St. Landry democrat., 1892-11-05
A GOVERN ENT CLERK.
BY GAILLARD HUNT.

Henry Hamilton is a natural product
of the peculiar conditions of Washington
life. Although he is Government clerk
he is not of the plain, plodding type that
one sees and hears so little of after the
hour when the Departments close; on the
contrary, his real life begins at four
o'clock in the afternoon. There are few
more popular men in Washington. Well
hammered, cultivated, good-looking, of
exceptionally good antecedents, he is
welcome in every drawing room worth
entering. That he is poor and has no
prospects in life ale facts which nobody
cares about; that he is, perhaps, throw
ing life away that might have had
some achievements in another sphere is
not nearly so important in the circle in
which he moves as the evident fact that
he is most invitable man.
Besides all this he is born leader-of
the german. Last year, early in the sea-
son, he led the german at the japanese
Legation, and it was there that Marie
Forrest first made her appearance in So
ciety in Washington. Hamilton had
known and admired her two years before,
just before she went to Europe, and
when she had not yet made her debut
and he chose to make it his business to
see that her first Washington party was
success. He introduced all the men to
her; aid he babe the younger ones, his
imitators and slaves, take her out and
give her favors. She had 'perfectly
lovely time;;" and she went home with
her arms full of favors, and gave the
leader q sweet bow and smile as she
left.
AS for him, he saw himself in the glass
as he entered his room after the party.
His face was heated, and he looked
tired his collar tottered to its fall, and
his coat was covered with tinsel decora-
tions, as though he was much honored
foreign prince, and, although he was SO
popular and had been much petted at
the german, I do not envy him his
thoughts as he sat in solitude.
He is one of the class of men who, at
the time of life when they should study
a profession, accept the tempting offer of
a Government clerkship. When he be-
came q clerk the spirit of enjoyment was
strong in him, his gifts were brilliant in
society, and the holiday city of Wash
ington offered him fine field for pleas
ure; the Government paid him a salary
sufficient for his needs, and, almost be-
fore he knew it, he found himself too old
to begin life over again. The faint which
falls upon Government employe fast
ened upon him, and he became weak and
dependent as Government clerks usually
are. AS he grew older his life became
more and more miserable and futile eff
fort at self-forgetfulness- persistent
mingling in society.
AS the season in Washington began
about the time of the ball at the japanese
Legation. it was only natural that Hamil-
ton and Miss Forrest should be thrown
together pretty constantly, and their
meetings were manifestly agreeable to
both. She was a girl not altogether friv-
olous, and she had enthusiasm beyond
anticipations of future parties or recol-
lections of past ones. She awoke in
him desire to show her his best side,
and he was man of more than usual in
formation and intelligence, for his hours
at his office were not infrequently spent
in reading and in labors which were of
no value to the Government, but were
most improving to him, 1t was newt
able that Miss Forrest should see in him
superiority to his contemporaries. She
found him triier, it is true, often Gym
ical, sometimes even bitter and misan-
thropical, but he had charming, frank
boyishness of nature and generosity of
heart which caused most people to like
him and some even to love him.
AS for Miss Forrest, I think she must
have been naturally a firt; for she took
to it as a bird does to flying, with slight
futtering and very little preliminary
training. There was little Polonisi, the
Secretary of the Italian Legation; Major
Lockwood, gallant officer in the pay
corps Of the Army; Jones and Smith,
young fellows, clerks in the State De-
partment; old Count de la Rose, an i'm
poverished French nobleman, dttdche of
the Legation. All were her constant at
PENDANTS and formed her bodyguard,
sometimes On duty together and some
times by turns.
Major Lockwood was the most per-
sistent. He came of an old and distin-
guished family. He was not without
intellect; but he expended it all in the
perfection of his gentility. Although he
clothed his handsome person in sober
tints, there was, nevertheless, an appear
ancc of much thought in his trousers,
and his cravats showed considerable
power of mental concentration. He was
not bad fellow, however; and Miss
Forest liked him, because he was good
looking and fine specimen of a ''swell. :"
It is not infrequently the case, too that
person with stupendously good opin-
ion of himself succeeds in communica-
ting part of this opinion to others.
There was such voluminous self-esteem
emanating from Major Lockwood that
most people concluded it must have its
origin in some spark Of genuine merit.
To sit in parlor, tete-a-tete with a
pretty girl who is not averse to being
made love to is dangerous; to walk with
her when she is addicted to perfect hats
is still more 50; but to ride horseback
with her when the air is balmy and the
blood is warm with the delightful exer-
else is apt to be fatal. Through the
generosity of rich aunt, Hamilton was
the fortunate possessor of fine horse
and when the weather permitted and Miss
Forrest was willing, the two used to
take long rides in the beautiful country
around Washington. On these occasions
they would cast all conventionalities to
the winds; sometimes singing together.
laughing from very exuberance of spirits,
liko a co,1nla Of children hannu in the