The Washington times., 1905-06-04
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
In the first days of the civil service :
away back in the eightlss-the author or
( 1.-THE Life Story OF a Department Clerk a
young Indiana lawyer, came TO Washington
TO accept a clerkship in the office or the
Assistant Attorney General. having the
planned his way into the Office OF the At
torney General
Of the Government and the shocks 20 ms
dignity, administered not only by the -loTdly
Hatchrnan. but by future associates.
He tells how he plunged into the routine
work OF applying t-the little law in printed
pamphlets TO letters of inquiry. -
The reader is made acquainted with MS
roemmates. -he chief. "a man or nfty or
nfty-f1ve years, short, and half fat, over
hearty in manner. with puffy eyelfds, ufl-
keInpt, profane; hard drinker, gambler
kind 10 everyone; lawyer by courtesy
only and one who owes his position 70 q
campaign speech; the second n authority
Mr.. Macpherson tail. extremely taclsurn'
tiain-iipped. difflcult-to-approac sEdiVidual:
knowledge as extended and accurate" says
the writer. -as any I have ever eneouh-
tered" an Irishman. o Mara. about thlIty @
years old, --suave. fluent, even tempered,
and e fine advertising agent OF his OWL
talents'' who knew little law, spent much
time in .'gassng the gerls, and VINO IA
fed the Dimn1yerats'' 10 put him out;
widow, Mrs. Enrol. who was appointed
Through the influence OF her husoanc
Dragonfiy.'' who seemed TO rely for her once
standing upon the intimate friendship with
q
The first year passes by before the author
realizes IT. He enjoys ':living the iife'' in q
big city, which affords diversions unattain-
able in the small community from which ne
came. Nevertheless he does not devote all
his spare moments to pastime, for he pursoes
his studies in the endeavor 10 get diploma
from school Of law. So passes the hrst
winter and the next.
Then comes an event which brings ABOUT
g change in all The chief OF the division
dies and o. Mara becomes his successor, al
though feIlow-clerles believe Macpherson en-
titled 10 the promotion. Yis il Is Ar.
().aIara. and Tn sorry you are disappointed
says the appointee in noting the look OF
surprise on The face OF the writer. Macpher-
son quietly makes arrangements to leave ths
division, and the writer takes steps 10 DO
likewise. Ills Judgment tells him TO go
back home His pride urges him 10 stay
He catches The department fever and OBJ
taius transfer, O'dara lending his aid
He learns with surprise that his new posi-
ton is Il clerksnip. requiring no legal at
tainnents; bat reconciIes himself, as pest
he can, 10 the bed he has made ana mas
ofMara in the meanwhile reaps praises
from the newspapers for the ''reorganiza-
tien" OF the division
During the Harrison Administration the
scramble after ulunls kills the last OF the
writer $ theories the merit system as then
enforced, and he accepts the advice OF 1aF-
Macpherson TO Join and help run the IN
diana Republican Association, lest IL run MIN
out of the service. Attacks are mace on
his qualifications for membership through ths
ulachtna tions OF O. Mara, but an unexpected
friend is found in Colonel Powell. the new
assistant attorney general and CONSCIENTIOUS
public servant and the writer wins in his
fight for office in the association- He secures
& transfer 70 The office directly under the su-
pervision OF Colonel Powell and Is mace
i5arry bs a chance to return 70 legal work He
undertakes the labor of compiling the laws
which affect his department. In the mean
while he brings from Indiana a girl who
had been trained to think the making of q
home Tor her husband and her children the
best ygork God could give her. Days begin
n which the sun touches every leaI ana
blade OF grass with gold -.
70 return 10 his home town ana practlce
law. .
The volume OF laws is finished ana meets
with the approval Of the comptlers friehds'
Colonel Powell and Macpherson The depart
naent however, giVes~no credit fof !he Pup-
ncation TO the man who did the work Ihat
goes 70 the Secretary.
Home expenses and a new arrival, BABY
Annie, plunge the young Hoosier into dept
and though friends lend assistance and ceie-
brate the birth Of the child by arranging a
salary increase, every day finds trouble
0'sfara is detected in an act of insubordi-
nation and dismissed He falls on his feet
and is made district agent Of a great con-
tracing ccnpaay.