The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-07-22
How Omce-Seekers Live.
Washington Special. ]

"
Hello" a venerable old Democrat said to
a younger in the lobby of the Ebbitt to day,
you here yet? Thought you'd gone Vest
No" said the younger, with manifest
effort to brace up; Il haven't got what
want yet I'm still hanging Oh"
Each of these two had a toothpick in his
mouth, and, from all appearances, might
have just come from the dining-room of the
S4-a-day hotel.
The old man laughed in a self-conscious
apologize sort OF way as he said We'll, |
caught on and have been promoted. They put
me on the rolls as laborer. That was so
month. Now they've promoted me to mes
senger. That 500 year. I'm eating three
square meals day. Before the promotion /
got along with two
The old man glanced down the front line
of his linen vest with look of modest salts
faction.
Then they fell to talking about eating.
Washington living isn't so expensive if
you know how to do said the younger man
in philosophic mood. There was still visi-
bic all the smartness which..Sam Lung could
bestow on a shirt-front, and the silk hat
which looked so glossy just after the inau-
guratien had considerable shine left. Il had
a doggone rattling breakfast this morning,
and il only me fifteen cents.
Il know the place." put in the old gentle
man, you're right, they givea man as much
as he wants to eat for fifteen cents up here
OH Tenth street.
Right here third party, who had been
listening with increasing interest, put in a
question calculated to bring out more def
mite information. Evidently he was q new
conner. for he said: Il went over to this
restaurant inst across the street and ordered
a little breakfast, and I'll be darned if they
didn't charge me 81. rs
s'Of course" said the young man. They'll
rob you if they can. You go in to order
and they'll run it up to 50 before
you know it: I'll take you to the
and you'll get whizzing dinner
with ice cream, pudding and pie, and they'll
only charge you twenty-five cents. There
amt no use throwing away money, for you
don't know how long you'll have to wait
here. I'm told they amt going to disturb
any of these clerks before the LIST of January.
That's official"
''Yes, and when the 1st of January comes
then it'll be the LIST of July they're going TO
make changes" This from the old man
with the wrinkled linen vest, who had
caught on" 1t was evident from his dis
satisfied tone that he had come here with
hopes which hadn't PANIED out. He turned
the conversation from politics TO reminis-
cences, and went on to tell how he had lived
for months in Mexico on twenty-five cents
day. 1t was when he was bOssing q carDen-
ter job for the Mexican Central and
bought his victuals at market
and cooked them himself because he couldn't
accommodate his stomach to chill con carne
and tomales. Apparently the veteran found
more satisfaction in drawing the comparison
between his rouehing experiences on the
frontier and his messenger service in the De-
partment than he did in recalling the aspira-
tons with which he had come to Washing
ton to tender his valuable servises to the new
Administration in Washington. A single
page on the hotel registers records the daily
arrivals, and the reports go forth that there
are but few office-seekers in Washington.
But the fifteen-cent restaurant and the land
lady with hall bedrooms knows better.