Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-05-23
Working for Uncle Sam.
A WOMAN CLERKS STORY.

The life of feminine clerk in one of
the Government Departments at Wash
ington is not by any means bad ex-
istence. have tried it and speak from
experience.
One day not long ago ! found my
way to the office of the Secretary in the
Interior Department. A colorcd man
of great dignity sat outside of the door,
and upon my entrance into the ante
room rose respectfully and, taking my
card, waved me to seat to await re-
suits while he disappeared through a
doorway opposite me.
In few minutes l was ushered into
large room, half office, half library,
and facing a dignifed gentleman who
rose and politely asked me to be seated.
He still held In his hand the letter
had sent in by the porter together with
my card, the black border of which
looked as strange and forlorn as my
life was then. In as few words as pos
,ib!e l told him my history up to that
moment and why had applied to him.
Would he give me position as clerk
in the Department.
He silently turned over several pack
ages of paper lying on the desk beside
him, and then said: 'Do you know
your application makes 1901 that ]
now have before me, asking for clerk
ships in this Department.
One thousand and one! How quickly
my thoughts flew back to the strains of
q favorite waltz, "One Thousand and
One Nights" The room and the man
before me faded before another vision
group of gay young girls dancing to
the music of that waltz as it dripped
from my careless fingers. "One Thou
sand and,O Nightsr' Less than that
many nights before l had been one of
party listening to that music played
by German band, Under the Lin
den" in Germany, loved and cared for,
with no thought of sorrow.
l was brought sharply back to the
present, with its bitter contrast, by the
entrance of che porter, followe by two
gentlemen. The Secretery shook my
hand as a farewell, and promising
to send me an ans wer in tho morning,
bade the porter see me safely to the car
in the next street. In arranging my
veil a watch guard unclaspsd and
dropped with rattle to the floor. One
of the gentlemen who had just entered
picke1 it up and looking significantly
at it and then to the Secretary, handed
it to me. 1t was the square and com.
pass set In large white diamonds, be-
longing to my husband. lido not know
whether that little incident helped me
10 gain my position or not, but have
thought possibly it did, as / saw the
same design hanging from chain worn
by the Secretary of the Interior.
Next morning the bell boy brought
note and large official document con-
tanning my appoin tment to a clerkship
in the Pension Office at a salary of
$1,000 year. was to go the follow
ing Monday morning at 8 o'clock for
examination and to be assigned to
room with others thus employed. The
next two days were spent in search for
a board ing house. OF these / found
plenty, but at not one desirable place
could get room and board without that
all-importans thing, some re recommenda-
tion, thing I had never once even
dreamed of having.
think my experience those two days
ought to be written. and would be in-
teresting, to say the least, to students
of human nature. My only crime, un-
fitness or whatever you may term it,
as expressed or limited. was my Icing
$50 young" $50 pretty" and ''a
widowi" Think of it. l wished most
heartily that day that I might be old.
gray and hide ously ugly. am CAD
there were no wicked fairies about that
could change peope at their own wish.
fear should have been left repent
ing, clerk to this day in that old
Ela2Ry building "a ies sv.ags A !