The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-11-06


in big room where banknotes were
piled high on long tables. Later she
had a desk in an Office overlooking the /
White House grounds. From this WIN
dow She had seen twelve presidents
come and go. Past it the stream of half
q century of official life had flowed,
and she had remained untouched by the
,hanges that the years had made.
Miss HYDE lives in large, rambling
corner house many blocks distant from
the treasury The house belongs to
hvgone day, and the room III which
She passes her time forms just the right
back ground for the slender figure In ITS
gown of black with bit of lace
caught at the neck with black cameo
brooch. Above the sunny windows
circle of stained glass is let into the
wall near the high-vaulting ceiling and
It's light fell upon many vases or ros-
IS. tributes from treasury employees,
the day after her retirement.
Sitting back in high-backed chair,
Miss HYDE reluctantly answered ques-
tions. How did she avoid illness? How
aid she acquire habits that assured alb
solute punctuality! In short, how did
She train herself so that she could
make such a record!
..Whv | never dreamed of such a
thing as record, she said. q did
not know the treasury kept records OF
every detail of service until the day
had completed by half century, and
then some one congratulated me on
never having been late.
coming to Washington. | was never
| late to school, and why should ] be
| late TO an office! suppose | was born
with a love of order, SO il is not diff
cult to conform to rules and rcgula
! ,ions. | never felt il irksome to b'
under restraint, and | never founC
routine monotonous. for | enjoyed ev
cry piece Of work done
"The fifty four years have no
seemed long Through them all hav'
been happy and contented. for be
Tevc in leading Providence. 1t seem
that il was meant | should stay in TIN
service until now, when am eighty
seven wears old The remaining year
of my life. which l expect to be many
shall pass among my books. | am Il
. /
as usual. but | desire more leisure TO
reading \ little verse expresses m
outlook. | found it III a book when
was ten wears old and it has been IN
guide ever since. II i:
..What shall bc my future lot
Well ! know concerns me not.
This should set my heart at rest
: lnr
Thcrc was no doubt that Miss Hyd
[ still cniovcd unimpaired faculties. 81
was alert. keen quick IN thought an
speech. She moved with lightncSs an
. energy rs she walked about the bi
/ square room in which We're man
shelves filled with new and old edition
= of good books. Her large eyes we
+. bright, and She read the book It'll,
without glasses. Her gray hair, par
cd above a broad brow and worn in
coil at her neck, was still abundant.
II had been the habit of her Ion
+ life to he much alone and to be ret
+, cent concerning herself. That, VII
, her love OF order, was a heritage of h
, New England encestry. She had new
paid any especial attention to healt
rules, although she had been alwa,
, frai and delicate She had lived Sl
= PLY. eating only wholesome food WI
. little or no meat She had not tax,
: regular exercise In fact, She had dol
!. nothing to prolong life. for pcrha
. she was something of a fatalist. Sch
Ter had written a line that she oft,
thought of. and thar was, "Thc fru
of fate falls only when It's ripe
. When Miss Hyde reported for dut
Dee. -. ls6i Abraham Lincoln "
u president. and on an April day IN Is
d, -hc looked from the Office window, q
Saturday morning, to see the body
3, the great American carried into 7
=, White House. She had heard hi
I speak once, just as She had gone
hear Daniel Webster speak.
-. In the first days of her service
! was fashionable to wear hoop>kir
- and il was subject of much CONNIE
= that women should be permitted
!, work in the government department
ii Then as now war was in progress, 4
:, women were needed After the CT
- war changes came steadily. Now II,
|. era is beginning.
:. 50 il is time for me to have me
i, chance 70 think Miss HYDE sa
!, with d smile. ~ want to watch t
ro dawning of the light