The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-08

purpose, but quick to detect the Wis
itor with the furtive eye or flighty
manner, for this is a time when not
only persons of evil design must be
watched, but when 'cranks" are liable
to be attracted to the seat of power.
At the state, war and navy building
the most rigid rules prevail regarding
visitors during the closed hours-that
is, before 9 in the morning and after
z In the afternoon. Then the ordinary
pass is of no avail. A special caro- is
required, and this is issued only to
persons who are personally acquainted
with Custodian Baird, and whom he
knows to have legitimate business at
the department. Any one else must
be halted at n of the main doors till
his name and the nature of his errand
are conveyed to the officer Who he
wishes to see. If the officer sends word
that he Is to be admitted, the guards
permit him to pass in, and, If he is a
stranger, furnish him with a messen-
ger to guide him to the room where
he is to have his interview.
At the other government buildings
the old passes are still in force for the
closed hours, for newspaper correspond
ents, attorneys, etc.; but no matter
what the hour he calls, even between
y and 2, the unfamiliar visitor is scru-
tlnlzed by the ~doorkeepers, who must
be satisfied from his that
he is a safe person to be allowed to
roam about.
Occasionally funny things happen.
One Of the best known and most re-
spected members Of the treasury staff
mas been accustomed for some time
TO buy the fresh eggs for his HON
table of a clerk in the department who
lives out Of Owl n has a little poul-
try yard. The clerk brings in eggs
three times a week, and the purchaser.
who lives near the department., carries
them In a paper parcel or q basket
when he goes home at the luncheon
hour. One day his most convenient re-
ceptacle for his eggs happened to be a,
little leather ~reticule with a somewhat
uncertain handle. He was going home
as usual at noon, and took a short cut
across the White house grounds. 1t
was just after some sensational arti-
cles suggestive of dynamite plots had
appeared in the yellow journals. AS
ne entered the grounds a new police
man, who had been stationed near the
gate on the treasury side, was looking
IN the other direction; but suddenly
turning, the officer caught sight of the
glngerly carried reticule. In an instant
he shouted an order to halt. The un-
conscious civil servant passed on, and
the officer shouted again, at the same
llille HldhlnS a Slgnl11cant gesture with
his club. This time the order was UNI
derstood and the man halted. The off.
Ger came up. what have you in that
bag"' he inquired.
only some things 1 am carrying
home was the answer.
What kind of things?"
Oh, some household supplies"
The officer was not convinced. LET
me see them"
BY this time several passers-by had
been attracted to the incident and
gathered around. With many bushes
the innocent gentleman gently opened
the reticule, and the officer took a a u
tlous peer inside, evidently expecting
to see a stick of dynamite. The ex-
preston of his face when he saw in
stead a dozen c~ream-colored eggs, was
a study. Without exchanging q glance
with he suspect he made a quick mo-
ton with his club, indicating that the
retlcule might be closed, turned on his
heei and strobe majestically away.
IL any crank does succeed in terror
lzlng Washington during the present
crlsls. 1T will not be because of any lack
u vigilance on the part Of the police.