The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1883-12-29
Dude and Pension.

between two cities, and as they sat
in the moking room languidlv
putting at little cigarettes, they
conversed in the native tongue of
the dudes, not noticing a bald
headed man who was buried in a
newspaper. The conversation
turned upon what business was
the most desirable for a person
who did not want to do anything
except to eat and drink and be
clothed. and one remarked that
he would like to own Il farm and
spend the income from it than any
thing he knew of. The other
dude, who was a tacetious indiyld-
ual. with about as much brain as a
canary bird, said, ''Well, don't Won
know, | think | had rather draw a
pension froin the government.
That Is the easiest business. by
Jove, there is going, don't you
know" The b~ald-headed man
was mad enough to have Drained
the dude with a toy balloon, but he
held his temper until the two dudes
began to laugh at the wlticism, and
then he could contain himself no
longer, and turning to the two nine
spots who were sitting together in
a corner of the smoking apartment,
and standing up before them SO
they could not get out, with his
face flushed and each HAIR on the
side Of his head feeling like a por-
cupine quill, he said
"And SO YOU think drawing a
pension is the easiest business there
is going, 60 youl Do you realize
what you are talking about! Do
YOU know that men who draw pen
sions have been through move suf-
fering, privation and sorrow than
you evcr dreamed Of? Do You con-
sldcr it easy to march thousands of
miles on foot over muddy roads,
Sleeping on the frozen ground and
living on hard tack and fighting
between meals Do YOU want to
draw a pension at the expense OF
health {! Do You know that the
men who draw pensions, Of whom
you speak so ~hippantly, have been
burned with southern teyers until
every bone has ached night and
daytor twenty years! Do you know
that some of the men who draw
pensions have had limbs shot of
bv cannon, and had limbs sawed of
by doctors saws, and that some OF
them carry bullets in their bodies
to-day, and that every move they
makeis full of pain. Haven't YOU
heard that some of the pensioners
were starved in rebel prisons unit
, they would have mortgaged then
immortal souls which YOU ma
, uot possess-for a piece of bread 81
dry and dirty that Il hog would no
eat 1t unless it was soaked in water
! Did YOU ever read Of some pen
j., sioners being bayoneted, and car
ryiug sores for fifteen years, tina
would not heal. You, you poo
-. imitation of a human being, lool
: upon drawing a pension as an cas-.
business. when it has cost the per
sioners the best part OF his If
4 and health, Would you sleep GU
on a rail fence, yourbody drippin.
wet, contracting rheumatism q
every breath you draw, and the
d call drawing a pension an easy
II safe business You laugh at Il r'
mark at the expense of an old so
der, when you arc not fit for
le soldier to wipe his feet on. WHY
y: condemn YOU, | haveu mind
throw you through that plate gIa'
window, when ! think of the ba
a rels of tears that have been she
e by wives and mothers and siste.
id for every dollar that was ev,
C. paid for PENSIONS" and the o.
man began taking off his Goa
ty when the conductor came in ar