Charlevoix county herald., 1917-10-12
So YEARS CLERK,
WOMAN LIKES II
FEDERAL EMPLoYE AT CAPITAL
TELLS LIFE-sToRY
Attributes. Health and Energy q
Simple Life-Reads Much,
Sleeps Little.

Washington, ID. c. Seated In q
large leather arm chair In big sit
ting-room lined with book in hand
some covers, surrounded with flow
ers, the tributes of friends, and
coy lamp on reading table. Miss
Elizabeth r. Hyde. clerk in the de-
partment of the Comptroller OF the
Currency, told how she has struggled
fifty-two years to get from $500 an
nually to $1,000, with never a com
plant.
Before coming to Washington In
December. 1864" said Miss Hyde, Il
taught school in Brattleboro, VT,
where was born July 3. 1881. l be-
gan teaching when was Is years old,
and taught in several towns in Massa-
chusetts, as well as my home town. At
that time / had no idea of ever COM
ing to Washington, but one day
Charles III. Field. a prominent attor-
ney,. wrote telling me he had obtain
ed place for me in the treasury,
and to come to Washington as soon
as possible.
80 just one year before the close
OF the Civil War, came TO this city
TO take up my work in the treasury.
where / have been for fifty-two years.
| started at $780,"
Miss Hyde remembers clearly the
assassination OF Presirent Lincoln
and the CONSERVATION 1t caused.
Il saw President Lincoln's body
carried into the White House from
the windows of the treasury, after he
had died in the house on Tenth
street." she said II saw the grand
review OF the Northern troops by the
President, which lasted two days"
Returning to the topic of her prog
ress in the treasury, Miss Hyde said
1t took me twenty years to get up
to $1,000. ! never asked for an in
crease. preferring my earnest efforts
and good record to speak for them
selves. At that time (18SD l was do
ing work which should have com.
manded higher salary, and was told
so by the chief OF the division, but
did not get the higher salary"
Five years later" continued Miss
Hyde, Il was promoted to s1,400. That
was in 1889. AS the years rolled on
l expected an increase at any mo-
ment, but it never came. You can
formed that | had been promoted to
$1,000"
Miss Hyde stopped a moment to an
swer a knock at the door, and a maid
handed her large box of caramels.
She placed them on the table and
smiled her appreciation"
Miss Hyde will be Sc years old in
July. Her voice is still vigorous and
her hand steady.
What do | attribute my good
health and energy to-" Miss Hyde
asked in response to a question. why
believe it is because / lead a most
simple life. never go out, preferring
to sit here and read. You see what a
large library l have"
She pointed to bookcases filed
with books.
Another remarkable point Miss
Hyde made was the fact that she
| never goes to bed before IL o'clock
and gets up at 5 in the morning. 81
find that don't need more than five
or six hours sleep, and never get w
feeling bad" she said.
When asked il she would like to re
tire and take rest she said:
mo, would rather continue work
ing. l have always loved my work
and it has always absorbed my entire
/ attention. Now that ! am all alone in
| the world, would not know what tC
do without it. My niece in Boston
has repeatedly asked me to give VI
my position and live with her. but
! would rather stay here"
Miss Hyde comes from hardy
family. Her father, she says. lived