The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1883-07-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.

| ASHlNGTON, ~. ", Juiy 20, CO
+ With all the other queer characters
in Washington, we havea few noto.
rious cranks, who are every now and
then doing something to make them.
selves still more famous (D Among
these DR.. Mary Walker and Belva
Lockwood are perhaps the most con-
spicuous, and they both belong to the
cheeky, strong-minded, so-called
women's rights order. There are
women here who earn their liveli-
hood in the avocations usually fol-
lowed by men, and who are still la
dies, modest and proper in their de-
pertinent, not presuming on their sex
for special privileges or fayors, and
taking their places on common lev
Ell with their brethren in the same
business. But there is one 1 won't
name, supposed lawyer and claim
attorney, who belongs to 4 different
breed. She rides about town on a
tricycle., and has a hand in great
many things. Department officials
had rather see full grown pesti-
lence come into the rooms than to
have to confront her. She talks
loud and never consults the conven-
fences 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 wait
ing when she came in. The Commits
sioner shut down on her politely and
informed her courteousiy 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
tention of compelling attention. FL
nally, in self defense, he informed
her point blank that he was engage d
inprivate conversation with a gen.
tleman ; that he did not want her to
overhear what was said, and that if
she did not take seat he would be
compelled, much as he might dislike
it, to ask her to leave the room. For
the first time in her life the cheeky
claim agent was taken back, and af-
ter giving him stony stare for a
moment she gathered herself up and
frisked out of the room in a 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
Carter, all out of patience with her
coarse persistence and Ignorance,
told her that she knew "no more
about law than Nicodemus did about
second birth "
The irrepressible DR.. Mary Walker
for years besieged the head Of every
executive department with importu-
mites for position. Her pertinacity
finally had such an effect on the cold
nature of Ex-Governor Boutwell,, at
the time Secretary of the Treasury,
that he yielded to the extent of tell
ing her that she should have an office
if she would take off mems clothes
and array herself in the habiiments
of her own sex. She Indignantly re-
fused to accede to the condition, but
a year or two afterwards she aston
ished the Treasury officials by pre-
senting a demand for pay as clerk
from the period of Governor Bout
wells conditional promise. OF
course she did not get it. When the
warm-hearted and impulsive child of
the west, Teller, was made Secretary
of the interior by President Arthur,
her Establishments prevailed, he ap-
pointed her to a clerkship in the PEN
sion bureau, and she was assigned TO-
a division in which a considerable
number of ladies were employed.
These ladies never became accus-
toned to her peculiar style Of appar-
ell, and kept themselves aloof as much
as possible, which she repaid when
the opportunity offered with looks
and a tone of scorn. She seemed al
ways to take the greatest pleasure III
marching into their midst when they
were gathered in their dressing
room making their toilette. DR.. Ma
ry is, undoubtedly, very remarka-
BILE and able parsonage, but she has
not proved herself to be much of a
clerk. Commissioner Dudley has
for long time been convinced of her
inefficiency, and has limited such TO
the Secretary, but not daring to
beard the lioness in her den. She
went on her annual vacation several
weeks since, and Commissioner Dud-
ley seized the happy occasion to ad-
dress her q note that her services
would not be required after the list
of July. He received a letter from
her in reply saying that she should
return to her desk in a short time
and that if he undertook so 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 success
or. She retired, and as yet 10 DEM
onstration has been made. Commits
sioner Dudley is battle-scarred vet
esan, but it Is no reflection on his