Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-11-14
SAM OANARYS PENSION

How d. do, 'Sper'ence p and Squire
Sprague pulled up his rattling buggy before
Experience Csnarys leaning gate posts.
OF all the men in Clark township, Canary
least wanted to fes Sprague; but he respond
ed cordially;
How d do, Square Won't ye come in p
and he swung slowly out to the buggy side.
mo; guess l cant stop to-day. Business
is middlin drvin'. How's taters? Fair2"
IL swan, Square, they amt l put in FIVE
acres, au counted on big yield but now
the dry rot's comm, and they won't do moth
iu'. It's anough to discourage a saint"
''Sho Ye don't say that Dry.rot
Then ye won't sell more'n five hundred bush
els, likely 2"
Five hundred bushel Why, Square,
sha'n't sell three! An taters is plenty this
fall. l doubt If they fetch moren fifty cents. "
"Wa'al it's hard lines, sure enough was
expectin' about two hundred dollars on the
mortgage this fall. Don't see how can do
without it, noway."
Cant raise it, Square. was calculatin
to git it out O. them taters, but now they're
gone. There's the int'rest, anyway, aud the
l. needs shinglin', an Julany was lottin' on a
tewin' machine an swow I'm clean discour-
aged. I've bout made up my mind to give
you back the farm, go into the shops al the
to do it; it's dreadful wearin' all round, and
there's the seven hundred dollars and all the
intrest I've paid. But can't see no other
way"
The Squire gave a low, hesitating half.
whistle, while his glance swept past the rick
ETY., unpainted old house, which promised
rare sport for the November winds, over the
drought ht-browned, hungry fields, and rested
on the cattle in the pasture, which the linger.
ing September sun showed to be still "spring
poor" Clearly he could not get for the farm
the eighteen hundrsd dollars which Canary
still owed. He must have some money, not
the place.
ANY hay ?"
"Only 'nough to winter; an shall have to
pinch at that reckon"
Cant Sam help you a little ?" suggested
the Squire at length.
"Ssm Square, ye know what Sam is.
Wa'al, this summer he's wus AN ever. He's
got the shakes agin pritty bad, his coughs
stsrtin' up, an he won't let liquor alone. He's
good boy, Sam is; but they give him liquor
for shakes in the army, an he can't let it
alone only bout so long"
Got the shak' in the army too. didn't
he? Why don't you git pension for him
Kind o gen'ral malary, | reckon"
"Wa'al, | do know. We never reckoned
to come down TO that. The Canarys has al
ways paid their own way. But since this
back pay come in, everybody's gittin' a pen
sion most. We need it as much a. anybody,
an more'D three quarters OF 'em."
"Ot course you do. II Sam got mslary in
the army an broke down his CONSTRUCTION,
there amt no reason why guv'ment shouldn't
help him. Guv'ment's rich. Look at Jim
Gaylord's folks that keeps the post. Office there
| to Mittineague. They got a pension for theiI
boy that they always supported, an that new,
er did tap Of work fore he went into the
army. Now look at 'em Mis- Gaylord'e
got her house painted an all fixed up with
store carpets an stuff, an they take butchers
meat twice a week. Here's Sam comes home
all broke down, an you an Julany take care
Of him for nothin'. Il that right2 What,
right for the rich mans right for the poor
man, / say. That's what guvment's for"
"Thets 80, Square. The amt no gain
sayin' that. But this world amt q very fa'I
place when ye git at it"
ITS fair enough to them that fight for their
rights, rejoiued the Squire. There sin't
nobody gifts nothin without. II you an Ju
lany expect to sit here an wait till guv'meni
comes along nd inquiries ye out, an paints
an shingles yer house, an buys ye a sewn
machine, cause yer brother got used up in
the army, you'll wait one spell. That sin't
the way the Gay lords got their pension, nor
the Hitchcocks, nor the Powerses, nor none
of EN-"
During this speech the Squire had slowly
gathered his reinl, and with a nodded good
day and oluck to Jolly, he ratified down the
stony road
Cur US, " he muttered, THAT never count
ed on 'Sperence Canarys turnin shiftless.
might a seer it. got pr'tty fair price FOL
the farm, though, considerin' it didn't cosl
me nothin', an il git this pension through
| I'll git the mortgage cleaned up. 'Sper'encel
an DR.. Prestons is the only poor debts I've
got, an reckon I'll git somethin out O. III,
doctor on this job"
Dolly paused, and the Squre's keen eal
caught the sound of another vehicle.
'Theres the doctor now, nd guess mus
have talk with him. Hes mostly favor blt
to penfi1ns Of you take him right, mused thu
| Squire.
| DR.. Preston was a svRrthy, black haired
man, with an abundant development of body
aud brain, Uf neither of which he had made
the best use. They had been cultivated Il
the exclusion of moral qualities, and of tina
keen sensitiveness to public opinion which ii
| so often fair working substitute for princi
Pile. Preston had no more fondness for tn
Squire than had Experience Canary, but h
was too reckless to care to avoid any man, 81
when be saw Sprague's signs of stopping ht
slsckened his own pace.
BUSY as ever Squire" he observed, b!
way of greeting. "The devil makes rattlinl
times for you lawyers"
Eyes, business is pritty driviu' hea
there's oonsid'able sickness, too; Is'pose yot
git your share on ?" returned the Squire
Amiably.
81 don't get enough to take care of tina
| 10 lbatta hat trad driuino af ~ raNliaf
Preston, in quick distrust of the others suav
ity.
"Wa'al, no, l want thinkin' OF the not
70 day. Fact is"-snd he smiled 30 as b
show tusks that confirmed his resemblance h
beast Of prey-'I stopped ye about SOM
sickness They'll want ye to stop in and ss
Sam Canary. He's got the shakes agaii
dreadful bad"
SECT em at the agency this time, or has b
been to Watertown again ?" laughed the doc
tor, incredulously.
~ spose Sam does drink more'n he'd ough
to sometimes" admitted Spraguei "but IL
worse'n that this time. You remember, doc
dropping into half-oracular, half f-confiden
tisl tone Sam come home from the arm
pr'tty well used up with malary, an with
pr'tty cOnsidable smart cough hitohed ont
him. Folks didn't mind the cough much
but remember sayin to old DR.. Dick, 'Tha
boys goin in consumption, says tain
the quick kind, likely, but he's goin'.' DI
Dick agreed with me, nd if he was back her
now he would see we was right"
"If he's as bad as that, I'll drive right u
and see him." and the doctor gathered hi
reins
81 wouldn't go to night, doctor Sans ou
fshin', likely; didn't see his pole on tn
shed as l come by Drop round to-morrel
Thatll probably be his shakin' day, md 20
can jedge how bad he RELY is They've bee
pesterin' me about gittin' pension for Sam
thought I'd look it over a little nd see.
tell 'Sper'ence lots o. folks gifts pensions this
don't need em half 40 bad ~ they do. Lon
ez such folks ~ the Gaylords and Hitchcock
has pensions, should think they'd ought Il
Everybody knows Sam was sound enoug
when he went to the war, and he hain't be
good for nothin senoe. Aud think the guV
ment ought to pay for it. guess you'd be
ter look him over little, nd see what 20
think ont"
~ should like to see Sam get a pension,
chuckled the doctor. Il believe in takin
care of the men that took care of the flag. "
That's the idee, dOotor--thats what say
You look Sam over nd see how bad he ID
and perhaps you'd better talk TO Julany Ii
tie. Women have to have these things 81