The Breckenridge news., 1907-10-02
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.l J


missioner which. though rarely dis
turbed by the curious, contains large
blocks of that element known as heart
interest" to newspaper readers. Thus.
for instance. IL is shown that the gov
ernment pays pension TO woman
who killed her husband, the pension
being paid on account of said husband.
He was veteran Of the civil war aud
married later. He was brutal in the
treatment Of his wife, and one day
she shot and killed him in self defense.
She was tried and acquitted. She ap-
piled for a pension as the widow Of a
soldier of the civil war and got it.
Uncle Sans Pensioners.
Correspondence also disclOses the
fact that Christian Science has brought
money into Uncle Sans Golfers. There
are n number of communications from
pensioners who have become converts
to that faith. which are TO the effect
that they were wrong when they be-
lieved themselves to be afflicted with
bodily ills. and. being convinced that
there is nothing wrong with them,
they no longer care to draw pensions.
There is letter from a Spanish war
veteran who wanted a pension because
he lost his teeth in the charge up San
Juan hill. Further correspondence
makes it clear that the teeth were
false ones and that, although he pos
sibly lost them as indicated, Uncle
Sam didn't believe that said loss mer-
tied the compensation of a pension.
Pardoned by Lincoln.
Some years ago a civil war veteran
made claim for a pension. His record
was looked up, and it showed that he
was at one time deserter from the
army Under the circumstances he was
notified that he couldn't get a pension.
This didn't discourage the soldier. He
came in person and brought with him
a small card upon which was written:
II Henry Graves enlists again in our
army and serves faithfully and meritori-
ously. l viii pardon his crime Of deser-
tiOn. A. LINCOLN.
The records proved that he had en-
listed again and served both faithfully
and merltoriously, and he was granted
his pardon at once.
The original card I'm question was ac-
qured by Mr.. Ware, then commissioner
of pensions, and by him presented to
the state of Kansas.
"Sundown Doctors"
"Sundown doctors" are an institution
peculiar to Washington city. They are
an Hmiable company of medical practi-
TONERS. who ply their trade only after
Eightfall; not that these gentlemen
would prefer darkness to light If they
had their "d'ruthers," nor are their
deeds of questionable complexion that
looks best I'm the shade. shutdown
doctors" have no ways that are dark
nor tricks that are vain" They are as
open as the day that they may not
utilize If they practice their profes-
sion by candle light rather than by sun
shine, that's Uncle Sans fault, not
their own.
A Struggling Fraternity.
"Sundown doctors" begin to get busy
only after 4:3O i'm the afternoon. From
to that hour they are holding their
noses to the grindstOnes over govern
ment desks; for one must live, don't
you know. however soaring ones scien-
tihc ambition, and Uncle Sans wages
do come i'm mighty regular and handy.
So that. in a pigeOnhOle, is the stOr.
OF the origin of the struggling fraterni
ty of sundown physicians at the fed
eral capital.
There are thousands of instances.
Embryonic young physicians, with
their career yet to carve. secure a
clerkship in some of the governmental
departments of Washington in order to
keep the pot bubbling while they are
getting their medical education after
office hours. Their diploma thus la
boriOusly achieved. they hang out their
shingle. tentatively holding fast, how
ever, to the government position until
securely established professionally.
Concerning Clerks.
Statistics show that of the 10000
clerks in the pension Office alone about
400 had sanguinely prepared them
selves for the professions Of Jaw, med
lclne OF lneOlORg. 1NOSCOIH udN = pcVh
authors many more than that editors
and publishers A hundred and fifty
have been newspaper correspondents.
and as many more hold university and
college diplomas. a classmate at Har-
ward Of President Roosevelt bachelor
of distinguished mien and fine mentali-
ty, is prosaically holding down a gov
ernment job at 500 a month.
A Busy Five Minutes.
You can always tell when it's five
minutes to 0 i'm Washington if you are
in the heart of the town matutinally.
At that moment the landscape begins
to squirm violently with hundreds of
men and women In sudden panic lest
they fail to reach their government
desk by crucial o o'clock and be ruth
lessly docked therefor. Fat women
exuding out OF tight jumper suits go
waddling breathlessly. Young girls
belated by too long a lingering with a