South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-07-27
Letter from Washington.
From Our Regular Correspondent.


With all the other queer characters
in Washington we have d few notori.
Gus female cranks who are every now
and then doing something to make
themselves still more famous (r) A
mong these DIR, Mary Walker and
Belva Lockwood are perhaps the most
conspicuous, and they both belong to
the cheeky, e;rongminded, so-called
womens' rights order. There arc
women here who earn their livelihood
in the avocations usually followed by
men, and who are still ladies', modest
and proper in their department., not
prcsuming on their eek for special
privileges or favors, aud taking their
places on q common level with their
brethren in the same business. But
there is one won't name, II suppose.
ed lawyer and claim attorney, who
belongs to u different breed. She
has hand in great many things.
Department officials bad rather see
full grown pcstilence come into the
rooms than have to confront her. She
talks loud aud never consults the con-
veniences or wishes of anybody else
when she has business to attend to.
The other day she invaded the office
OF Commissioner Dudley and insisted
On being heard in advance of twenty
or thirty persons who were in waiting
when she came came in. The Com
missioner shut down on her politely
and informed her courteously three or
four times that she must take her
turn. She persisted in having her
say then and there and planted her.
self in front of his desk with the in-
tentiou of compelling attention. Fl.
. nally, IN self defense, he informed her
, point blank that he was engaged in
private conversation with gentle
man that he did not want her to O..
verhear what was said, au1 that if
she did not take u seat no would be
compelled, much as he might dislike
it, 10 ask her TO leave the room. For
the first time in her life the cheeky
claim agent was taken aback, and at
o ter giving him stony stare for mo-
mcnt she gathered herself up and
y fiisked out of the room in towering
rage. In the court room her conduct
is much to the same purport. have
heard Judge Wylie repeatedly tell her
to sit down, and one day Judge Cart
y ter. all ont OF patience with her
/; coarse persistence and ignorance, told
:. her that she knew mo more about law
!. than Nicodemas did about second
J.. birth
The irreprcssible DR.. Mary Walker
for years besieged the head of every
executive department with important.
ties for position. Her pertinacity
finally had such all effect on the cold
nature OF eX.Govcnor Boutwell,, al
. the time Secretary OF the Treasury,
n that he yielded to the extent of tell
Il ing her that she should have an office
if she would take off mems clothes
and array herself in the habilimeuts
. OF, her own sex. She Indignantly re-
} fused to accede TO the conditions but
= year or two afterwards she astonish
Il ed the Treasury officials by present.
$ ing a demand for pay as clerk from
. the period of Governor Boutwell's
conditional promise. OF course she
did not get it. When that warm.
hearted and impulsiyc child of the
: west, Teller, was made Secretary of
8 the Interior by President Arthur, her
u Establishments prevailed, he appoint
y ed her to cIcrkship in the pension
n bureau, and she was assigned to a di.
N vision in which considerable mum
O Der OF ladies were employed. These
q ladies never became accustomed to
. her peculiar at, lie of apparel, and kept
themselves aloof as much as possible.
which she repaid wheu the opportuni,
u ty offered with looks and tone of scorn.
She seemed always to take the great
r est pleasure in marching into their
d midst when they were gathered in
= their dressng-room making their toll .
{ cite, DIR. Mary is, undoubtedly, Il We
o ry remarkably, and able parsonage,
. but she has not proved herself to be
y; much OF IL clerk. Commissioner bud.
Icy has tor a long time been convinc.
I cd Of her inefliciency, and has limited
; such to the Secretary, bat not daring
0 to beard the lioness in her den. She
j went on her annual vacation several
weeks since, and Commissioner bud.
ley seized the happy occasion to adj.
I dress her n note that her services
would not be required after the fist
OF July. lie received letter from
her in reply saying that she should re
turn To- her desk in short time and
8 that if he undertook to discharge her
she would make it warm for him
She returned this week and reported
for duty, but was told that her chair
was already occupied by her successor
She retired and "a yet no ,monstra e.
ton has been made. Commissioner
Dudley is "a battle.scarred veteran.
but it is no reflection on his courage
to say that he did not banker after Il
difficulty with this Amazon in panta.
looms.
1t is now given out from headquar.
ter5 that the Presidents trip TO the Vel.
I..sgs q. >. l. a.