The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-19
COMMISSIONER EATON.
What Exum Saint Thinks of ths Civil Service
Apostle.
He Describes His Examination and the
Kinds of Questions He Was Called
Upon to Answer During
the Trying Ordeal.
Special to the sentinel.

special 70 the sentinel
WASHINGTON, August 16.-No one could
have convinced me" said Exum Saint,
that / have not Outgrown every vestige of
prejudice against race, sex or previous condi-
tion. l thought myself capable of accepting
man on his merits and doing complete
justice to all. So far as the Indiana, negro,
Chinee or Ohio man is concerned, / have rea-
son to hope yet that it is true-that the in
telligence is within me that acknowledges the
full brotherhood of all men; but for the typ
ical Yankee, of the Connecticut species, as
represented in Dorman b. Eaton, must con-
fess sentiment that dsqualifies me from
officiating as a Juror. About that fellow
there is something so distressingly arbitrary
and finical that it renders me, for the time
being, incompetent for any other work. Sir,
there is the appalling grandeur of a half
dozen rental agents in that scholastic cuss.
Look here, old fellow this is nothing to put
IN the paper"
At this point Mr.. Saint thrust a fresh quid
into his jaw, stretched out his legs and con-
tinued:
I'VE had a regular picnic at the EatOnian
examination yesterday and /, despairing of
passing inserted several stump speeches in
the belly of my paper. The old fellow, you
and he was out of humor because L came late.
1t was after II before Black suggested an ex-
animation to me- | walked Immediately to
the island and filed my application.
1T is too late this evening" said Mr..
Eaton.
NO; in consideration of this heated
weather must have the thing over tonight"
With an expression in which astOnish-
ment and touch of stupefaction were COM
pounded with displeaslre and evaporation,
he long regarded me, but as he gradually
grasped my measure this subsidized into some
thing like expectance and cOmplacency,
which encouraged me to observe, I'VE may
grow in the esteem of each other, Mr.. Eaton.
on better acquaintance. | have met men
for whom my first impressions were, as they
are for you. slightly out at the elbows and
decidedly Off but a careful study of these
men have revealed redeeming qualities
First impressions are not always reliable.
No, want to get through with this anxiety
called the civil service examination tonight.
i want to get upon the payroll of this coun-
try or know the reason. | will c0ndescend
to ask as personal favor that the procession
be allowed TO move"
Grumbling he gave me a paper on which
was printed an array of questions that might
have been prOpOunded to boy at a normal
school There a beetle-browed young
fellow present who made short work of the
most OF them for he was lust out of college
and then / seriously thought that having
been soldier and a Democrat the answering
of such questions that in nowise pertained to
the Office tO which aspired, was something
of an Indignity."
What forms are required to secure an ex-
animation
Well, i'm the first place. you have to find
two citizens who viii swear to your good
moral character
Wanting To make that as light on my
friends possible. ! procured six or eight
names, among the rest Joseph f. Mcdonald
and Daniel W. Voorhees,, and referred 10
Chester r. Faulkner and Hughes East. j
also drew letter from United States SEN
atOr, and another from Congressman, but
these the old chap spurned as beneath his
dignity. ] imagine that he has very little
use for a Congressman or a member of the
United States Senate without he has TO-"
What were some of the questions?'
''Oh, there were a number. In geography,
Name the most northern State. What States
form the northern boundary? Then came
questions in medicine, at which / guessed,
and questions in law, which | answered.
One question, If note is given for 81, 12s.13,
due in nine months, at per cent, what is
its present market valuer Before plunging
into figures / wrote: THE value of the note
depends largely on the character of the
maker and the financial responsibility of the
indorser.' Then | ciphered at it.
How did you come ourP'
We'll, the truth of the matter is, / didn't
take much interest in the proceedings, but
passed the examination. and have got my
appointment"
How did you and Mr.. Eaton grow in each
others regard as the acquaintance crystal
izedg'
Il can only speak for myself. | can not
say that ! remember anything in Mr.. Eaton
10 greatly admire
Mr. Exum Saint will shortly go upon his
travels as a Special Examiner OF the Pension
Office. JAP TURPEN.