Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-24
DREAMS DlsPELLED.
Official Life Not Found to be as His
Fancy Painted 1t.
FROM tAe Washington Post.

From tie Washington Post.
Two officials of.the government, both of
them holding positions which, when va
Gated by their Republican incumbents a
year ago, were exposures of the envious
eyes of many Democratic Office seeker,
sat in q handsomely furnished room in
their department the other evening after
O'Clock, chatting over their experiences
in government service.
"Pll tell you frankly what made me
come to WASHINGTON" said one of them;
lit was the novelty of the thing. | had
never held position under Uncle Sam,
and l was curious TO get an insight into
department life. Then the tenacious
manner in which the Republicans held on
to the Offices, and the pitifui reluctance
displayed by the poor devils when forced
to reiu1uish their sinecures, all went to
arouse in me false notion OF the pleas
ures of official life. My efforts to secure
an appointment were, / am sorry TO say,
successful, and private interests were
thrown to the winds in my eager
desire to get a bite from the public
crib. Visions OF great men, whom | was
TO meet In Washington, haunted me, and
| had not the slightest doubt but that |
would be welcomed with open arms by
renowned statesmen, whose names and
thing akin to awe in the place where
came from. Public documents were very
dry reading. | determined that those in
whose composition i hau hand would be
models OF elegant English, and become
the bellies lettres OF departmental litera-
ture. In short, | bad resolved to make
for myself q name in Washington, and
finally, when | came home. to run Tor
Congress, and, that point attained, a vista
n 81 hnf
me.
CATER years time must confess that
| am wOfully disappOin ted in the Imagina a.
ry attractions OF Washington lite. | have
certainly made the acquaintance OF many
distinguished men, but IL has been In nv
! official capacity, and it is very seldom that
one recognizes me in the street. Not "A
single Senator has invited me TO dinner
such is Washington in hospitality. The
style OF my first report did not seem to
please the Secretary, who, having at a
distant period in his career, been
an editor--and who in Washington
has not at one time or the other
| been newspaper man?-uSed his blue
/ pencil so effectively as u utterly disgust
ne. Why, man, he didn't leave one met.
! aphor or smile in the whole report !
| Thus one of my brightest dreams was dis
PEELED, and have come to the conclusion
! that public documents will always re-
main as stupid and unreadable as they
have in the past. would like to yet out
OF the department now, but that COM
plant which atllic;s every government
empoye-namely, an unconQueraule re-
pugnancc 10 resigning his positIon--has
stretched its baneiul influence over me.
and Pll probably remain here until Pm
kicked out.
"l'ye got nice quarters, haven't |?
Look ut those handsome chandeliers; feel
the sottness OF this Brussels carpet: how
Ike the embrace OF "A fair dame is this
padded chair, how coy and comfortable
that fireplace with the brass andrOns -
in the winter with the great LOGS blazing
and cracking; see with what scrupulous
neatness my desk is kept by my oosequi.
Gus messenger. Yes, it's all very nice
but in spite OF my luxurious surround
ings | would much rather be in my dusty
little law Office at home, with its ragged
carpet, timo and knife worn
uesk. castilOn stove, stiff back
chairs, whose presiding genius was
frowzy-headed little urchln. digging away
az tough law case in which success
meant not only q tat fee and consequent
fame, but the pleasant consciousness OF
their being well earned. I cannot I'M
agine for the life Of me why young man
with fair allowance OF brains and amhi-
tion Will immune himself IN departm. mt
at Washington during the best years OF
his lie, subjectlng himself to toe many
Illuminating restrictions which are