The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-01
Miss Hyde, at Four Score
and Six, Sets Pace for
Other Employees
HER SALARY WAS
INCREASED RECENTLY
started at $500, Now Receiving $1,000
Has Never Asked for Advance -
Not Been Absent in II Years-Recalls
Lincoln Tragedy.

-iAAo 4NNNS. E-oAASu ApA ElNAf@AASS
Not Been Absent in IA Years-Recalls
Lincoln Tragedy.
Seated in large leather arm chair,
in her bio sitting room at 1915 L street |
northwest, lined with books in hand |
some covers. surrounded with flowers, |
the tributes of friends, and coy
lamp on the reading table. Miss Eliza
both Il. HYDE, clerk in the division
Of revenue, OF the treasury department,
told how She has struggled - years in
one division to get from $500 annually
to - 500, with never a complaint.
Before coming to Washington in
+ December, 1864. said Miss Hyde. Il
/ taught school in Brattlcboro, Vt, where
/ / was born July 3, 1891. | began
teaching when ! was II years old, and
( taught in several towns in Massaehu-
sctts as well as my home town. At
that time ! had no idea Of ever com
ing TO Washington, but ono day Proyi-
dcnce, in the form Of Charles II. Field,
! q prominent attorney in Vermont.
wrote telling me Ire had secured a place
for me in the treasury, and to come to
Washington as soon as possible.
Begins at $500 a Year.
so just one year before the close
Of the civil war, | came to this city
TO take up my work III the division Of
: issue in the treasury, whore ! have
been for y years. | started at $500.
. Miss Hyde remembers clearly the as
sassination of President Lincoln and
the CONSERVATION it caused.
Il saw President Lincoln 5 body
NE~l,+,
the windows OF the treasury, after he
had died in the house on Tenth street
saw the grand review of the north
orn troops by the President, which
lasted two days She said.
Returning to the topic of her prog
rcsS in the treasury, Miss HYDE said;
\ O. II took me twenty years to get up t.
n 200. | never asked for an increase
| prcfcrring my earnest efforts and goof
| record to speak for themselves. Al
that time (lSSD | was doing worl
\ which should have commanded a highc
salary, and was told 50 by the chic
\ Of the division, but / did not get Thu
higher salary.
Give years later, continued Mis-
| HYDE. - was promoted TO 81 400. Tina
was in 1889. As the years rolled on
| expected an increase at any moment
I but 1t never came. You can imagin
:. my surprise last week when / was IN
: formed that / had been promoted t
III & 900.
II Miss Hyde stopped Il moment to al
N swcr knock at the door, and tn
/ landlady handed large box Of ears
Il mcls. She placed them on the tabl
1 and smiled her appreciation.
| Net Absent in u Years.
II 81 am in the best of health" sal
/ the kindly old lady with the thick 81
II vercd hair. II have not missed a da
II in fourteen years.
II Miss Hyde will be So years old
II July Her voice is still vigorous, h,
hand steady. and it is said by the chit
II of her department that she sets a liv
II H. pace for her fellow-workers.
II "What do ! attribute my good healt
II and energy to!'' Miss Hyde sal
II "why, l believe il is because ! lead
II most simple life. ! never 90 out, pr
II fcrrine to sit here and read. You $,
II what q large library / have.
II She pointed to the three bookcaS
u filed with books
. - like your paper very much, 81
70. continued, u have been a subscrib
for years and years, to the daily al
4 Sunday editions, and / find The Po
1 very interesting.
Another remarkable point Miss Fly,
made was the fsct that she never 20
to bed before IL clock and gets
at ) in the morning. 81 find that
4 don't need more than five or six hou
sleep, and never get up feeling bad,
she said.
Doesn't Want to Retire.
When asked if she would like to
tire and take a well.oarned rest, 5
said: "No, | would rather contin
working. / have always loved II
work, and it las always absorbed i
-sS entire attention. Now that | am
. alone in the world, ] would not llnC
what to do without it. Ny niece
Boston has repeatedly asked me to 81
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