The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-03-24
POPULARITY OF WASHINGTON.
The Disappointed Ofice-Seeker and What
Became of Him.

Ine inauguration Is over, anu tnt
great mass of people has disappeared
The only strangers left behind are
those who are looking for an office
They have come and are going tc
remain until they are rewarded witt
an appointment, or until their last
penny is gone. There is no class oi
persons who can live longer on small
capital than the Office seeker. de
has been out for a long time, and
has become acquainted with the
ways of the world, or in other words
he is used to "roughing it." The
average office seeker, whether he is
after a foreign mission or laborers
place in one of the departments, puts
on a bold front when he starts IN
search of a situation. In the first
place he thinks 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 ad.
ditional expense. Clean collars and
cuffs are donned each day, and to
complete his presentable appearance
an additional nickel is squandered on
bootblack. In all the applicant
finds it rather expensive business,
but then he expects soon to be re-
warded and all will be fright. Days,
weeks and months pass by and yet
he has not even succeeded in getting
some one fired" to make vacancy
for himself. His hotel bill must be
paid, and coon he finds that financial
embarrassment is sure to follow. He
must leave his hotel and secuae
more economical quarters. Ex-
penses in every direction must be
curtailed. His laundry bill must be
leasened. Then he wears q 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 con-
tinues to hang about the public
offices and more and more does he
begin to realize that public Office
is a private snap"
CASTLES IN THE AIR.
He then builds castles high lin the
air. Thinks what he could do with
the salary of the Office for which he is
an applicant. In his mind he could
sport diamonds and build houses.
Failing to secure an early appoint.
ment he becomes miserable. His
money is fast going, and what to do
he does not know. His ex-
penses must be further les
sened and he invests in a
few eelluloid collars and cuffs. Then
he dispenses with linen shirts and
wears flannel. They do not have to
go to the laundry so often. With his
flannel shirt, celluloid collars and cuffs
and q necktie he presents almost as
good an appearance as 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 appoint.
ment and desires to go home, but be
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.
Then he watches the newspapers
for his appointment. He watches in
vain, for after several days the name
of another individual appears, 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 get
ting this one. He meets friends, tells
them his story and they give him en-.
couraging news. Then he has reason
to rejoice, and they take a drink to-
gether. Day after day he wastes his
time in a saloon. He is soo1
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 be
comes vagrant in attempting tc
drown his disappointments in rum
His board bill gets large, and he is
told to look out for another boarding
house. He fails to take the hint, and
gets the grand bounce"
FROM BAD TO WORSE.
He next appears at the pawn shops
and puts up what spare articles oi
clothing he has. Each deal of this
kind affords him another opportunity
of getting drunk. He goes from bad
to worse, and his name finally appears
on the register of invited guests" al
the police station. He next appears
at the station as "a drunk" and is
locked up over night. He has now
lost all hope of bettering himself, and
is unable to solve the difficult prob
lem. what shall 1 do?" he asks
himself. "Shall I tramp home? No!
l would be disgraced." Day after
day he spends in this condition. He
becomes Respondent and determines
to end his troubles forever. He per
haps chooses drowning as the mos
painless death. The body is recov.
cred and placed in the morgue, where
other poor and unfortunate victims
are placed. The sharp knife OF the
coroner is brought into service, anG
the disfigured remains are either in
tered in Potter's field or sent home
to his relatives for decent burial
Tins there is one candidate out o
the way, and room is made for anoth
or applicant.