The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-05

the most interesting of the latter class Is
Aunt Sophie" Holmes wei known
in the Treasury Department as Aunt
Sophie" What she lacks in height is well
made up for in bIeadth. She has round,
pleasant. honest face. and with her neat
dark dress and spotless white apron, that
yies in whlteness with her hair, she pre-
sents the appearance of an ideal matron,
the position she now fills in the issue d.
vision OF the Treasury.
Found Bundle of Money.
In 1862 Sophie Holmes was employed by
Gen. Spinner. the Treasurer Of the United
States. as a temporary charwoman. She
was assigned TO the rooms of the issue di-
vision TO sweep and dust. One afternoon,
In April Of that year. Aunt Sophie was
hard at work sweeping and scrubbing the
floors when she came across a large
bundle, which she supposed was waste
paper. and was in the act Of throwing IL
in the basket to be burned. when she
decided to investigate it. She was amazed
and almost frightened out Of her wits TO
discover several dozen rolls of ore thous-
and-dollar bills, S700.000 in all. By some
unexplainable mistake this package OF
money was overlooked. and even when
the accounts were balanced in the even
ing, IL was not missed and Gen. Spinner.
believing all 10 be secure lad locked the
safe. and gone out with an easy con-
science.
Aunt Sophie. on finding all Of this
wealth unguarded, decided to remain in
the room until some one with authority
10 accept the money should arrive. So, TO
allay all suspicion. she pretended to be
working very hard, but always remained
near the money. She was afraid TO leave
the bundle 10 seek Gen. Spinner, and not
knowing the guard, she thought II best
not to trust him with her secret. She
thought OF going out and carrying the
bundle of money with her; then it oc-
cured to her that the guard, not knowing
her, might examine the package, and on
finding its valuable contents. either kill
her and escape with the wealth, or sus-
pect her of theft. There seemed but one
thing for her TO do. to stay and guard
the fortune with her life. if necessary.
About o'clock one of the guards en-
tered the room and on finding Aunt
Sophie still there asked:
Still at work.
Aunt Sophie began to sweep with all of
| her might and iaain. Yes" she an
swered, "but I'll soon be through" and
she made such dust that the watchman
was only too glad TO escape. She swept
the dust and dirt into pile, and then
scattered it over the floor again, in an
effort to appear very busy. No more
watchmen disturbed her. and finally, out
| of sheer exhaustion, she sat down TO
rest, and sOcn dropped asleep.
Slept on IL All Night.
About midnight she awoke, hearing a
| noise in the hall She was frightened.
| and rising, she grcped her way to the
! spot where she had hidden the money,
wedging it in between two desks. Then
| she seated herself on it, determined to
| stay there until Gen. Spinner, who slept
| in the building, s1ould arrive. In this
| cramped position size slept until o'clock
! in the morning. when she heard a soft
| football in the hall, and listening, she
| thought she recognized the step of Gen:
| Spinner In trembling voice she called
/ his name.
Gen. Spinner was known as 'the watch
/ dog of the Treasury" a name given him
I from the fact that he had a habit OF
wandering through the buiiJins at all
hours Of the night TO see that every
| thing was all right. In the silence and
darkness Of the night this low. trembling
| voice of a woman frightened the gen.
| eral, although he was not an acknowl-
edged believer in ghosts. On discover
ing Aunt Sophie wedged in between two
desks, his fright was turned into sur
! prise. The relief from the responsibility
almost unnerved aunt Sophie. and she
! began to cry. She could not exp ain the
situation, only murmLring, "Oh, General
Spinner, don't go. don; go"
Finally. when she had become quieted
and could tell her story. and investiga-
I ton proved il to be correct. the truth
! dawned upon the general, and it is said
that he sWOre black and blue at every
thing in about, and near the Treasury
( Not until he had relieved himself in this
! manner for nearly an hour did he allow
Aunt Sophie to so home. The money Wa:
| finally locked up in his private safe, Il
await the next days investigation. Sew.
eral DAYS later Aunt Sophie was sent fol
and complImented for her faithfulness
and as a token of gratitude was giyeT
| a life appointment