The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-01-03

sary sent to interview him some time
ago found the Mahdi at A bba, surround
e.. by 500 or 600 followers, all of them
naked, with iron chain belts round their
waists, and with broad drawn swords in
their hands. The Mahdi &C upied
raised seat in their midst, and in his
right hand he held prophets staff. The
three marks by which he knew the
Egyptian Government to be false to
Islam we're: First, that they allowed
Christians to have churches OF their own;
second. that they afforded them protec-
ton; and, third, that tile Government
levied taxes.
DEPARTMENTAL LIFE.
The Alpha and Omega OF Official Life
Where the Clerks Come From.
From tina Wa .hir,gton Republican
Does any DO l'y,asr d of Washington have
all idea Of what /. in a government de-
partment is? In tie first place there is the
scramble for an appointment, the weary
waiting, and the hope deferred day after
day; the rushing around after Influential
friends to urge the claim and the peculiar
illness Of the applicant for the place de-
sired, and after lnnumerable letters or,visits
ment to duty. All this prscedes the en-
trance upon official life, whether in the
capacity OF copyist, first, second or third
class clerk. Then follow the long, weary
days sitting at desk trying to d. something
one has never tried to do before. 10 be-
come On object to be stared at and whis-
pered about and criticized by the Older
clerks in the Office, who are always curious
to know what kind Of hand he
or she writes, what state they hail from.
and what roll they are on. The days, weeks
4 months pass on, and the new conner,
if ut u! bright and capable, begins to be-
come familiar with the work before him,
| Anc to feel pretty we'll acquainted with his
fellow clerks, and here comes the most try
ing part Of official life.
No one, except those who have tried it.
| know what it is to be shut up in q room
| with the same people seven hours six days
| every week. People from as many differ
viduals, and with quite as many different
opinions. No two Of them with the same
| religious belief: some highly cultured and
some without any culture at oil. The ma
| iority of them so putfed up with their own
| importance as to imagine that the wheels of
the government would Immediately stand
! still # by chance they should die or resign
or be dismissed. Conversation never lags
| for want Of subject. It is easy enough to
| set q sane person insane to hear the various
| topics introduced md discussed in the
| course of the day, and also to hear the
different hobbies yentilllted. Almost every
man has hobby, whatever his position in
life, but 1t does seem as if those of the Gov
eminent clerk have no equal outside. The
! Fl ,ncial schemes introduced from time to
time are really wonderful. 1t is the sleep
ing md waking dream of the average clerk
to become rich, or at least Independent,
enough to resign; and yet ne never for 6
moment imagines that this is to be attained
| by SELF denial. economy or small savings
| Oh no! Some lucky Investment in lottery
ticket is to draw the coveted prize, or (
good speculation is to surprise him, or {
| rise in mining stocks is to make hin
| suddenly a millionaire. It is remarkable
! how the ideas of clerk change and enlarg
| after few years residence in Washington
| Away off in his country home one good sui
of clothes was made to do service for Il or
than one season, and an interesting boo
or an agreeable companion was suficiell
entertainment for his evenings. Blu
after sojou1n here in Government en-
ploy be must have a new suit of clothes TO
every change of season, O new hectic Il
match each suit, and gloves to match the
a'ectie- and q cane to match the gloves. anc
scarf-pin to match the cane, and q hat Il
match them all.
I Everything there must be tickets to The
theatre or opera, or carriage to tho ball
or d supper ut Harvey's Or Welker, or il
near the end of the month. at some ssconc
or third rate II st,urant. If lady clerk
but the pen must move gently dealing viii
them, for majority Of the lady clerks are
noble, self.sacr.6cing wome,, forced to this
life through less of father or husband 0,
the demands of dependent ones, aud thu
outside world has no knowledge Of thu
struggles they make or what many of then
pass through in providing for those lovet
| ones. Their salaries are, with a few
| exceptions, much smaller than those
Of the male clerks, but they often make il
do twice as much service. There are, in
every Office, though, some lady clerks Wit
do not have burdens to bear, and Of then
it has been observed how the womanly
weakness for personal a1ornment takes pos.
session of them. What dainty costumes
they appear in, and how they love 10 dis
play pretty little pieces Of jewelry and be.
coming laoes.
Although the life is Flooding one, ant
there is far more reality than rom luce in it,
the latter il not altogether absen-, for more
than one Romeo has there foundh,s Juliet
Youthful couples, thrown constantly to-
gether, frequently become interested in each
other, and before they are aware Of it the
dangerous little god has marked them fol
his own. What fun it IS for the other
clerks to watch the progress of the Gfatre
du cGur, the interested parties all the
while imagining that 1t is known only to
themselves; and after a time, some day at
the close Of busine s. the lady quietly bids
adieu to those around her and remarks ttlat
she is not coming back again.
The clerks gathered in the several de-
partments are far from being ignorant es a
class; although some may be entitled to the
charge. There are poets. historians, phi
losophers, lawyers and The ologiansto be
found of no mean attainments. Various
causes have led them to this city ana to the
from all parts of the country, from the
bleak and ruog ID hills of New England,
from the sunny region Of the orange and
the palmetto. from the mountains anu Wales
OF the western territories, and from the
golden fields Of California. Many of them
boast of an ancestry distinguished in this
country and the Old World. Many
IT them lat one time possessed
both wealth and influence. If the
story of some-for many have history
could be written out it would be more in
teresting than the most sensational of the
modern novels. There are also some very
peculiar people among them. Life moves
on day after day in such q limited circle,
that it one is at all inclined to cranky no.
tons it developes more rapidly, and the
sharp corners stand out so prominently that
| it becomes dangerous to come in contact
with them. Yet after all the life is good
one for discipline, ana two or three years
of such employment-but not any longer,
for after that time man is apt to settle
down in . rat and remain there-two or
three'years Of such discipline helps to form
Character and ito give man better COM
mand ot himself. = :ar ~ -, =
-. Resignation OF Willard. - ~.7s!
It is stated on the best authority THAT
Henry Willard resigned the presidency Of
the Northern Pacific Railroad company Ia q
/. ter handed in to the directors on the % b,
upon which no official action was taken.
Inquiry at the house of Mr.. Frederick Biz
linss confirmed the truth of the statement,
but Mr.. Billings was said to be too sick
fromworrying over the recent Developments
to be seen. His soa said that his fa ther
would probably have to assume the direc-