The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-04-23
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
a Two Hours Lounge i'm the Presi-
dents Private OAice.

Washington Cor. Philadelphia Times.
Itook a seat in the office of Mr.. Brown
Aha priyste secretary to President Garfield
,be other day, and there remained fol
about two hours. 1t was interesting to
watch the goings-on there. The halls, CORR,
doris and stsirwsys clear down the front door
were crowded with people. With wha,
eager eyes they watched congressman, news.
nsper correspondents and other disreputable
nersons who had the right of way, pass door.
keepers and messengers The appearance Of
all these watchers and walters were rather dis.
hesrtening. Most of them was anxious.
looking and many Of them were needy be,
yond doubt. did not notice one who did
not seem to have taxed some extra pains with
his clothessnd person that morning. Some
were there whose clothes were good, but the
msiority were rather meagerly clad and some
were absolutely shabby and ragged. There
was not a well.dressed gentleman, with an
air of prosperity about him, in the whole
crowd. 1t WAS indeed easy to sec that they
were ALL with perhaps here and there an ex.
ception, oflice-hunters. They scanned earn.
estly every new face that appeared, as though
they expected some sudden assistance TO
come to them, and when they made up. their
minds that the newcomer was simply of the
same class as themselves the tired look came
over the faces of come, that anxious look over
the faces of Others, while others still bore q
resentful expression. 1t was really rather a
sad spectacle, tor in all that crowd number
ing, would say, more than one hundred
persons, there was not an independent one
among them-not one but whose face was full
of troubles. Who else would wait all day in
an ante'room, with certain disappointment at
It's close? For of sll those thus waiting and
watching probably not one will get what he
wants. Some will finally, after days of
waiting, get chance to say word to the
President, who can do no more than to re-
ceive their papers and promise to place them
on file or refer them to the proper depart,
ment. Others will get weary with long
waiting and go home to their anxious fami.
lies with the same old look Of dissppoint-
ment on their faces and the discouragipg
words on their lips. But in the great white
house these oflice.seekers are not the only
anxious and troubled ones. There is one at
least inside whose burden is still greater, and
yethe occupies the proud position to attain
which is the ambition of every great man in
the land. His face bears more anxiety than
yours, my oflice-seeker, and you never saw
the day you worked as hard as he works
every miserable day of his lie. Many a
night as he shuts the door Of his chamber,
he wishes be WAS back again in congress,
with his peace of mind secure and the good
will of his fellow-men beyond danger. No
doubt he has felt sometimes that he would be
willing to exchange places with one of these
ofhceseekers waiting outside the door. The
clerks, even, in the white house can scarcely
be very happy, for they are men of senti-
ment and full of tender hesrtedness and they
would no doubt be glad to write the word
appoint on each envelop that comes to
them and sign the presidents initials to it.
The doorkeepers are about the only happy
persons in the white house. They are
treated with the utmost Difference by the
crowd, they get good pay and have no res
possibility.