The Washington times., 1894-12-23


while the other sections oi4he city have fallen
from grace as society has7noyed northward.
ana been left to the demands of business
aud baser purposes. Here yqa will see big,
square dwellings, entered through central
doorways, with small paned windows and
ornamented cupolas. Bell knobs have not
wholly taken the place OF hrassSknockers, and
conservatism has retained few of the lron~
dogs that act as sentihelsI ITO the stone
porches Asphalt pavements and the con-
ventiona gas lamps are hardly sufficient to
detract from the quaint old-time appearance
of the locality.
Liquor saloons are few and very far be-
tween, for concerted opposition has been
sufficient to keep out such unwelcome enter
prise 1t is doubtful whether more than a
few, if any, saloon-keepers are desirous OF
locating, for the male residents are steady
going and exclusive, and little inclined to
court Bacchus except in their own homes and
those of their friends. People are born and
die in the same house in that part of Wash
ington. Most of the dwellings have been
possessed by single families for generations,
so there are few movings, and as year follows
year the ancient responsibility and cohserva-
tism remains practically the same. Modern
houses. inhabited by new comers, are by no
means scarce: but these, like the street-lamps
and the asphalt, are overshadowed in the
prevailing air of antiquity given by the
dwellings of the old families. Looking at
these ante-belum mansions, one cannot tell
from exterior appearances whether poverty
or wealth is ta be found behind the brick
walls, excepting perhaps, that an irregular
patch, where the stucco has fallen away, or
a diminu.ive card IN a window proclaimirg,
'!Rooms for rent" may serve as a hint to fall
len fortunes.
Into this locality Of by-gone days came An
drew Teck, bureau chief, self-made, self-edu-
/ Gated, bur withal gentleman. despite the fact
/ that the family tree from which he budded
had no blue sap in its trunk and branches
/ To the widow he proved mystery. although
! he answered freely and frankly all her qdes-
4 tions concerning past and present connec-
| tions, which, while covertly asked, failed to
conceal their purpose. She was compelled
perforce, to acknowledge that while he had
not shown satisfactory grounds for seeking
the social acquaintanceship OF a family so
I perfect in pedigree, he had nevertheless
given no indications of sprincing from pie
bian stock. and she was obliged to accept
! him for what he appeared tc be and there
was c'rtainy nothing Of ciionabls in that
particular On t.e contrary, she found him
/ courteous, considerate. and exhibiting all the
/ marks Of good breeding and her fears gained
only occasional expression in admoaitions
/ to MIlly to remember that Mr. Teck was
merely an office acquaintanae.z
Mr. Teck came frequently to the old
house and the widow anu her sister ackncwl-
( edged in their hearts that he was most cou-
panionable young man. Whom he detereh-
TALLY asked the widows permission to allow
! Miss Milly to accompany him to the theater
1 under her cbaperonage, she could not t' r e a
negative to her lips, and so answered, ~ $,
with a deciination on her part in favor of the
aunt The after found the playyery delightful
after her years Of exile from its pleasures,
and as invitation followed invitation. her old
time preiudices gave way in study of The
amusement columns OF the newspapers iE the
surety that she wou bd asked 10 witness
whatever sas good.
SO time went on until one dark day when
Dir. Teck's negro messenger laid on Miss
| BIilly's desk the dreaded yellow envelope.
The young bureau officer saw her take it and
proudly read the politely-worded notice that
her services were no longer required. And
then Mr.. Terk changed from the courteous
gentleman to an entirely unconventional hu-
/ Iaip bo od md ,u6 and ia
use Of words almost bordering on the pro-
fane He had not been consulted in this, he
said; he had not even suspected if, and he
| proposed TO know who was at the bottom OF
the matter. Then he gently told Miss Mllly
10 go home and leave the rest to him, and
the girl went out of the big building. past
weeping women in the corridors, and past
bewidered old men. stunned in the blow
that had come upon them in their declining
years Fathers and mothers. men who mad
given their best years to that raster which
now cast them off, and widows whose dear
ones would soon cry for bread-theSe stood
and ca2ed at the oblong yellow omens of SUI
fering which they held in their hands. 1t
was a perfect rain OF yellow envelopes, and
the more fortunate shudiered aud wondered
how soon they. too, would lie overtaken.by the
storm.
When Mr.. Teek called at the widows house
that night he received cold stare from Ole
Nam Liza as she admitted him. Miss Milly'
eyes were red aud in lamej but she smiled a
sad little smile and hoped he was very we'll
But Mr.. Teck did not come TO exchange plati-
tudes. He broached the subject of her dis
missal at once and told of his efforts to have
the yellow envelope withdrawn. But it was
no use. he said. The Great Mogul to whom
he had gone told him it was impossible to
make any exceptions. The dismissal. which
had been wholesale, was absolutely necessary,
and it was thought expedient to make the
selection of anlucky ones without consulting
the bureau officers very unusual proceed
ing. Mr.T eek declared and somewhat of a
reflection on himself.
But Milly's dismay at this app ling lnfor-
nation, was lost in the attention she gave to.
something else Mr.. Teck was saying. He had
meant to tell her before, so he said. but feel
ngs of delicacy on the fact that she was an
employe OF his bureau restrained him from
doing so. Then he told herthe old. old story,
which even governmentofficials know how to
tell without resource to red-tape cireumlocu-
ton, and as ne finished he asked:
''Do I get the yellow. enreope-or is it