WASHINGTON -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy has resigned abruptly, hoping to spare President Bill Clinton the embarrassment likely to be caused by an independent counsel's investigation of allegations that Espy abused the perquisites of office and improperly accepted sports tickets and trips from agricultural businesses.


Espy's surprise decision to step down by Dec. 31 ended prematurely the once-promising tenure of the Clinton administration's youngest Cabinet appointee and the first black to serve as agriculture secretary. The decision also proved to be a humiliating admission of defeat for the energetic young Espy, who until now had vowed to survive what he claimed were politically motivated and unsubstantiated allegations that he violated ethics laws by accepting the hospitality of such companies as Tyson Foods of Arkansas, Quaker Oats of Missouri and Sun Diamond of California.


Espy, 40, a former Mississippi congressman, announced his resignation Monday and insisted he had not been asked to step down by the president or any other White House official.


"This was my choice,'' he said.


Nevertheless, his resignation came as the White House counsel's office was completing work on an internal review of the Espy matter that apparently uncovered reasons to challenge the agriculture secretary's contention that he had done nothing wrong.


Among other things, the White House investigation uncovered a previously unknown $1,200 "scholarship'' that Espy's girlfriend had received from Tyson Foods.


In a statement accepting Espy's resignation, the president said he was troubled by the appearance of conflict of interest created by Espy's acceptance of favors from industry sources, and he concluded that the secretary's resignation "is appropriate.''


Some felt Espy may have failed to adapt to the tougher ethical standards that apply to members of the executive branch after facing laxer standards in his three terms in Congress. Lawmakers can accept gifts and travel as long as they publicly report them.