The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1900-01-18
QUEER LOT or MEN.
To Be Found In No Other American
City But Washington.
Those Familiar with Their ways Ca,i
Them "sanaowners"-They Are
Victims Of Cowardtce and
acknowledgement.
tspeclai washington Letter.l

Especial Washington Letter.l
This Is the story OF "The Shutdown
err" and Il has never before been told.
Probably no other city in the world
certainly no other city in this country
has such a goodly number OF these
people a. 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 a public speaker or writer, In order
that the listener or reader may the bet
ter apprehend what IL 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 until
four o'clock in the afternoon. One OF
this class this evening told his story, In
brief, and II was as follows: 81 came
to Washington to stay three years, and
| ! have stayed just % years too long. l
have been here for 30 years. ! came
here and was appointed to clerkship
solely for the purpose OF having good
living, while l studied medicine.
worked faithfully in my office all day
and studied medicine at night. All OF
the medical colleges here have theii
hours so arranged as to accommodate
| government clerks, and lectures are
given Mt night. Three happy years wen
by, and was graduated. well remem
ber how anxious l was for graduation
day to come. and how daily pictured
TO myself the roseatc future when
should become a great hysician or SUR
geon, with patients too numerous fol
my time and attention. l had visions
of house of my own, an office in IN,
own house, n family growing up abou
me and a bank account constant.
swelling.
swell, the happy day came and | re
ceived my diploma. l had IT framed
aud IL is still in the original frame. i
authorized me to practice medicine
Success and wealth were In my grasl
Very soon should step forth into th
world and make u reputation for mysel
which would rival that of all physic
of the past. l had studied diligcntl
and faithfully. had become an eXper
with the scalpel and had been compl
mcnted by the professors, some O
whom seemed to really believe with m
that | would become a famous surgeon
'But here am with nothing but tina
old diploma to show for my years @
eager, hopeful, ambitious, youthful ell
deavor. DO you know why? Because
besitatcd, and was lost in the maelstroI
of failure which charactcrizcs the live
OF so many hundreds who come to Wasl
ington and hold government Office.
am one of common class. am a SUI
downer. and always shall be.
In the first place, | hesitatcd to 4
,, into the world without some money
back me. concluded TO remain
Washington one year longer, save M
money, and then go back home to Ii
diana with enough on hand to keep n
comfortably at least year, while l w
building up a'practice u and letting I'll
people become accustomed to seeing IN
sign hanging over my Office DOOR III
, first year passed, and had saved $50
That was not enough, OF course, so
p concluded TO wait another year. At Il
9 end OF the second year had saved I