Daily Republican., 1890-03-10
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION

@'AHS o-1.~v ASs s1A1 wa 4AON
"Tut-tut-tutr exclaimed old silas
Wethsrsl. - he entered his office, one
morning.
He had advertised for . boy, aud no
less than twenty applicants were present.
After cursory examination, he dismlss-
cd al OF them but three, who were about
tho sams age.
Two Of them, Fred Baylis and Harry
st. Clair, were evidently the sons OF we'll.
to-do parents. The attire of tho other
boy, whose name was Charley Benson,
indicated that he belonged to the poorer
olasa
swell, want but one boy" Uncle
Silas said, AZ he settled down into his
chair, . ruminating look on his face.
slow am to make selsctionp'
He was . stout tovisl, loud voiced
gentleman, eccentric In his ways. partial
to boys. and always ready 70 poke fun"
| at them.
"We'll have . civil service examina.
| ton" no Announced, . flash Of hunor
Frightening his face. "Where IL the
Westminster Abbey Of America"
That was a pusz'sr,. and the boys
glanced into one anoiher's fsces.
IA Cambridge" Fred Baylis hest
AT PRINCETON" suggested Harry st.
Clar.
II don't know" was Charley Benson's
rersy.
| tQuestion number two," Uncle Silas
said, "How is the word SO met mes
pronounced?" aud no spelled the word
with the pauses indicated.
"So-met-i-mes, replied Fred Baylie,
plunging headlong into tue trap set for
him.
at Is Latin, isn't itr' asked Harry St.
Clair.
~ would pronounce it sometimes,
said Charley Benson.
Uncle Silas laughed heartily. and Fred
and Harry grew red In the face.
"Please hang up this picture" Uncle
Silas said, as ho offered Harry st. Clair .
small picture, and pointed to the wall.
No sooner had Harry complied than he
was ordered to return IL to the desk.
"a here was 1t that twenty-seveu
thousand men were killed by the falling
of q wall" asked Uncle Silas.
II was an odd questi n, and rather an
indefinite one.
II don't know" ir.nkly admitted
Harry ST. Clair.
/ never heard of such dreadful acci-
dent" said Fred.
can account Of IL IL given In the
Biole," quietly replied Charley Benson.
Il Uncle Silas hung up his head IN q
pleased way.
"Wherp"" he asked.
''In th, = st Book OF X ngs. II hap.
pened 10 tue city of Aphek."
How many Is aelites were killed."
"None. sir replied Charley. They
were Syriaus."
"You are right" declared Uncle Silss.
He rubbed the end his nose for few
moments, and then, designating Fred,
ordered him to hang up the picture
Fred complied, bus thought it q funny
! proceeding.
/ "You may bring It to me again.
Uncle SilAs said. The picture OIL hii
desk once NOR, he asked: "Is this .
! correct sentence. Your trunk ha
, com. y"
, A short silence ensued.
alt u.s." said Fred Baylis.
!, ait is," declared Harry 1t Clair.
Uncle Silss looked at Charley Benson
who said:
] 1T ia dramatically correct"
t But is 1t correcsP' asked Uncle Silas
5 slowly said "a trunk is an inanimat'
thing. 1t cannot come. To say you
) trunk has boon brought would be NOR
precise"
i pretty well taken," Uncle silas said
4 ughingly.
t .Of course, 1 thought you meant IT
y grammatical construction, Fred re
d marked.
|. "It is o bubble" declared Harry.
\ "Plesse hang up this picture" Uuc'
. Siias said, extending It to Charlie, VIII
e com piled with the request, anu 1t was ne
o followed with another to return 1t.
o 81 am sorry that two OF you are to b
a disappofrted, Uncle Silas said. "Bu
how can help IT. There are three nail
I on the wall. Ma ter benson hung IL OF
the proper one, with deiiberation and q
= artistic eye. You will observe that 1t /
equally distant from the corpers OF til
' wall, aud the same height from the Dor
I der that the other pictures are. 1t was
trifiing test, but there is good deal in It
have concluded to engage Charlie.
Benson"
Can rishtW SAID Fred, rising. 5000,
+ for Charley Benson; LIE scored one ever.
timel'
"'Twas Fir field, and you won, ever.
! time! good Tor you, old feliow" sail
. Harry.
The boys showed their admiration II
their eyes, and Uncle Silas leaned bach
in his chair and beamed OH them as theJ
bowed themselves out. "Your remark,
do you credit, youngsters goyd day
good-dayl said he.
4