Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-12-22
FROM WASHINGTON.
Queer Characters aud Cranks Who Con.
gregate at the Capital.
Weary Waiting of WOefnl Woman
Cheeky Old Bummcrs.
Cross Purposes ia Dispensing Places Al.
lotted to Texas.
Cumbrous aud Costly Conr!-The Davis
Dorsey Suit Remanded.
Clerks of Dcfunct Committees Daily
Drudgery Of congressman.

by Mall and Telegraph.
Washington, December WASH
ington is the Mecca of cranls. Queer
characters saunter about the hotels.
They dog the steps of congressman.
They have pitiful or wonderful stories
to tell Many have been prosecuting
claims through weary years. They
came 10 Washington years and years
ago, thinking that their
presence would compel attention and
facilitate action. | see an old
woman nearly every day bending be-
meath the weight of nearly eighty
years, who has devoted the last twenty
To the sole purpose of inducing con-
gress to pay 5000 for all that she pos
sessed In Virginia, appropriated by
marauding Union soldiers. She has
quartermaster's receipts, which she
exhibits; she tells OF her devotion to
the Union, and when she contemplates
her rags and helpiessness, she
says cherily, II will get my
money now, and have little home
again for my grandchildren. Their
father fell at Antietam,
you know, and the government
never forgets those who gave It to their
children" Her faith In the goodness
of the Union Is sublime. She seems
unconscious of the lapse of years, and
will never learn that the concession of
one claim like hers would break down
"A barrier through which such Hoods of
goli would rush that the treasury
would be drained Of its last penny, and
Folger left on q sand-bar In the empty
channel of another Pactolus. God will
send death In pity, and the little home
OF which she dreams will have all tile
charms her fancy paints; bnt
she will never find its shining portals
here or Ia the valley which Sheridan
desolated. The next cold blow that
comes down from the snow-clad hills
Will bear the pitiful bundle of rags and
long gray hair iiesliless bones and
fond hopes and matchless faith in her
country's sense of right into the pot
ter's field.
SAD STORY.
saw another woman to-day whose
face Is SCARED and scanned by small
pox. She WINS young and beautiful
when the war began. Her eyes alone
now attest the fact. She Is ever
fepulsiye till she begins to
tel the simple story Of
her life, She was ia pretty maiden.
G Ahru Will Tue eutouslasn Of yOnth
aud reading Of the sufIerings Of brave
men In hospitals and on bnttlcueIds.
she becamea professional nurse. She
served In camps and hospitals, every
wnere, and was a very angel Of mercy.
she watched at the bedside Of a soldier
infected with smallpox, Contracted
the foul disease and barely escaping
VAIN life came forth SO CHANGED that
none rtcognized her ~ the pretty cam
fnierc aud patient, skilliul, pityinp
watcher 1t bedsides OF the aick and
1ying Poverty crowned her woes
4stn helplessness, and driven 10 des-
.Il0n she came last week 10 Wash
Y nksoa that She might invoke the
~ ventlop Of congress IN her behalf
!. 1zers ers psrhaps forty Of these
q nurses, Z - they are pleased, Ia
B ssssn themselves. They hive an or. r..
i15ssA seeiety, and arc recognized by
VIVA Army ana other soldier,
4 b. lqne whose badges thev wear
~ 8 ssatnlest flns, md
/. 4 "a a>lleht 81 doing