er drawn up, and I'm proud it's come through the hands of the
drafting sub-department. Whether I can approve it as Head of the
publishing sub-department is very doubtful.'"

"Do you mean that the same man would approve your paper in one
department to-day, and--"

"Quite so. It's a little difficult for an outsider to appreciate the
perfect order, perhaps I might say symmetry, of the Civil Service;"
and Mr. Perkins spoke with a tone of condescension as to a little
child. "The Head goes himself to the one sub-department in the
morning and to the other in the afternoon, and he acts with absolute
impartiality.

"Why, sir"--Mr. Perkins began to warm and grow enthusiastic--"I have
received a letter from the other sub-department, severely criticising
a draft he had highly commended in ours two days before, and I saw his
hand in the letter--distinctly; an able review, too, very able indeed.

"'Very well put, Perkins,' he said to me himself; 'they've found the
weak points; we must send an amended draft;' and so we did, and got a
very satisfactory reply. It was a schedule about swine fever, 972 in
the Department of Agriculture. I have had the pleasure of reading it
in public circulation when on my holidays."

"Does your Head sign the letters addressed to himself?"

"Certainly; letters between departments are always signed by the chief
officer." Mr. Perkins seemed to have found another illustration
of public ignorance, and recognized his duty as a missionary of
officialism. "It would afford me much pleasure to give you any
information regarding our excellent system, which has been slowly
built up and will repay study; but you will excuse me this evening, as
I am indisposed--a tendency to shiver, which annoyed me in the office
to-day."

Next morning I rose half an hour late, as Mr. Perkins did not take
his bath, and was not surprised when Mrs. Holmes came to my room,
overflowing with concern and disconnected speech.

"'E's that regular in 'is ways, that when 'Annah Mariar says 'is
water's at 'is door at eight o'clock, I went up that 'urried that I
couldn't speak; and I 'ears 'im speakin' to 'isself, which is not what
you would expect of 'im, 'e bein' the quietest gentleman as ever--"

"Is Mr. Perkins ill, do you mean?" for Mrs. Holmes seemed now in fair
breath, and was always given to comparative reviews.

"So I knocks and says, 'Mr. Perkins, 'ow are you feelin'?' and all
I could 'ear was 'temperance;' it's little as 'e