The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-10
STORIES OF THE OFFICE SEEKERS.
A Determined Wom an-Sensible Au-
swers TO Foolish Questions.

department for offices under the coming
administration. Many people evidently
imagine that Mr.. Cleveland is now installed
at the white house. The impudence ex-
hibited by some OF these seekers for places
IA astonishing. Only the other day an ex-
oeptionally importunate one was on the
point of striking the private secretary Of
the Secretary of the Treasury with paper
weight, because that official refused to de-
vote his entire attention TO forwarding the
claims of the petitioner But the appoint
ment clerk of the treasury has the worst of
It, fortnight ago a woman came into his
office and said: II have come for a place
and | mean to have it. l shan't leave the
building until l get it."
81 regret to say that there is no vacancy,
madam, replied Gen. McCauley.
"Theu discharge somebody and make q
vacancy )" suggested the visitor.
II can hardly do that, said the general
''Then will stay here and starve," de-
clRred the woman.
"All right, madam, +" assehted the general.
''Sit down and starve comfortably"
But she would not accept the invitation.
She preferred to go TO the ante room of the
Secretary OF the Treasury, where she drove
the officials nearly distracted. Finally they
appealed to the appointment clerk, and he
tried to persuade her to leave.
right here"
But, madam protested Gen. McCauley.
''you can starve just "a well in my room,
and there is pleasant corner which you
can have all to yourself"
II choose to starve on this spot. re-
sponded the woman with emphasis She
has so far kept her word as to spend every
day since then, from 9 to In the ante.
room, to the great discomfort OF the clerks.
The women who apply for places are very
hard to get rid of. When informed that
a.
THE secretary can always make one more
place" Many of them make most humble
and pathetic appeals, saying: "For PHYS
sake, let me scrub the floors or do anything
by which L may earn my bread" Yet,
these same individuals, after securing situa-
tions and occupying them for two or three
days.. are pretty sure to demand three
things-promotion, leave of absence, and
lighter work. Women can never be con.
WINGED that there Is any sincerity in the
civil service law. They almost ALWAYS
think that they can get around 1t and secure
places in the classified service through in
fiuenoe. In the days when the spoiIs sys-
tenn was universal. not a few attractive but
unprincipled persons Of the gentler sex pro-
cured and held employment in the DEPART
ments by the exercise of Establishments
and there was much scandal on this &C
count.
At present women are gradually disap-
a few years there will be comparatively few
of them in the employment Of the govern
ment at Washington, notwithstanding the
fact that twice as many women as men ap-
ply for places. This result will be brought
about inevitably by causes which are now
IN operation. All persons entering the
classified service must come through the
competitive examinations held under the
civil service law. When there is a vacancy
the civil service commissioners send in
three names from which one is Sc
lected by the appointing official. In five
cases out Of six, supposing that the three
names include both sexes a man will be
chosen In preference to a woman. This
seems very unjust. but the reason for 1t Is
evident enough. A chief of bureau prefers
men as suboFdinates because he feels no
restraint in their presence; he can smoke
and swear occasionally, If he likes or ask
them to do odd jobs which he would not
like to demand Of women clerks. Thus it
happens that the great majority of the
women now in office were appointed before
the days of the civil service law
People sometimes obtain work from
Uncle Sam in peculiar ways Not so very
long ago poetess of passion in far west
ern state became an office seeker, adopting
novel method Of pursuing her object. She
appe Aled to a United States senator, bonn
harding him with poetry by mail. Once a
week regularly he received from her let
ter in the shape of a poem. Sometimes he
would get two week. The poetry was
probably the worst that any poetess of
passion ever produced. At first he paid no
attention to it, but at length it began to
prey upon his mind. He found that it was
keeping him awake at nights, and, when
this sort of thing had gone on for five or
SIX months, he became desperate, So. finally,
he wrote to her saying: Your poems have
proved to me that you are unfit for any
MI hoIar
cease writing and sending them to me,
will get you a job" And he did.
1t is recorded that a man, appointed
sixth auditor Of the treasury subject to ex-
animation, was asked to state the distance
of the moon from the earth. His written
answer was: Not near enough to affect
the functions of a sixth auditor" He
passed. So did another, who, being ex-
amined for employment in the treasury,
was asked how many soldiers England sent
to this country during Che revolution His
answer was: "a - sight more than ever
got back"
Many queer people get into the govern
ment employment. One day not long ago,
the appointing officer of one Of the depart
ments looked up from his desk and beheld
In his doorway a large woman of middle
age IN very short dress and pantalets,
with little bit of hat on one side Of her
head, waving green parasol aud giggling.
thanks to the powerful influence Of a sena
tor, she got a place, not included in the
classified service, a few days later No
sooner was she installed than she proceeded
to cut up the highest kind of jinks, so that
the forewoman under whose authority she
was put was Obliged to call her down. Call
ing her aside. she said: II want to have a
talk with you"
'Tralaloo tralaloor' cried the woman in
the pantalets gayly, dancing up to the fore-
woman and trying to attach a large bunch
OF flowers to the forewoman's dress.
You do not understand" said the fore-
woman. 81 want to speak to you seriously.
You must settle down to work"
"Tralalooln responded the new clerk,
dancing back to admire the effect of the
eorsage boquet she had just bestowed.
Then she added, II did not come here to
work."
Then shall have to report you to the
chief" said the forewoman severely.
This seemed TO amUse the lady In the pam
tAlets greatly.
THE chiefw she echoed. "Ha, ha Give
I'm that for me!n kissing her hand as she
flnced away.
Nevertheless, after having talk with
me chief, she became very penitant and