The Washington herald., 1914-12-13
Long Serves Uncle Sam
MRS. MARGARET ASHS RECORD
Ends Fifty First Year
Nineteenth street and PennsyIvania ave-
nue. northwest, long ago demolished.

/ Nineteenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. northwest, long ago demolished.
She Knew Old washinEton.
Mrs. Ash can tell tales Of old Washing
ton that would be interesting to even the
Oldest Of the Oldest Inhabitants. Her most
| interesting stories are those Of the old
| Bureau OF Engraving when she first
knew It. She has seen IT grow from 500
employees at the time she first worked
there to 1000 employees at the time the
| bureau was removed from the Treasury
| to the building at Fourteenth and b
streets. Now Mrs. Ash Is one Of more
than $500 employees.
When Mrs. Ash recently completed her
hfty-first year OF service, she was sum-
moned' to the ONCE of Director Ralph.
Mrs. Ash" he said, 81 want to con-
graduate you on this anniversary Of your
long service In the bureau" Mrs. Ash
almost was dumfounded. Finally she
asked: ''well, Mr.. Ralph, how did you
happen to know that today was my an
niversary?" He smiled and replied: TT
is my business to know everything that
! happens in this bureau, Mrs. Ash"
When Mrs. Ash returned to her office
another surprise was given her. As she
entered the examining division a huge
and on the attached card she read II
was a remembrance from her fellow
workers. Mrs. Ash was so elated that In
turn she sprang a surprise and danced
a few measures with Mrs. Belle Dewey,
superintendent of the tissue room.
Then Mrs. Ash spoke q few words Of
gratitude, lauding Mr.. Ralph as the best
chief to the old people that the bureau
ever had" This statement made a pro-
sell
for Mrs. Ash has worked under all ten
directors who have been at the head of
the bureau, Clark, Mccarthy, McPher-
son, Irish, Burroughs, Meredith, Graves,
Johnston. Sullivan. and Ralph.
Denies the Honor All L. Hers.
While Mrs. Ash commonly is believed
to have served longer in the bureau than
any other employe, she says this belief
! is erroneous. She declares there are sew
eral women who have worked there long
er than she, but AYERS that they won't
admit IL. Il asked one OF them how long
she had been in the bureau" said Mrs.
Ash, and she replied: Why. Margaret,
you saw me come here in short dresses
She actually tried to make me believe
1 had seen her in short dresses and I
never had in my life"
A feature of Mrs. Ash's C%rvine Is
her regular attendance. Her record in
that particular over the span Of half a
century Is almost perfect The days she
has been absent can be counted on the
fingers Of two hands and these absences
were due solely to sickness. Her health
even today is remarkably good She
ascribes this to the clockIike routine
which she follows.
Mrs. Ash has a small apartment or
two rooms. In these rooms she can be
heard stirring around at $50 O'Clock
every morning That has been her ris-
ing hour every day for fifty-one years.
She tides the rooms and then prepares
breakfast Mrs, Ash declares she cooks
slowly and gives the most careful at
tention to preparing her food. FOOD
must be prepared properly" she says,
IF one wants to enjoy good health"
She also eats very slowly.
She Likes Her Cup of Tea.
She drinks tea and coffee and eats many
baked potatoes. and says IT try to eat
a little of everything so as to get all
the benefits that all foods give" After
a leisurely breakfast she prepares to go
to work. land I never hurry" she de-
clares, for hurrying impedes digestion,
makes one nervous and Injuries ones ef
ficiency in work" Promptly at 7:O5
o'clock Mrs. Ash leaves the house She
a car tie-up; but she won't be late, for
she gives herself twenty minutes extra.
She is always at the bureau twenty min
utes before the work day begins.
After work, Mrs Ash returns direct
ly home, unless there is a bit of shop
ping to be done, and she prepares and
eats dinner as slowly and carefully as
she disposed of breakfast. She seldom
goes out after dinner. and her chief
pleasure is in receiving friends in her
apartments. She frequently attends
church on Sunday, and at long intervals
will attend services on week nights.
But 1 never go to see the moving pic
lures any more" declares Mrs. Ash. I
have been only four times in my life
and each time there was killing and
shooting and all the pictures showed
somebody getting ruined, and don't
like scenes Of unhappiness, anger ana
revenge. used TO go to see a few OF
the good plays before the moving pic
lures came, but even have stopped
that l live, I work and 1 am happy
very. very happy"
And though Mrs Ash has worked fifty |
years for Uncle Sam, the officials at
the bureau say she will be good for |