The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-03-29

dorsing him, In fact it seemed to Bag ley practically unanimous, and he was again touched at seeing how many good friends he had. He spoke about it to one of his friends and that worthy, who had experience in practical politics, smiled wisely and told Bagley that it was by no means hard to get politicians to write letters of indorsement.
 T wouldn't pack my goods till l had the appointment in black and white, ; he counseled These politicians are slippery people,
 Bagley wrote to the cabinet officer from his state, thanking him for his as sitance in securing the appointment and asking when he might expect the official paper. The cabinet officer am swered promptly and assured Bagley that in two weeks certainly his appoint ment would be forwarded. Bagley showed this letter to his cynical friend and asked him what he had to say now.
 Nothing" said the friend, with an- other wise smile. T hope you won't be disappointed, that's all.
 Then things began to happen. The secretary of state died and new man took his place Followed a somewhat general shaking up in the state depart ment. The two weeks passed without the arrival of the appointment, and at the end of the third week Bagley wrote to the department asking what he had 1 better do. He received formal and stereotyped reply from clerk who had never heard of him advising him to send in letters of recommendation. 1 Bagley got out all the old letters, and then, in an evil moment, decided that he might as well apply for few more strong letters. He wrote to United | States senator whom he had known at college and to half @ dozen other prom inent public men whom he had known at one time or another, Answers came 1 back, and presently Bagley found it necessary to hire a stenographer to take | care of his correspondence. He also 1 began to receive & series of letters from | different clerks in the state depart ment, each of them stating that his ap- plication had been received and re- ferred to somebody else. by whom it would be taken up in due order Each of these letters was duly answered, Bagley also got involved in a cor TGSDOIlueHte WlLI ulllGICHL ilcilipSio VI the state Legislature, some of whom, it had been suggested, might have little | influence. He also got letters from Washington suggesting that letters from this and that congressman or sen ator would be an advantage, and each of them in turn had to be written to- Finally Bagley put on e second clerk, and his expenses for postage stamps and writing materials began to mount up.
 Then a letter came from an entirely new clerk in the state department say ing that it had just been discovered that the office for which he had applied was a presidential office and that the state department had nothing to do with it.
 By this time Bagley was mad. Two months had gone by since his return from Mexico and he was apparently further off than ever from the prize. Daily also the advantages of going as consul to Jamaica had grown upon him until what had at first been matter of complete indifference had become to be his hearts desire.
 Bagley packed up the letters and all the correspondence in the case and sent them by express to the president of the United States accompanied by a letter in which he explained that he was fol- lowing the instructions of the state de- partment. The fourth assistant private secretary sent the boxes back to Bagley by express, collect. stating that the state department was mistaken and that the matter properly belonged to the first assistant secretary of state, who would doubtless be glad to give the case his most careful consideration.
 By this time Bagley had accumulated a large line of fresh inducements. These he put with the others and sent them all on to the state department with letter explaining that he had been instructed so to do by the presi dent He got letter back regretting that while his application had been temporarily withdrawn the consulate at Jamaica had been filled.
 Then BaRley jumped on a train and went to Washington. He hunted up his congressman, who told him that the place had been given to a friend of MT Quincy, the assistant secretary of state.
 Sit down." said the congressman and let me tell you story. I had a friend who came to Washington to get a job-he didn't much care what Ev- erything he applied for he was told has just been given to a friend of MT. Quin- cy's' One of them was seized with the cramps and drowned before his eyes. He asked who the unfortunate was and was told he had been clerk in the treasury department Forthwith he started in wild chase for the treasury building and applied for the job. Tt has just been given to friend l of Mir Quincy's,' he was told. Why man he said the occupant | of that job drowned before my eyes fifteen minutes ago and I came here like 1 a. flash as soon al he went down. "'Yes, I know replied the treasury l official, but this friend of MT. Quincy's ] saw the man go in swimming and knew | that he was subject to cramps. So he | just took it for granted that he would | he drowned and came over and got the | job. '" Ragley went home and gave up the l fght.--Chicago Tribune.
 
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