Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-09
A REGULARITY OF WASHINGTON
The Disappointed Ofiice-Seeker and
What Becomes of Him.

The Inauguration is over, and the great mass
OF people has disappeared. The only strangers
, left behind are those who are looking for an
office. Tney have come and are going to re-
main until they are rewarded with an appoint
ment or until their last penny is gone. There
Is no class of persons who can live longer on
small capital than the office-seeker. He has
been out for a long time, and has become ac-
quainted with the ways of the world, or, in
other words, he is used to '.roughing it." The
average office-seeker, whether he is after for
eign mission or laborer's place in one of the
departments, puts on a bold front when he
starts IN search of situation In the first place
he thinks a suit of broadcloth is necessary or
he takes the next best or the best he can get
Linen from the laundry must be worn and this
Is an item of additional expense. Clean collars
ana cuffs are donned each day. and to complete
ms presentaDle appearance an additional nickel
Is squandered on a bootblack In all the appli-
cant hnds 1t rather expensive business. but then
he.expects soon to be rewarded and all will be
right. Days. weeks. and months pass by and
yet ne mas not even succeeded in getting some
one fired" to make vacancy for himself.
HIS Motel bill must be paid, and soon he finds
that financial embarrassment is sure to follow.
He must leave his hotel and secure more eco
nomical quarters. Expenses in every direction
must be curtailed. His laundry bill must be
lessened. Then he wears a collar two or three
days and turns his cuffs to get double wear out
of them. His current expenses have been cut
more than fifty per cent He still continues to
hang about the public offices and more and
more does he begin to realize that a public
office Is private snap"
CASTLES IN THE AIR.
He then builds castles high in the air.
Thinks what he could do with the salary of
the Office for which he is an applicant. In
is mind he could sport diamonds and build
houses. Failing to secure early appoint
ment he becomes miserable. His money is
fast going. and what to do he does not know
His expenses must be further lessened, and he
invests in a few celluloid collars and cuffs
THEME dispenses with linen shirts and wears
flannel. They do not have to go TO the laundry
80 often. With his flannel shirt celluloid COL
lars and cuffs and necktie he presents almost
as good an appearance he did when he
stopped at the hotel, paid big laundry bills,
and INDUCED in an everyday bootblack. He
can now black his boots as well as any colored
boy in town. Finally he begins to give up
hopes of securing his appointment and desires
to go home, but he knows how his friends will
tantalize him, and that he could not stand
He waits awhile longer. and by-and-by the
position which he desires to fill becomes vacant.
DISAPPOINTED.
Then he watches the newspapers for his ap-
pointment He watches in vain, for after sew
eral days the name Of another individual ap-
pears and then the unfortunate is greatly dis
appointed, but he manages to brace up and
urges his name for another position. He is
equally sure of getting this one. He meets
friends. tells them his story and they give him
encouraging news. Then he has reason to re-
joice, and they take drink together. Day
after day he wastes his time in a saloon. He is
soon christened ''colonel" or .'majah," and as
long as his money lasts he is good fellow The
other Office slips from him, and it is not long
before he becomes a vagrant in attempting to
drown his disappointments in rum. His board
bill gets large, and he is told to look out for
another clearinghouse. He fails to take the
hint, and gets the grand bounce"
FROM BAD TO WORSE.
He next appears at the pawn shops; puts up
what spare articles of clothing he has. Each
deal of this kind affords him another oppor-
tunity of getting drunk. He goes from bad to
worse, and his name finally appears on the
register of invited guests at the police sta
ton. He next appears at the station as "a
drunk" and is locked up over night. He has
now lost all hope Of lettering himself, and is
unable to solve the difficult problem. what
shall do z" he asks himself. .Shall I tramp
home? No. / would be disgraced." Day after
day he spends in this condition. He becomes
Respondent, and determines to end his troubles
forever. He perhaps chooses drowning as the
most painless death. The body is recovered
and placed in the morgue, where other poor
and unfortunate victims are placed. The sharp
knife of the coroner is brought into service
and the disfigured remains either inferred
in Potter's field or sent home to his relatives
for decent burial Thus there is one candi-
date out of the way, and room is made for an
other applicant