The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-31

his spirits rose, for did he not discern
in the distance the wooded nights of the
Potomac, and were not the first rosy
beams Of morning gliding the spires of
the Mecca toward which he journeyed?
1t was a wayworn and dusty figure of
a lieutenant that fastened along Pennsyl-
vania avenue to the Navy Department
that Monday morning. The doors were
closed; then he was still in time! BY and
by there began to be a mild sort of stir.
The early birds were out seeking the
worm. A Waterman opened the DOORS a
sweeper came down the street and, en-
tering the department, began to give the
great halls the air of neatness that pub
lie building demands. Then the EN-
ployes began to gather. Buckner now
entered the door. and the first person
whom he recognized was old Lindsay
Muse, the colored messenger who had
served there since the time of Andrew
Jackson.
Can you tell me-" said Buckner, when
the mail comes imp
"Wen, sab, we have sevM mails"
II mean the mail from the North, the
Annapolis mail"
"Well. sub, we gets sevul, as tole you
but I 'spose the Annapolis mail will be
along bout hawf paws o'clock, suh.'
what is the time? My watch has
stopped
''Wen, sub, it's bout twenty minutes
paws eight, subj"
where do they take the mail when 1t
comes?'t
fright In dat room, subj"
Buckner's mind was in confusion. He
hardly knew whether he should try to
procure surreptitiously the document
for which he had come to Washington,
L.. 70 he
tarys accepting his assurance that he
had thoroughly repented of his action.
He wondered If he would be able to face
the Secretary. He had heard of him
as a stern, set man. What IL he should
refuse to accept his promise? Buckner
seated himself on a bench In the hall
and waited. When finally he heard the
mail wagon draw up with a trenmous
clatter at the door, and saw the post
man enter the hall with some enormous
bags. his heart almost stopped beating
He watched the postman disappear in
the mail room, and when the messen-
gers began to leave 1t, carrying parcels
of letters and documents to the various
offices and bureaus, he got up from his
seat and slowly mounted the stairs, for
he knew that among those parcels was
the desired paper.
Reaching the second floor he asked TO
be SHOWN 10 IDe room Oh the OtcIGldIV.
1.-THE Secretary Is not here, yet, sir,
but the chief clerk, Mr.. WEIGH, is in his
room, sorting out the mail"
(which way?"
fright in here"
Buckner entered and found himself In
the presence of the chief clerk, and in
the anteroom of that greatest man en-
earth, to the naval officers the Secretary
of the Navy. Gideon Welles. The rapid
II F~au ~ ~
itself to the measures OF a chorus whcih
the academy midshlpmen were TO sing
roaring II out with will, In loyal gusto-
''If you belong TO Gldeon's band.
Here's my heart and here's my hand.
o, we belong to Gideons band,
Looking for homer
DID he belong 10 Gideons band7 That
would be decided for him within the
NEXT few moments. He knew, as the
words rang through his brain that he
was indeed looking for a home which he
had very nearly n not quite. lost.
MAY ! see the chief clerkT' he asked
with a shaking voice
YES, / am the chief clerk" How
cool and careless this oineiaIs tone, 70
the man whose fate hung 10 the bal
@sisy ! speak with you moment. Nr.
81 sm very busy looking over the Sec
rstarye mail Can't you come Ia Ia On
hour Or soT'
Al hour Or soi when me Secretary
,oisht have me resignation nj bio hand
ln Inc next minuifi
"Dor'f EEK no A. 20 away" fai1 Buck
I nsr Mt me- tdl yop--'
mo nnnsiy ~ me Ofrcerr faoe
/ ,tr,rs 49, fja ~ GOO rhif clerk and
M IN thsf something sas very NfonF
/ hnoil.sr SONS ~ ffr.Fnl pffhnlHi ihH
ssf fsfiolgi
4 sCsns 10 bsfs. fsia BE-