Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-05-02

After Getting the "ROyal WORD"
| From the Secretary of His Depart
ment He Had Fun with the DivI-
sion Chief, Who Had Turned Him
| Down.
THE question of sick and annual
| leave" said i clerk i'll an up town de-
partment 10 i reporter, is one OF the
| utmost Importance 10 government
clerks and is one of their most precious
privileges. l will tell you of an oc
| currence in my department which will
| interest fellow clerks especially.
| A clerk in my division put in an
! application for a few days leave in
the usual form in writing. 10 be o. X. d
| by the chief of division and sent on its
| way To the chief clerk of the depart
| ment. Not hearing from it and the
| time approaching for his departure he
| went to his chief and said:
Mr.. -, how about my applica-
| tom
Here il is on my desk. have not
sent it up. 1t is too early in the year
| TO apply FOR that length of time. i'm
pOrtant business or not. You cannot
be spared.
My friend. who is Il little fellow and
| diplomat. grasped the situation at
once. Ut happened that he had Il per-
sonal acquaintance with the secretary,
one OF those rare instances where Il
cabinet officer has Il personal acquaint-
ance with one OF his own clerks. They
had met outside OF the department.,
FOR the little fellow Is member of an
influential family in the Secretary's
own district.
He bowed and withdrew. but in
stead OF gong back 10 his desk he
made Il short cut up the corridors to-
ward the secretarY'S room. Just as
he was approaching the latter'S private
office entrance the secretary. in COM
pany with i couple OF gentlemen, came
out. Observing the clerk ana his anX-
iOus. inquiring face, he paused. shook
him cordially by the hand and cXclaim-
ed to his companions:
4" Senator. here * a bright little fell
low from my state who is the father of
the biggest, cherubic faced baby you
ever saw and the husband of the hap
piest of wife mothers. Look at him
blush. Well what's the matter nowE'
why. | want TO go away on bust
ness for Il fortnight, and
We'll, you little rascal. why don't
you 90? I'll let yOu-Only he sure to
come back and don't get lost on the
cars
The secrctary's hearty laugh. in
which the others joined, echoed in the
marble tessellsted corridors. and they
passed on. The royal word had been
given.
THAT evening at quarter TO The
left it until last minute purposely-he
went To his chief. Ii was his turn To
rub II in.
"'Mr. - he said quietly, have you
sent up my leave:'
81 have not replied the chief short
ly. L disposed OF that question this
morning
- L thought that the secretary grant
ed leave in this department. l was
not aware that chiefs of division pos
sessed that authority 1t was war
now. Both looked each other unfiinch-
ingly in the eye. Then the chief began
to smell a little official mouse and re-
sorted TO browbeating, as is not uG-
usual under similar circumstances.
You are impertinent'-
- beg your pardon quickly in
terrupted the clerk. for Il chief TO say
To Il clerk that he is impertinent i'm
putes n charge against him. l request
that you withdraw that remark. 1t is |
no impertinence for clerk TO state Il
rule of the department to his chief. |
more especially when he appears To
have forgotten il or is unaware of its |
existence. The secretary. and he alone, |
finally grants or diSapprovcs applica- |
lions for leave in all departments Of
the government. | have never before |
heard this authority questioned
- don't question it hastily inter |
jected the chief. to whose nose the Off |
cial mouSy smell was each moment be-
coming more acute.
by not submitting my application |
to those whose province il is To decide |
such questions YOU certainly do ques-
ton ii and exceed your authority. APP /
proved or disapproved by You, they |
and not you pass on it finally, and, |
furthermore, you know it,
81 will send il up tomorrow said |
the chief as he climbed down from his |
high horse rs gracefully as the occa-
sion admitted. LET me see. you wish /
10 GO
Take your time replied my
friend pleasantly. 1t is already grant |
ed. have the secretary's personal |
permission TO go provided l do not get
lost on the ears. I start tomorrow,
and | will try not TO get lost Good /
bV' Ma hingtOn Star