The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-05-18
SEEKING AN OFFICE
Women, Young and Old. Who
Want Department Clerkships.
fhsy Are Even More Persistent 1han
Male Ofice-Seekers-A Good Joke
on Robert Porter-In Quest
Of 0Iuduencc.n
Especial Washington Lette,.l


The most persistent and therefore
the most disagreeable ofdce-seekers
IRE women When a lady makes up her
mind that she needs on Office, and
ought to have IL, she also. by unoon-
seious cerebration, makes up her mind
10 worry the life out Of a poor con-
Rressman, almost as certainly and eff
fectiveiy as terrier worries the life
put of 4 rat. The census Office has
naturally been most besieged by won-
en- pfsce-hunters ever since 1t was or
gained, because its employees are not
appointed under the civn-service law.
al has been observed that all persons
In petticoats have horror of competi-
live examinations. Arithmetic is q
hopeless puzzle to nearly all applicants
of their sex But i have noticed that
In nearly every case where 1t was reai-
IL desired by influential men the ex-
aufnations were successfully passed.
That Is TO say, If the regular examina-
ton was failure, special expert"
examination was given, and the appli-
cant always passe'tit.
The force Of the census Office was re-
duced upon several occasions, and it
will be soon again. Such occurrences
have been invariably followed by a
batch of marriages. OF course these
matches have been the result of some
1ove-naking; but when | have read
the wedding notices IN the news
papers the thought has come to me,
whether it be right or not, that
the weddings have been brought
about more by reason Of necessity
on the part of the girls, than for
real, deep-seated love. In such an
event. ninety-nine per cent. of the
marriages are but the commencement
of suits for divorce, or of misera ble
lives.
OF course, where SO many hundreds
of young people have been thrown to-
gether some sincere attachments are
bound to follow; bat, while INDUCING
in Irritation with the male clerks, the
girls not uncommonly would keep on
the lookout for the better opportunities
In the matrimonial field. In numerous
instances they would have several
such Office beaux dangling while wait
ing for something more eligible to
turn up. This plan they could afford to
pursue so long as they were rendered
independent by their own employment;
but when discharge seemed imminent
they would promptly make selection
from the available husbands at hand.
And it is fair to presume that some of
those marriages have turned out well.
When Hon. Robert P. Porter was
superintendent of the census a good
story was told on him. 1t seemed that
on one occasion Superintendent Porter
received the resignation of girl who
toyfully informed him that she was
going away to be married. She wa.
anxious that he should give her a letter
of commentator, which he did very
Ismiably, Notwithstanding the fact
that she had not been a capable clerk.
subsequently her husband turned ont
q brute, and within three months she
got q divorce IN Chicago. Then she
came back to Washington and COM
PEELED the reluctant Mr. Porter, on the
strength of his own letter, to take her
Into service again. Moreover, she
held her place long after Porter ceased
to be superintendent; for she placed
lhis letter on file among her papers of
Endorsement, and Porter's successor
would not disturb her AS an act Of