The Washington times., 1905-05-28
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
In the first days OF the civil service -
away back in the eighties-the author OF
1.-The Life Story OF Department Clerk, : a
young Indiana lawyer. came to Washington
TO accept clerkship in the office oI me
Assistant Attorney General, having the
dreamiest sort Of a dream that he had
planned his way into the office OF the At
He describes his entry into the service
of the Government and the shocks 10 his
dignity. administered not only by the loFaly
~atchman,' but by future associates
He tells how he plunged into the routine
work of applying the little law IN printed
pamphlets 10 letters of inquiry.
The reader is made acquainted with his
roommates. he chief. "a man OF htty or
nftx-hve years, short, and half fat; over
hearty in manner, with puTIy eyehos, t IN
kenpI. profanei a hard drinker a gambler,
kind TO everyone; a lawyer by courtesy
only" and one who owes his position 10 a
campaign speech; the second ~ authority,
AIR. Macph erson, tall, extremely tacltufa'
thin-lipped. acknowledgements indtNlanai;
"a lawyer by virtue OF general legal
knowledge as extended and accurate says
the writer las any / have ever eacoun-
tered" an Trishman, O. Mara, about thirty
years old. ''suaye. fluent. even tempered,
and a fine advertising agent OF MS owl
talents who knew little law spent Hloch
fed the Dimmycrats' TO put him out; a
widow. Mrs. Enrol. who was apPolnted
through the influence of her husoaIld S
friends and an unmarried woman, the
Dragonfly." who seemed TO rely for her once
standing upon the intimate friendship with
The first year passes by before the aathof
realizes ii. He enjoys living the life in a
big city, whicF affords diversions unattaln-
able in the small community from Vhich ne
came Nevertheless ne does not devote all
his spare moments TO pasttule. for ne pnrsnes
his studies in the endeaVor TO get d dtp!oiiia
from school of law. So passes the nTst
winter and the next.
Then comes an event which brings about
a change in all. The chief OF the division
dies. and o Mara becomes his successor. al
though fellow clerks believe Macpherson en-
faIa RI Sha
O Mara, and I'm sorry you are disa ppointed,
says the appointee in noting the look OF
surprise on the face of the writer. Macpher-
son quietly makes arrangements TO leave the
division, and the writer takes steps TO do
likewise. HIS judgment tells him 10 go
back home. His pride urges him 10 stay
He catches the department fever ana OBJ
tains a transfer, o Mara lending his aid
He learns with surprise that his new posi-
tion is a clerkship, requiring no legal at
fainFnents; but reconciles himself. as best
ne can. to the bed he has made and has
o. Mara in the meanwhile reaps praises
from the newspapers for the 'reorganiza-
During the Harrison Administration the
scramble after Diuns kills the last OF the
writer's theories the merit system as then
enforced. and ne accepts the aaNies OF ar
Macpherson 10 Join and help run the IN
diana Republican Association. lest II run him
out Of the service. Attacks are made on
his qualification for membership through the
Vaccinations 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
a transfer 10 the Office directly under the su-
peFVision OF Colonel Powell and IS made
happy BY a chance 10 return TO 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 10 think the making Of a
home for her husband and her children the
best work God eould give her" DAYS begin
in which the sun touches every leaf and
blade of grass with gold.
-rS= =
20 return mis- home town and practice
law