originally got up for the benefit of
one person alone. The history of that
notice is somewhat romantic, and would
be good subject for yaller kiver.'"
/ urged him to give me the story,
which he did in nearly the following
language
"Som years ago there was young
clerk occupying desk near the entrance
of the building. He was rather reckless
in his character, fond of q joke, and
loved an adventure better than he loved
wine, which was saying good DEAL
One day a young girl, well dressed and
aged about sixteen, entered the room
and asked if he was the Secretary of the
Interior. He saw at glance that she
was simpl e-minded country girl, and
wondering what she could want with
the Secretary, determined to find out all
about it, and promptly replied in the
affirmative. She thereupon told him
that she had recently been left an
orphan and among strangers that her
fathers estate, which was considerable
before the war, had been swept away
and that she was penniless and obliged
to support herself She had a good edu-
cation and wrote fair hand, and hear
ing that situations in the departments
were frequently filled by ladies she had
determined to apply for one for her
self
1.-The clerk ascertained that she had
no backing, but that in her simplicity
of mind had come here thinking that
no such thing was necessary. He there
upon decided upon a line of action, in
famous in design and disastrous in its
consequences. Still carrying the idea
that he was the Secretary he ascertained
her stopping place, and agreed to con-
slider her application and call that eve
ming to inform her of the result. He
also cautioned her, on some specious
pretext, against talking with others on
the subject of her business. He called
at the time appointed, and, telling her
that there were no vacancies at present,
advised her to take lodgings somewhere
and wait, promising her the first place
when vacancy occurred. She took his
advice, and the result can easily be i'm
agined. 1t was the old, old story. OF
course she never got the situation prom
ised, but was put off from day to day,
and month to month, until finally, by a
change of ADMINISTRATION, he lost his
own situation.
Overwhelmed by the loss of his
position and consciousness of the in
fanny of his conduct toward the poor
girl, he shrank from telling her the
truth and fearing the consequences of
his guilt should it become known, he
resolved to conceal his crime by further
deception. To this end he wrote her a
note telling her that he had been sud
lol 10 a,, i,,at1 ,rto .
business connected with the department,
but that he had left orders to have a
place given her as soon as vacancy oc-
Cured; that in the meantime she could
always tell by locking at the notices
posted on the walls in the department If
there was such vacancy. That night
he got several of the above notices
printed and surreptidously posted them
up.
Filled with grief at his sudden de-
parture, and filled with a foreboding' of
impending evil, she Mended her way to
the department on ker first visit of
reconnaissance, she saw the notices,
and, overcome with despondency, she
for t6e first time ventured to disobey
the Instructions she had received. En-
tering the Office where she first met her
de- elver, months before, she inquired
for the Secretary of the Interior. She
was shown to his room, and there the
whole secret came out. The scene in
that office, when the kind-hearted Secre-
tary revealed the truth, can never be
described. Suffice it to say, she was