Morning journal and courier., 1893-06-17
THE FLERTING SHOW.
Some of It's Facts and Fancies. Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIER.]
 saSfs x.,,,x,,r,-r,<S,rr-,,

Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIKR] .- 'sttA WHITE SOUL"
 One of the 'scharacteTs'' of the United States Treasury Department, looked upon by visitors with much respect, as well a, interest or eahoaity, is Ssphia Holmes, 6 name that to these who know her seems synonymous with sterling honesty. She is only the janitress, and colored woman at that, but shs has held her poaiHon through nine administrations, by reason of an official appointment which is for life and was given by the government in rec milton of her integrity and faithful ser vice.
 Sophia Holmes was born in Washington and at sixteen she married slave, whom Colonel Seaton, noted abolitionist, bought for one thousand dollars to save him from being sold out of the district. The youthful pair were ambitious, and they set themselves to earn a thoueand dol lars and purchase the husbands fresdom. When the Civil war broke out they had paid six hundred dollars of this amount Then Holmes went as body servant to Cap tain Burns of the Fourth Maine regiment. In the first battle of Bull Run Captain Burns was shot from his horse, and the servant took his place, leading the colHmn until he fell, riddled with bullets Two months of suffering followed, then the brave fellow died leaving his wife with two young children to support Then 1t was that Sophia, whose husbands ser vice had won her the interest Of some prominent men in Washington, became one of the Scrub brigade" at the Treas ury Building. The sheets of bank notes and oae evening when Sophia was sweep ing floor filtered with these paper shaw ings, she found a box packed with bank notes, that, covered by the clippings, had been overlooked. The vaults were closed, officials and clerks had gone, and no one but the poor sweeping woman and the night watchmsn were in the building. It grew dark-the little children at home were waiting for mother, hungry and crying, perhaps, but Sophia's sense of honor aad duty bade her stay and guard s1e precious box: 'I prayed the good Lord to protect and direct me-" she kept her watch. At in the morning she heard the familiar step of General Spin ner, then secretary of the treasury. He "6Aoucu SltoH GIouOsCu uEOhAl tAAb SOu0 thing was wrong at the treasury building, and anxious and disturbed had risen and gone to his office. There Sophia came to him with her story of the box in the counting room. Together they lifted the box and carried it into the office; depart, ment officials were sent for, and the money was counted. Not package of notes had been disturbed-the $1S0,O00 was intact Then the faithful woman rode home in Gen. Spinner's carriage to her little ones, of whom the neighbors had kindly taken charge when seemingly deserted.
 So little did she realize the value of her service to the government, so humble ass she in the estimate of her own worth. that when, soon after, shs received her official appointment without explanation from the hand of Gen. Spinner, (snother upright soul who for years handled millions of United States money yet when he gave up his office on account of the infrmities of age was able to prove to his successor that he had not lost one single cent) she sup posed that 1t was her discharge from the !.'Sorub igade," and was much cast down thereat. When at last she summoned courage to ask some one to read the paper to her, and was told that 1t was a lifs ar pointment as janitress. her happiness WAS intezse, and to this day when she speaks of "thst blessed paper" her fsce is radiant with delig"t.
 It is estimated that by seme otht ? 'tfinds," and by the carefulaess and thor oughness of her work, Sophia Holmes has saved for the government about half million dollszs. Thirty-two years of serv- ice have began to tell upon her somewhat, but she Is still ambitious, and cheerful. and like good many of us who have not 30 strong a claim upon the nations grat,- k-l chn Sa r,f ho1 months vacation and spending it ct the worlds fair. In these days of dishonesty and fraud she might make an fnstl uctive "exhibit" as showing that fine principle of integrity has nothing to do with condi- tion or complexion: that the unlearned and humble may far surpass the cultured and favored ones of tbis earth in loftiness of purpose and faithfalness of effort.
 .'pd rather leave my children the legacy of a white soul," said Sophia Holmes, "than all the gold and banknotes that the United States treasury has ever heidi" Surely the "white soul" is nere, and go che is the superior of many who might scorn her for her dark visag., having eyes only for the outward seeming and no thought or desire for the inward grsces of the spirit.
 OLD TIME EKTRAvAGANCEs
 Silksn hosiery can hardly be said in thes days to confer spe ctal distinction upon the wearer. Like many things that once were luxuries and are now become necessities, silk stockings sxe comparatively so com- mon and inex pensive that it is hard to be. lieve they wore once very rare and precious -ssa dainty gift to set before king" The royal dandy Henry the VIII, who loved ts attire himself with showy mag l Hificence, had been contented with knitted woolen stockings, and they were grea' improvement over the stockings made ot cloth, until pair of silken hose were sent to him from Spain. This appears to bt 1 their first introduction into England, anc they were probably reserved for very | 'sswell" imperial functions, since ever
 this extravaRnnt dresser had only the on'
 pair. King Henry II of France wore hil
 first pair of these highly -prized articles a the marriage of his sister, and that ter 1 years after this they were thought al Together too fine for everyday wear fl shown by the fact that a German prince
 reproved his privy councillor. who sp pearsd before him on . weekday, wearinl Q pair of silk stockings that he had brough
 from Italy, with the words, 'Barthold,
 have silk stockings also, but I wear tden
 only on Sundays and holidays"
 King Edward VI of England value,
 very highly a pair of long Spanish sill
 hose. given him by the merchant prince | Sir Thomas Gresham, but it was reserve, for his sister Elizabeth to wear these 1uxu
 rious novelties regularly. One of he
 waiting women, Mrs. Montague, having
 after much study and experiment, knitte
 pair and given them to the queen as
 New Year's gift, the royal lady was 8
 much pleased that thenceforth she woul
 wear no others. and probably Mrs. Nor
 tague's ingenious fingers were kept bue in supplying the demand. Among th !: i-courtiers and gallants of her tima the ol namsnts most prized were knit silk stool : ings aud Spanish leather shoes, but the were costly bits of foot-gear, an , 1t was considered prudent by Il | suthoritiesof Oxford to prevent these val
 tiles from invading the university S
 they made law forbidding their use, ar . incidentally revealing very reprehensib 9 custom of the time: .'No scholar, grad r ate. fellow of any college. or having ., . other spiritual living, ehall In any of h hose wear above yard and three quarte =