| Show LITTLE TIME FOR IDLING government clerkships Clerk ships not such sine cures as la generally supposed the impression still exists in the minds of many people who come to washington and secure government positions that the department clerk has little or no work to do but the manual or rather pedal labor involved in standing in line upon bemi monthly occasions and pocketing a salary this was instanced some weeks ago says the washington post when a newly appointed young clerk of the gentler sex made her appearance in the pension office the other clerks viewed with curious eyes the contents of a rather large bundle of fancy work which she spread out on the desk and leisurely essayed to weave she was somewhat surprised and impatient because the messenger came in several times during the day to deposit office papers on her desk thus interrupting the plying of lier needle she grew more surprised as day by day her work increased and she had no time to spare for glicr avocation she got enough of it in about a week one day she rolled up alie unfinished tatting and took it home with the remark that she really believed she would not be able to do any fancy work after all A somewhat similar story is related of an old gentleman of a literary turn of mind alio entered upon his duties in alic sixth auditor s office a select assortment of the poets and essayists under his arm his chief inquired if the volumes in question were expected to liblit upon the auditing of post office accounts 1 I usually devote at least two hours a day to elevating reading rc the clerk but reading alie poets during office hours was found to be in compatible with disposing of the enormous pile of work that soon loomed up on the new employed emp loyes desk until at last the lover of literature strapped up his library of master minds of the world and tool them away never again to be subjected to the indignities of government routine |
