The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-18
Some of the Oddities of It As They Appear in New
 York.
MUCH REAL HUMAN NATURE
United States Citizenship Valued by Those Who Know What
 It Means.

Any one desiring to study human nature can find no better place for the purpose than the United States Nat uralization Bureau in this city. Before the desk of Chief Clerk Donovan, who has started more foreigners on tne road to citizenship than any other person in the United States. files a line which far variety of coloring, nation- alitv and character is nothing short of kaleidoscopic.
 The English, French, Irish, Scan dinavian, German, Italian, Russian, Pole, Hungarian, Turk and Persian are all there, fresh with the fla<or of their native soil and with the na- tional and local traits peculiar to each. The Russian is by far the most numerous, the Irish the most amusing and witty. The others furnish va riety and prevent Clerk Donovan S task from becoming at any time mon otonous.
 In narrating incidents he has ob- served Clerk Donovan said that very few Irishmen are ignorant of the requirements incident to citizenship. On the contrary, the majority seek in formation on the subject shortly after landingl But while they are not all ways ignorant when applying for pa pers, it is just as true that they are not always sober
 A pair of merry Hibernians wander ed into the clerks presence. They an- nounced that they were prepared to renounce King Edward or anybody else and if there was any swearing to be done just say the word and they'd d make the devil look like billed owl
 The case was hopeless. Neither man knew whether he was a subject of the English King or the Khan of Kam- chatka and allegiance was a thing they were prepared to render unto anybody. The clerk took them aside and after considerable moral suasior succeeded in getting them out, prom ising to give them their papers in the morning if they would come to the office with clear heads. They came al right and were properly cared for, There is no race that displays its characteristics more openly than the Hebrew. A prosperous looking He brew having applied for papers ant been told that fee of s1 was dut drew off the fur lined coat he was wearing and begged that it be taker In pledge while he went out to get z check cashed. When the pledge wal refused he hurrledly left the office.
 In few minutes he returned witt the fee but no overcoat. It was a colo day and Clerk Donovan was curious to know what had become of the coat
 "l hooked 1t on Park row." explain cd the resourceful son of Abraham You sec" he added, my home ant business are in Harlem anl I mus have my papers to-day, As for the coa I can get that any old day"
 He evidently decided that the checl could wait too, as he said nothing more about lt
 At another time a Hebrew wantet to leave his watch and still another diamond ring as security for the fe of si. But the most characterlsti movc of all was that made by a He brew who, when he was about to han over the necessary fee. received a sud den inspiration
 "Meester," said he, T haf only 9 cent Win it do?"
 No. sir" replied the clerk. "Thi goevrnment is conducting no bargai counter. One dollar, not cent nor or less" whereupon the applican drew from his pocket the remainin seven cents one by one and paid wit sigh.
 What is your occupation?' aske the clerk of bronzed son of Italy.
 "A Teddy bear" was the quick an astonishing reply.
 The same question was put to a 1rlshmar and he replied I'm mai ried" in tone that implied 1t wa occupation enough Another said h was chaser but was at loss to eS plain what a chaser was.
 What advantage have you her that you didn't have in the old cour try?" a native of Bohemia was asked
 T can vote for Teddy Rosenfeld, he answered with a smile of beatitud
 When the new naturalization Ia went into operation and few of th old guard grafters were still on th job clever Italian buttonholed or of his countrymen in the corridor ar . taking him into a room temporaril unoceupied. made the unsophistica.e one raise his right hand and procseI cd to administer the oath to hlm. H exacted s2 for this service and told h victim to return next day for llls pa . pers
 When the man came down tf next morning and told the clerk wi1' . had happened the latter went wit him to the room indicated. It hal pened to he the grand jury room. II , as chance would have it the juro
 were there assembled.
 To the clerks astonishment the 1ta . ian grew excited and pointed out T of the jurors as the guilty man ar was for seizing him on the spot.
 was with difficulty that Donovan su . ceeded in pacifying the man and col r vincing him that he had made a mi
 take
 , There seems to be an inpressiC that all candidates for ci.;=enship a out at elbows and able to speak En lhs with the greatest difficulty Tn this is not so Is proved every day |. l