The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-25
NEW FORK GIRL IN OFFICE. =
Tho Way into . Washington Department.
and the Places Pleasures.

NEW FORK GIRL IN OFFICE
Tho Way into . Washington Department
and the Places Pleasures.
WASHINGTON. June ID" I'm here all right"
said the New York girl who had just obtained
Government Job. and glad enough to be
here In modest little place. but II you think
getting It was any fun you are mistaken.
or course I aimed at something pretty big
and then grabbed at this little thing when
It came my way. I remind myself Of o
story l heard somewhere about a oountryman
from the South who thought he'd like a Cabi-
net place when Johnson got to be President.
He had been a neighbor TO some Of Johason's
family. or had some equally strong title, so
wcnded his way to Washington and fled his
application for something large and remunera-
tive. Then he waited. sadly waited. and soon
his money was gone. After while he did one
day get an audience with the President and.
finding that everything he wanted had gone or
wasn't for him. he wound up by saying:
Mr.. johnson. II you've got AIRY pair OF old
trousers. I'd be glad 10 Rit EN-
We'll. am glad to get what I've got. When
the powers that be sent me word that could
have such and such place II I wished It and
inolosed a letter to tho Secretary. you may
imagine l got down to that department
promptly at the next morning. Thought I
WAS Just going to take OF nv hat and spend
the rest OF my life there. The Secretary was
away. and was turned over first to one and
then to another and finally to good. kind man.
who looked sorry to think he had to knock me
off my high perch. He explained that what I
had chance at was a temporary olerkship at
n very modest salary. 1t was a fall, but said
] would take It, and began to pull of my gloves
Then the kind man further told me that I
couldn't take it until passed a departmental
examination to demonstrate my fitness for the
place. Goodnessl Really. you know. I'm not
30 very old. but felt then as though I hadn't
been to school for fifty years or more. every
thing ever knew seemed 30 far away.
However. concluded would have to mako
bluff at 1t. so went upstairs to the Examin-
ing Board at least that was what was on the
door The board proved to be avery mild and
inoffensive young man. There were other
candidates for honors than myself. all men. as
1t happened. 1t was a dark and dismal room.
The kind man whom l had first met had
escorted me to the Examining Board. and I
never felt 50 loath to have any man leave mo-
hadn't known him but five minutes. yet he
seemed like friend and a brother. and asked
him all sorts OF silly things Just to cling on to
bis company little longer, but he finally tore
out In my frail little bark OF knowledge, and
feeling sure should be wrecked on the shores
80, The board suggested that take Of my hat
&c Ssa mf tSe ts Psns
yS ebIa%Hpsi IN a6Fhmste may Go that
members t9 liye 70 be . hundred years Old. and
may live that long: II do. know those ex.
Mill be s in my PsI on the lat
and specific duties. o. course. I'm q RspublI;
II would get back at me In the style it did
Then there were the most ,psray}inT com:
10 work out one example. I just toid the Ex.
aiming Board that, l didn't know . thing
about common school methods and could only
ahead ahead on that line and did. '"' 10 '''' ~
was G"gd deal
TYNE 70 wada shreash the% H 0 as Ger
feared he would have a. stroke Of omstHins
ths Wo H. vo moa ana fss At the sad
then put, his head In his hands and groan aloud.
90 that h 6s s at h III Eys,y
and myself, too: but yoq know how i is with
wrong time, and once ! hod to giggle. The
men all Looked rsPr1naG , st me- 50 did the
sums SaSf Gs q csSft T. S6a
Inn felt "tee lG onS T ss PGn$ne
portant during the examination. The Exam
inng Board dictated 81 twenty T9rd: for me to
That and let DO " the test s Of my a6ty for
always could spell. After the spelling bee. and
&c me s;onp SS Sa;nss. The EfHmin!"s
Board SAID i must t9ke the form ot letter ad,
subjects, He asked what state came from,
and when sHf New York ns'sad of
FsHs 1:s %s' ,SSSpaSS s;si VIZ e.
fnqS Ns sSbsct to Sondepse into two pages,
and asked il / should write on the resi-:
bot he sSd do ep Of all q
be- 9s" city
to finish my examination. and even, the old
German ceased gronning and watched me fold
terest. bestowed parting smile on the FIX:
aiming Board. but he was an obdurate sort o.
Impression on him. He was, Just as attentive
to the men being examined as to me. ne, re.
not, but never a word said he,
but hrared IN and begun 10 watch the letter
man each mail to see II any word came from
Host ten, or twelve rounds aud the pos,Imsq
Grewto hate the sight Of me-. the good. kind
mSmt WAS S sn s%H nd nd ""na "S be
sworn IN. went through that ordeal and an
Rwpred in writing some very merit nent qurs-
tions about mvsclf and ono mpartir mt cues
tomas 10 how old ! wnA. rut down three
years Younger than my age: but they hnva n
lot II cheerful prevRrlcaturR in tho appoint
Inent division. and the men said they would
have thought me much younger, 80 we were
hi satisfied over that.
II feel quite like an old offlcehoder now.
and il isn't monotonous life by any means.
In :hc first place there II always a two edged
sword Of either dismissal or promotion hang
Ing over your bend: and It keeps you from
the novice, hut when one Is fairly adaptable
things soon begin 20 run along nil right, and
that's how II Is with me, now live full Of two
nCpos- hat may hold on 20 my Job. and that
] ma some day be promoted and though !