Evening journal., 1888-08-10
MARY JAMES LITTER.
She Advises Young Ladies Not TO Become
Government Clerks.
Especial Correspondence

Government Clerks.
Special Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Aug. 0.--Not great
while ago young lady wrote TO me ask
ing if | would not use my influence in
helping her to get position in one Of the
departments ia Washington. She was
not Obliged to work, but she had passed
the civil service examination and wanted
to be Independent Of her father.
Very laudable, you say.
Possibly" say l.
wrote to her to the effect that | was
glad to hear she desired to get a place
here, because would make it my particu-
lar business TO prevent tho accomplish
ment Of her purpose.
And why?
Because no young woman, unless COM
pellcd by poverty or having helpless ones
dependent upon her, should take q de-
purtmeutal position. / might possibly
except such as live with their own fami-
lies in Washington. A young woman
from a distance comes here stranger aad
takes UP her habitation in a boarding
house. 1 lnow how girls away from the
capital build castles on the foundations
OF Eearsay, and imagine If thoy were here
with $500 or $500 or 81 200 year, and
only seven hours work a day, then their
lives would be q continual round of social
enjoyment and indulgence in the numer-
GUS diversions of city. The salaries
paid are so much larger than those of
similar positions elsewhere that govern
ment work seems 10 be an Aladdin's lamp
which, by the mere rubbing, brings all
sorts Of pleasures, or rather tho gold
which may procure them. With this sort
of notion in her inexperienced head the
girl comes from O comfortable homo and
good social position in her country town
and enters upon the dream of her life.
Amonth ina Washington boarding house,
aQd tho dream is not quite so pleasant
AZ it was. Then come troubles in
the Office, backbiting by her fellow
clerks if she happens to prove
q favoritc, and reproof from her superiors
II sheis slow TO learn or shows a desire to
make q social flight. ] have heard it
stated that department people are quite
as welcome in society as the rich and great
of Garth, but ! have yet to see il oxempi-
fed in fact. Young women from some Of
! the very oldest and best families in the
| United States hold positions in the de-
partments, but | have never seen their
| names mentioned as society bellies, as l
have often seen the names of others who
are quite as poor but are not in the de-
partmcnts If they essay tho social role
| they arc not gnubbed outright, because in
| a democratic capital that would never do,
/ but the fact that ono young lady is in tho
| departments is known Just as that another
/ is an heiress, and ever after there is that
| incxpTessible somethingno CONNIE il fault
which people always recognize but never
attempt to explain It is this moving IN
q shadow which chills all the better part
of womans nature and makes her in a
very short time cold, cynical and heart
less. There are temptations also, more
materially serious in their results, il
yielded to; but / am glad to say they are
the rare exception, and the percentage Of
woman's weakness is no higher, / believe
than among an equal number of women
in other walks Of life. There are few
glazing examples it is true, but She seal
| Of general condemnation is stamped upon
Them and official favor alone prevents OK
purgation.
/ presume there is no class Of women in
the world more discontinued than are
these in the departments. Envyings pre-
vail constantly, and there is even a reach
ing for something not in their possession,
q grasping for a salary higher than that
which they have and which, before they
received appeared to be more than enough
for all their wants Except TO those re-
siding in Washington there is no home
feeling, and the constantly changing life
Of the capital has its effect in making Of
these women uncertain, vacillating, IN
constant creatures, to whom in time
home is disagrecable restraint and do.
nestle care is a CALLING yoke.
My advice to every girl who wants to
come to Washington is-dont. Stay Of
home on one-third or one-half the money
If you do not care to be dead expense Il
! your parents; teach school stay in q
store, be typewriter, anything respecta
bic except coming into the departments
! az Washington. where the round is The
same yesterday, today and forever; wher,
earnest endeavor meets faint recognition
1 and whore every laudable ambition buds
] only TO be blightCd.
There is another side to this picture
+ but SO few look upon it that it would
= scarcely be recognized should | turn i
out. and | viii let it remain face to tn,
wall with the hope that what l hav,
$ written win provo Of benefit TO some 0
. the many hundreds Of young women win,
8 look upon Washington as the Mecca O
all their hopes, and may turn them into
u better way. MARY JANE.