The Worthington advance., 1900-01-05
QUEER LOT OF MEN.
To BE Found In No Other American
City But Washington.
Those Familiar with Their Ways Call
Them t'SundoWners''-The Are
Victims of COwardice and
Self-IndulSence.
Especial WASHINGTON letter.

err" and it has never before been told.
Probably no other city in the world
certainly no other city in this country
has such goodly number of these
people as can be found in our national
capital.
Scholars tell us that all discussion
should be preceded by definition; and
that many great debates have been
caused by lack of understanding of
terms on the part of those in dispute.
Therefore, the learned men tell US,
every term should be properly defined
by public speaker or writer, in order
that the listener or reader may the bet
ter apprehend what is intended to be
conveyed.
Well, "a Sundowner" is a man who
practices a profession in this city after
the working hours of the day have
passed away, and when men in the
learned professions have laid aside their
books, their papers, their clients and
patients, and dismissed them from their
minds. "A Sundowner goes to work
when other men have ceased their daily
labors and endeavors. "A Sundowner'
is liable to work long after sundown;
probably until midnight, or even later
1t is because he practices his profession
after sundown that he is called Sun
downer.
These people work all day; that is
from nine o'clock in the morning unit
four o'clock in the afternoon. One Of
this class this evening told his story, il
brief, and it was as follows: Il came
to Washington to stay three years, ant
l have stayed just ~ years too long.
have been here for 80 years. I came
here and was appointed to a clerkship
solely for the purpose of having a gooc
living, while I studied medicine.
worked faithfully in my office all day
and studied medicine at night. All O.
the medical colleges here have theil
hours so arranged as to accommodate
government clerks, and lectures ar,
given at night. Three happy years wen
by, and was graduated. Iwell remem
ber how anxious I was for graduation
day to come, and how 1 daily pictured
to myself the roseate future when
should become great ply ysician or sur
geon, with patients too numerous fol
my time and attention. I had visions
of house of my own, an office in m,
own house, family growing up abou
me and a bank account constantly
swelling.
"Well, the happy day came and I re
ceived my diploma. 1 had it framed
and it is still in the original frame.
authorized me to practice medicine
Success and wealth were in my GRASP
Very soon I should step forth into tn
world and make reputation for mysel
which would rival that of all hysician
of the past. had studied diligentl,
and faithfully. had become an exper
with the scalpel and had been compli
mented by the professors, some O
whom seemed to really believe with M
that l would become famous surgeon
"But here am with nothing but tha
old diploma to show for my years O.
eager, hopeful, ambitious, youthful en-
deavor. Do you know why? Because
hesitated, and was lost in the maelstron
of failure which characterizes the live
of so many hundreds who come to Wash
ington and hold government office.
am one of common class. 1 am Sun
downer, and always shall be.
In the first place, I hesitated to gt
into the world without some money tt
back me. I concluded to remain il
Washington one year longer, save m,
money, and then go back home to In
diana with enough on hand to keep m,
comfortably at least year, while l wa
building up a practice and letting tn,
people become accustomed to seeing m,
sign hanging over my office door. Th
first year passed, and I had saved $500
That was not enough, of course, so
concluded to wait another year. At th'
end of the second year had saved VI