Evening star., 1899-03-25
- 5 IL
H. e~A
I'm &~%
KIM ~a.a.sX
w. ~

THE reverence IN which some people hoiu
others who happen 20 know OF have known
men of distinction is positively silly said
a White House attache the other day. I'VE
see a great deal of the fOolishness here
every dav. See that little girl and two
women going off there? Well, they visited
the east room a few minutes ago and
seemed to think the little girl was a person
of great Importance. l couldn't realize what
1t all meant until they stopped here and
said to me: This little girl is only ten years
old and she has seen General Shafter.' OF
course. for pOliteness' sake, l expressed
amazement that one so young should have
seen so great a man. but L tried to find
out If there was any other reason for the
unusual respect in which the little creature
was held. There was no other. The women
went off positively happy in the idea that
they had astonished us all with their reve-
latiOns.
Every day we have people come mere
and attempt to see the President, on the
ground that at some time or other they
knew some of the ex-Presidents or some
distinguished man. President Lincoln
spoke to at the theater once says one.
Another claims to have been at one of
President Buchanan's dinners Still an
other old man has been coming here for
two years. exhibiting a torn letter which
he once received from Roscoe Conkling. TIE
letter was formal one. expressing appre-
CldIlON OIL the SOOu WISHES OF the Ola lfldI
The old fellow exhibits the letter as on
alleged evidence of the fact that he was a
personal and close friend Of the dead states
man. once powerful in the politics of
this country. These are many instances Of
such things.
These people. mostly old men and wo-
men. 1--we on the past and believe that this
will impress the present sufficiently to carry
through schemes they have in view
ment." remarked a hostler of the city
fire department To a Star reporter 'ft was
my hard luck in responding to an alarm
to run over and terribly injure small
boy, who was playing in the street. 1t
was an unavoidable accident. but. just the
same. it had its effect upon me- and for
time it preyed heavily on my mind and
probably would have done SO until today
had it not been for the sequel which right
sd up matters somewhat, I don't think
that those who Were best acquainted with
the circumstances blamed me much, for
the element of carelessness did not enter
into the occurrence, as far as / am aware
but it was one of those mtsfortunes which
are liable TO fall on the just and unjust
alike. at least regarded ii so. l kept nv
self pretty well informed as to the condi-
uOn of the boy. and was extremely happy
when | saw him on the streets again and
Z" all appearances fully recovered from
the injury which i had inflicted upon him
Wen. time passed along and the boys fam
lIH having moved from the house WHARF
ne resided when We took him after the
injury. for while did not see him. though
/ occasionally heard from him. One rather
rough night about d year afterward our
company responded to alarm in tha
northwestern part of the city On arriving
al me hre l was sent TO one of the upper
rooms of The burning building to rescue
r. N NfF re ~
who wera terribly frightened as they had
good reasons to be. for they were in con-
siderable danger. There was a light burn
ing in the room. and the moment T entered
u j recognized the little fellow that / had
driven oy r nd injured. If there ever was
Httie fellow who was carefully wrapped
y in ms bed clothes and with his little
sister taken downstairs and to nIace ~
salty. You can bet il was that how and
Slri- The same look Of fright was upon
MS race which l had not forgotten but
! Hoh thlhk my face looked as bad as
"I"h mad picked him up in my arms he
ere was supremacy happy in being
%'Le L" return some good for the III had
strangely enough. until the army reor-
E'hlzation goes fully into operation. mill
tdrF Dahcs have had no legal existence" "
,NP'di.td member Of an army band to
Star reporter. though quite a number of
N-N4ottt4 III Spiit OF Inc law. With
me exception of the post band at West
f''Ht' no army band has ever been provided
Tor by statute. There are as is well known
a number Of military bands those of the 6tb
CaFalr,' and 2d Artillery being we'll and
fsiV0rably known in Washington. from the
I"hs service they have given in this section
nut theE were never provided for or zaain-
tanned by any form Of law. Other reyi-
A'"hIS nave had their bands also but the
'''l''s "hlch provided them with their in
- 'ihehis and music always came In an
'i''i'iete manner and without any expressed
statute Of law. Under the statute rr,.,,fd-
.-E Tor me reorganization of the army
tH're VIII be a bIud connected with 80
regiment of the army and in tba +bra
pl pldi4'Aes or the seryice-infantry cz,vaIrv
ahG artillery. Military bands bays 80
L,,.h-.stzu - IN Ile army but have never been
l-'I"TIZeI, though but few persons evar
kAE" That they were not as fuiIy snt6or-
~ ~ aS lhe various other things in COW
..@.i"i4 with the army Certain supplies
which go musicians under the practice
80, SIS" up. but a band as a band
HENsr had an authorized existence fba
lthts secured from each CornnsnJ Da,.ino
~, In III bahqs are now appropriated for
tiS same as the officers and soldiers tb,a
SF.fesr IN direct and expressed terms 80
u VIII not be many years before t1ev viii ho
80 20 considerably improved all around FOR
'iey Will be independent Of cornnar,, 49,
which varied from time Ia ti.re - tuiiuS i'
4
a S'iIe uneS were Very low The harJS
!VI t'd 70 be company taiioTs barbsrs
am DO other outside service so as to 49,
both ends meet" ~ ~ make
VI course l do not know ybather sacra-
,arE Aiser intends to retire from the War
department or not observed a War Da-
Iartineat clerk TO a Star reporter. '.but this
DO know. and so does every other clerk in
the department, that he is more solid with
'He clerks and has done more for them
'h'tl any Secretary who has ever been in
'hs department-at least for the last twen
H-tWo years, for I have been A clerl, br,,
that number of years. Secretary AIger has
gone out Of his way to hunt up nice things
lor MS clerks in an official way. and he
mas never lost an opportunity to do them
lie started In his career by abolishing the
time records which the clerks were required
70 Keep OF their coming to and going from
the department There was no particular
hardship about the time records but IL was
generally felt to be an unnecessary nuis
ance, for good clerks could find time to
ATTEND 10 government business as we'll as
Keep their time cards in shape He nut the
clerks on their honor. and the department
mas been a gamer by it, and, besides the
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