The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-14
THE DEPARTMENT WORKERS
Interesting Gossip Cleaned Among Employees
of Government Bureaus.
TALE OF THE ORIGIN OF THE MINT JULEP
Stirring Narrative Related By Special Examiner at the
Pension Ofice--Scope of the Labors of the
Agricuturists--The Bee Experts Woes.
OF THE ORIGIN OF THE MINT JULEPI


the interior OF that State. He vas among
the Ozark Mountains section peopIsd
by sturdy, honest race. though some
what unlettered by reason OF their iso-
Iation from the rest CT mankind.
The examiner had secured q blackboard
and steady nag from livery At the rail-
way station. and pushed his way into The
rugged hills. hoping TO reach his desti-
nation IN the afternoon.
The first part CT his journey lay through
smiling fields of corn and cotton. and as
he began 10 climb the foothills these gave
way to orchards heavily laden with bar
vest OF red and golden apples. Ate. a
dozen miles or so he noticed that the
signs Of prosperity began to disappear,
and on either side CT the road evidences
OF neglect and decay became more and
more marked as he proceeded
The soil seemed fertile, and here and
there among the wooded slopes were
cleaTings Of considerable extent that we're
once fruitful fields and orchards The
ground was covered with ragweed and the
apple trees were broken and choked
with sassafras sprouts. An occasional
cabin with tumbliBg roof and gaping doors
and windows lent an additional lock OF
desoIation to the scene Not q living
creature could be seen
The dust-eoFered road shimmered under
the glare of a noonday sun. and the trav-
eler was pleased when q turn in the high
way brought in view q grove OF mammoth
oaks. and in which he could discern sore
houses. However. it proved to be a d.
serted village. for a closer inspection r.
vealed the sane desolation that had been
encountered for miles back.
IN the midst OF the village was biz
spring, shaded by the spreading branches
Of a giant oak, and TO this spot the ira
eIer repaired for refreshaent and rest
Taking Iong dra4ghts OF the crystal liquid
he thought tkat never before had he
tasted s1ch sweet and cooling water
Glowing along the banks CO the stream
that flowed from the fountain vas q
luxuriant bed of mint Reaching out his
hand and Dlucking sDrig of the aromatic
herb, the weary traveIeF was about 10
taste of IL, when he heard a deep sigh
Close at hand Looking up. he observed
an old LIAR. dressed il a homespUn shirt
and a pair OF jeans trousers held by one
-'gzlIus," cycling him mournfully.
Said the cid man: Mister. dent tech
It, for st biteth like q sarpeRt and
stingeth like an adderi'"
Not understanding why the old man
should in this strange manner object 20
an innocent sprig Of mint, an explanation
was called fer
The lone patriarch told the following
story:
Stranger. er5out twenty year ago. or
tharabout, thar was 10 finer settlement in
these Ozark Mountains than this We
growed corn and cotton in p:enty. and our
smokehcu9es vas fairly Dustin with the
meat piled up in en- We made whisky
and We made brandy. and every man had
a bari OF two IN his dugout- Thar was
old Squire Pearson what lived up thar on
the hill. he was Burth twenty thousand
dollars, and he had a cousin in old Kahn
tack what cum cut here 10 see him.
ledge LaftoR they called him. and he
was q iedge-ieaStRise CT ticker The
jedge brung with him rum old Kaintuck
z Ieet-e bunch OF green stuff what he
planted down here by the spring.
It soon heguE 70 thrive and spread.
and the jefge AID the squire would cum
doFn here WITH a jlmmyjoEn OF whisky
and sum sugar and mix up sum sort OF 4
drink they called mint jewIips' CT sum
sich furrin name, as if jinnyginc straight
corn juice =as not coed emf fur any
man. Purity sD5n the nabors seed sun
thin was g0in' CT and begun to drop in
and jine company Eith the jedge and Tia
squire They just hatchery couldn't keep
erEay frUm this here mint patch and
spring
The cotton got in the grass and the
cattle eat up the corn. but who reared a
durn for the craps s'long as them Jew
lips lasted
~ArteF a while the sheriff he begun TO
cum down TO the settlement purity often
and levy On this mans and that mans
property te satisfy debts and ] tell yer
stranger, IL want long afOre every man
IN the settlement vas sold out lock stock,
and bari, all on account Of that thar
ledge comm ont here and Iarnin' TIE folks
how to put greens IN their ticker Yes
they's mostly 81 dead now. 'ceptin ne.
Is alters tuck mine straight-"
over eight millions OF documents we're
seat over the United States from this
room last year said superintendent Hen
driy. Of the Agricultural document room.
explaining the growth CT popular interest
IN the work of the Agricultural Depart
ucnt. When came here. ten OF twelve
years ago." he continued, about seven
teen people were employed in this divi-
sion: now there are seventy. There used
10 be some leisure around here, but there
is none now. We are worried all the fiune
TO get room for the accumuIating stock
The most generally circulated documents
are the farmers bHIIetins
Az. Hendrix says that the Congressman
make calls for al sorts OF publications.
Seine Congressman represent Districts
where the prevailing industry makes de-
mand for special information This IN
dustry may be unknown in another Fart
Of the State. There are Watermelon sec
lions, ee-keeping sections. asparagus
growing districts AM every other sort OF
industrial territory known 20 the present
acute civilization. and the Government as
documents that TT al the cases. The
Government PriEtine. Office Is never cut OF
farmer work. and the Office IN the
basement of the Agricultural Department
Building is kept busy turning out inEor-
nGtioc.
Mr.. W ~. Waningsford. guard OF the
front door OF the National Maseusa his
been keeping the portals Of The place of
strange things Tor about twelve years.
He has seldom had trouble with visitors
but occasionally tourist who has been