Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-04-01
A White house IN.

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he saw the usual number of pee
pie sitting around the different
! rooms. Some were there on Wis
it of sightseeing, and others
came on different errands. There
twas about the same number there
that are to be seen almost any
day, waiting for an .Interyiew"
with the President. The man
with a claim and the soldier with
a pension were on hand, as usual
The regular members were there
who call almost every day sim
ply to sspay their respects to
the Chief Magistrate Of the land.
Seated over in a far corner of
the wide lobby which runs thro'
the house, in front of the Pfesi-
dents door, was an old woman
about seventy-fye years of age.
Her hair was almost as white as
snow. The deep wrinkles in her
face showed that her life had not
always been free from troubles.
Her large black eyes seemed to
be all that were left of her youth
She. was dressed very poorly.
Her blue calico dress and faded
bonnet indicated that, whatever
she might have been she was in
want now. After remaining quiz
etly seated for some time, and
observing that other callers we're
transacting their business, she
summoned up courage to leave
her retired seat in the lobby cor
ner, and, walking up to the mes
senger at the Presidents door,
she made known her wants and
told her story in such a simple
but affecting manner that even
the rd-hearted German was
obliged to listen.
She wanted to see the Presi-
dent. She had come ali the way
from her humble home in the
mountains Of Tennessee to OBJ
tain a pension for her son, who
had been wounded in the late war
and was now almost helpless.
She got together the small earn
ings and savings of a few years
Of hard work, and made her way
rs best she could to Washington.
She knew no one. Every face
she saw was strange. Her mon
~ was almost gone, but the jus
ice OF her elrand kept her up,
md she went to work. She had
, hard time finding some person
% interest himself in her and her
troubles. Every one to whom
'he applied was too busy or could
10 nothing. AT last when she
vas ON the verge of despair and
lad almost decided TO walk back
o Tennessee and die in poverty,
'he found a member from that
State who, as she says, chad a
leart large enough to permit him
o help me and bring blessings
lpon himself and his family
lie got her claims IN shape to be i
considered, but that was all he
;ould do. She was then without
/ penny, and had no means Of
getting back to her heine. In
heer desperation, she called at
he White House. She hardly
new what she called for; she
My knew that the man who
uled there was President. She
new that he was powerful and
ich, and she asked the messen-
,er to let her ask him for the
leans to return to her home. i
She was shown to a scat in the
room, and her card ta-
en- in; but as the President was
usy with his usual calls from
1oligressmen, Cabinet Officers
nd others she found no chance
, see him. The old woman then
Did her story to the writer and
, every one who would Esten,
nd asked them to aid hcr.in get
ng funds enough to take her
ONE, where her crippled son
as waiting. The clerks, mes
.ngers, visitors and every one
bout the halls and Offices Of the
Mansion contributed
, the oil lady's fund, and quite
sum was realized. She said
lat it almost broke her heart to
SIX aims, for it was but a few i
ears ago that Sire was able to =
clip others instead of asking as
stance for herself. The old Ia
y then left, and as she went :
own the stairs she swore that
Providence did not send her
le means to buy her a ticket
le would start that night and
ak to Tennessee.
Drawing Straws for a Girl.
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