Mohave County miner., 1888-10-20
DEPARTMENT WOMEN
GOVERNMENT CLERKS WHO DO
NOT LEAD HAPPY LIVES.
Weary Women and Tired Eyed Girls.
Sad Stories of Disappointed Mortaas.
what u Means 10 BE Furioughed--Th
nlaeu.e .,s n;.c.otant T.


what u Means to BE Furioughed--Ths
Disease of Discomfort.
In the weary women and tired eyed
girls who enter the cars one can easily
discern the government employees. II
one could see into the history of these
women who are left seated here, pages OF
light and shadow would unfold them
selves before ones wondering eyes. Ii
one could follow these women TO their
desks IN the morning. watch them as
they cat their hurried luncheon--either
brought In o napkin from the uninyiting
boarding house table, and eaten sitting at
their desks, or consisting Of q roll, washed
down with cup Of coffee or saucer OF
unsubstantial cream at some OF the many
luncheon rooms in the neighborhood OF
all the departments--sit by their side
during the dragging afternoon, and when
the hour of release strikes go with them
back to their tiny hall rooms In boarding
houses, and sec the nerycless, wearied
look with which they throw themselves
down to rest--ah, surely one would then
know better than now what endurance
and patience woman must possess TO be
O good government clerk. .'
Scarcely a room in all these depart.
ments but is rich in sad histories. Here,
sitting with bowed head, writing at this
desk--her stern, white features silhouet~
ted against the dark screen behind her
chair, and the July sun shining full On
her shabby black gown.-is woman who
was in her youth the naughty daughter
Of proud and wealthy family In .
| southern state. Stories are still told
there OF her extravagance, her arrogance,
| her exquisite dresses and her beautiful
t. .s<.1 Il. k,<. les
| youth TO brave and loyal gentleman who
adored her aud had the means to crafty
| every caprice, the name of her country
| home was synonym for gracious hospi-
/ tality. He died with ii3 affairs involved,
| long lawsuit swallowed up all that re-
| NAMED TO her, and now, at nearly 90
/ years Of age, she trudges through snow
! and heat TO work for her bread, submits
| meellly to reproof IL she is five minutes
late, and goes to her little home In the
afternoon too tired to do anything but
slip on wrapper, drop on lounge and
| try to rest.
There across the way sits sweet faced,
faded looking woman She Is anxious and
tired, though she brighteps into a smile
as she speaks, but no one fathoms the
depths of her burdensd heart. Her
thoughts are far down in an old Virginia
| utUsG, WIcTt ilsk lMD llttIt IlDlucE-
less nieces arc running Wild, destitute Of
education or refining Influences, and with.
out any too much clothing Their old In.
firm grandfather sits helpless by the fire.
side In winter and on the vine covered
porch In summer. and in dreaming OF long
past days forgets the little maidens ut his
feet The best blood of Virginia runs In
these chiliren's veins. but blood, no mat
tor how blue IL may be. does not feed or
clotha or warm one. and this aunty In
/ Washington is their sole supporter and
protector. III her means kept pace with
the generous instincts Of her warm and
loving heart hos royalty would those yell
low haired nieces be lodged and fed and
clad But on the bare 5000 year, out
of which must come board and laundry
bills and clothing and street car, what can
she dot Yet by a noble self denial she
has managed to save something out OF
this 7ittance. and is hoping In the autumn
to bring these neglected lassies to tho
the city and place them in a good school,
when in the midst OF these happy plans
she receives notice that on account OF the
failure of the passage Of the appropria.
tion bill necessary to carry on the work OF
the room In which ber work lies she and
many Of the other clerks viii be fur
loughed. ..
Do you know what that means3
Il means her position Is abolished, her
occupation gone, and her cherished little
hoard of earnings must be used to pay for
the bread 10 keep her alive.
'I would not mind for myself" she
says; Lean find work somewhere surely,
but"-snd tears come into the patient
eyes4-''those babies down In the country,
what viii become Of them2 I..sap't sleep
| - f~uA ~
IN another room, not far from where
this woman's work has been, is seated the
only daughter OF man who once counted
his wealth by tho thousands Not .
pretty woman, though once 1t would have
been thought heresy TO say that I'm the
little northern town where she grew MP
to happy womanhood. And one can now
understand what o dainty charm might
surround her IL she were dressed In some
dark rich color that would throw her dell.
cate tin..s into high relief. Ifthat slender
foot were thrust into a shapely bronze
slipper, deep hued tortoise shell pins held
!, those faxen locks In place on the little
head, and that milk white throat rose
above the folds Of wine red velvet gown,
can you not see what piquant picture 1t
would beH
After leaving school she went abroad
aud studied for four years, met charming
acquaintances and stored her heart and
memory full Of pleasant experiences,
which still are fund Of delight to her In
these evil days Hpon which che has fallen.
The deaths OF her two brothers, quickly
followed by the crash OF her fathers fall
ing fortunes aud his paralysis, called her
back to this country and to new and
, different life. Friends had not gone with
fortune, and through their efforts well
. | paying clerkship was secured, and here Of
! her desk she sits aud works with simple
bravery and unconscious heroism, going
, home in the afternoon 20 nurse with ten
derest care the helpless old father, to
whom ber coming is as ray Of sunshine.
Tho bright visions Of her youth have van
ished with her girlish bloom, but cheer
full soul smiles out of her worn face, and
an interest In books, art and friends keeps
: her young at heart.
And this Is somewhat unusual, for tho
fatal disease in these departments is dis
, content. Hardly one woman out Of every
! hundred Is at pll satisfied, and ell seem
striving for promotion and larger salaries.
The woman who saw salvation In six
: hundred place now longs for one that
paws q thousand. and the woman who re-
ceiyes q thousand dollars sees no reason
. why she should not DO promoted to q
: twelve or fourteen hundred dollar place,
j aud so IL goes.
, Without doubt admitting women ia
these plas~s has been godsend to many
. distressed woman who knew not where
to turn for aid; and yet 1t Is a hard and
9 cr1iel life, for the air of Castle Doubling
L.o,.l. N,p,,kt hut III aud tim or,.o nj