The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1895-10-24

L ODIlKe0 10 TAKE a lAItAt kgfuttllIK from
IL without asking FORT. There is more
similarity between these two classes
OF gentlemen, who neither toll nor
spin. than at first sight appears. Both
| could work IL they chose. but they do
not choose. Unlike the man who has
worked for one portion Of his life In
order that he may loaf for the rest of
his life, they have neither of them
worked at all, and the means OF loaf
ing have come TO them without any
effort on their part. There is, however,
a calculation and a certain mount Of
brain power demonstrated in the park
l~oafcr's existence which is wanting in
his colleague.
But IL YOU want TO see aud feel and
know the most prevalent social nuis-
ance here, you must meet with the de-
partment clerk who continually talks
TO You Of the public business, and
would impress upon you tho fact that
he owns the government Of the Omitted
States. He doesn't make Won angry,
for he Is not really harmful. but you
treat him with a charitable pity. Dur
ing the neat Of the summer. when
every body takes a vacation, he tells
you hat he cant get away" and in
Inmates pretty strongly that it is i'm
possible for the department he is in {
yet on when he is absent from his desk.
He has actually fooled himself into
this belief. but he does not succeed in
decciving anyone else. 1t is all right
for him TO work over-hours. TO 90 TO
the department on Sunday in order TO
keep the government constantly under
his wing; but IL is a nuisance 10 have
him talk about it all the time. How
ever. the poor fellow knows nothing
else to talk about. His most precious
possession is an empty pate.
Do you know that a a or woman
may reside in Maine, California, Texas,
or other remote points, and yet become
n of the n~uisances Of Washington
No class Of people can be more pesti-
lcntial than the monomaniacs who
write for autographs. They thus an
noy and bother the public men who
live In Washington, and not only in
sist upon having the great mans sigma.
ture, but often demand his photograph
as well. II must be a decided nuisance
for the great man to pay for the photo
graphs IL, indeed, he docs 80 and they
are not a present from the photograph
or. But the greatest local nuisances OF
all arc the people who are c~ternally
Boosting OF the distinguished people
they know. The man who does this is
not usually an old resident of Wash
ington, because old residents gradual.
~ get used TO constant contact with
public characters. OF the latter IL can.
rot be said precisely that familiarity
breeds contempt for them, although it
Is trIc that, rs no man is q nero to his
valct-de-chambcr, so il is unusual to
find people who maintain a feeling OF
reverence and awe for a man they see
constantly, and who is, in private rela-
tions of life, no better than ordinary
people But old Washingtonians don't
boast Of their acquaintances in public
life half so much as the new corners do.
The women who make IL their con.
slant business to go calling upon tho
wives of senators, representatives, cab.
met ministers, and other public men,
are social nuisances Of the deepest dye.
You may think 1t strange, but as a
matter of fact there are thousands OF
such women who go from house tc
house in carriage loads, who have Just
time enough to walk into a room and
then walk out again, who must get
through with "a certain number OF visits
in a certain time. There seems TO be
no doubt but hat there Is more calling
done among the people of Washing
ton than is done among the people OF
any other city in the world. A custom
that is almost exclusively feminine in
other places, and has its limitation
among women here, is followed to a
large extent by men. These masculine
professionals go the rounds systemat-
ically. They eat and drink II il is
given to them. They make themselves
thoroughly at home. There is no harm
in genuine social calls. But that isn't
the style of calling that is done here.
What should be a recreation and a
pleasure is made a business OF, and q
most irksomc business il becomes. 1t
is a wonder that some of these nui-
sances do not die of hypocrisy. The
same smirk, the same boz, the same
s~tereotyped remarks SO desperately POI
lite, are bestowed upon people who are
comparative strangers. OF all social
nuisanccs, the calling nuisance is the
worst. SMITH ID. Fry.