Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-05-28
THE TREASURY GIRL
AND SOME OF HER TRIALS AND
TRIBULATIONS.

WASHINGTON, May 25.-The Bu-
reau of Engraving and Printing,
which is virtually out of the classified
service, undergoes a daily siege for
changes. There is, perhaps, no other
branch that deserves "clean sweep"
less than this. The employees, from
male to female, perform mechanical,
manual labor harder than that in any
bureau of the government. No one
can realize the strain without actual
experience. Many of the male en-
ployeeg began as apprentices many
of the female employees were appoint
ed regardless of politics. Much has
been said concerning the
TREASURY GIRL"
Nothing truer has ever been said
than that she is poor, honest woman
whom virtue, if not a handful of de-
pendent relatives, drove to position
for which she was never fitted mental
ly or physically. As one who respects
virtue where virtue is so seldom, re-
spected, we would see monument
erected to the Treasury girl" not for
her intellect, not for her beauty, but
for the noble womaIhocd that prefer
red to earn an honest livelihood, no
matter how hard the task or how pain
full the duties. When we think eff the
young girls, the young widows, the
poor mothers, who never lifted their
hands in manual labor until they
crossed the gloomy threshold of this
government workshop, visions of in
Vulnerable hardshiPe, which the coars-
er of the sex will even admit, enter
our mind, and pierce our heart. Aside
from actual, government slavery, the
mind of the Treasury girl must be
flooded with thoughts of better days.
We do not believe there is one Treas
ury girl'' in whose heart happy mem
ories of better DAYS do not flicker In
those tender breasts, which even man.
| ual labor can not harden, are conceal
ed tales of indescribable woe, of love,
of lost happiness, of lost comforts.
! A woMAN's LOVE
knows no law, but appeals only to the
heart. More than two-thirds of the
Treasury girls" jumped into this pen
for the sake of virtue, love, fidelity.
There is, one Treasury girl'' whose
case we may mention. Perhaps three
years ago beautiful young girl mar
ried handsome young man. jour
nalist-whose prospects were unusally
promising. Although not yet twenty,
one years old, he was talented and
enterprising. In point of beauty, each
shared alike. A handsome young
man never took prettier bride to the
altar. Time passed, and both seemed
J happy. THE SENTINEL representative
often met the couple on the Avenue
and az often paused to admire the con
fidipg manner of the beautiful! wife
and the tender interest of the hand
some husband. Nothing could have
been worthier of an artists brush. A
year later the Rogucs' Gallery con
tanned that husbands photograph
Young, misletl, in an evil hour, ht
committed crime. The penalty was
penitentiary. But this beautiful, youn!
wife, with an infant in her arms, hi
first-born, and tears staining her pret
} ty face, begged forgiveness for he
f erring but loved husband, in spite q
the scornful glances shooting from tn
unsympathetic eyes of relatives ant
friends. Mercy was his reward. Blu
she had lost everything but her hus
band and child. Not a relative, not
friend would forgive, or be mercifu
to her. On the other hand, effort
were made to separate her from wha
she had saved. Tempting inducement
were made, but she fatty refused t
leave the man who had brought di:
grace on himself, his wife, and hi
child. All suffered, not only ostr:
: cism, but poverty. The husband, b'
= yond wife and child, lad not frien
on earth but an old schoolmate, una
e BILE to assist him. His mother ha
c even PRONOUNCED "a mothers curse.
Desperate, maddened, starving, whe
the loving wife had relaxed her Wig
lance. he repeated the crime, only 4
}. be detected and imprisoned at one
Woman's tears could not save hi
this time. Outraged justice demant
ed satisfaction. But even when h
had added disgrace to her name, eve
when he started to serve the sentent
passed, this beautiful, faithful, youn
wife elung to him, wept over hin
prayed for him, soothed him, love
him. AS the pfison doors closed c
her husband, she was friendless, indee
We befieye our readers to be intel
gent. They may imagine what tenn
tations, what devilish nests, hovere
over n beautiful young wife, witho'
husband, without honae. But thel
she stands to-day ia the Bureau of E
craving and Printing, .performir
tasks for which he, hands were new
made, feeding her child, and waitir
for the glad day of papa's freedor
with noble, wifely falithfulness. ca
any reader wish that this "Treasul
eirI." whose official duties are markt
by f:,ithfulness, too, be removed 4
she deserves mercy, SO do other "Irea
ury girls
THE LABOR AGENTS,
recommended by Commissioners OF L
Dor Wright, and appointed by Seer
tary Lamar, caused considerable su
prise, but it is thought that they a
all well-qualifed for the posltloII
The Agencies were eagerly sought
men of all descriptions, from the lab
J. orator down to the newspaper CORE
,andent Much disappointment IS q.