Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-11-21

kxperfenes of Nsrth Cnra2inhAn With .
Claim Asainss the 6svsrnnsnt.

Experienee Of North Cnra11nkAn With .
Claim Asalnss the 6svsrnnsnf.
fRsshingfDn Bspubhesnl
The follow ing story cpznes from the hps of
an old North Caroinan who hangs about
Washington trying 10 collect his claim
against the Government: Seventeen
years ago was q small truck farmer in
North Carolina, had forty acres, and was
doing well, when an aunt OF mime took up
and died, leaving me her estate, which con-
sisted Of two hundred and thirty dollars
and claim against the Government for
damages. This claim amounted to about
one thousand four hundred dollars, and /
came 10 Washington to collect it. l came
ia a Pullman car. When l 60 away now
it's second-class. | thought that all I'd
have to do was 10 come here and get the
money. Well, got here, hunted up my
member, told him of my claim, aud be
promised to attend 10 it for ME. l hung
about, gave three dinners at Browns
20 the members of committee
to whom my claim was referred, and
awaited results. 1t was not long before
my money began to run low, and / was
thinking of going home, but that member
of mine kept telling me TO hang on, and
he'd get my claim through all right l got
in the habit Of loafing around the capitol,
waiting for my claim, but she didn't come.
Congress adjourned without acting on it.
and at the end of the session found myself
dead broke. went back home tfen, deter
mined never TO come back again, and would
not have done SO but for that member of
mine. He got me to work for his renomi-
nation and he was elected. Then he told me
that the Government wanted men like me,
and that if would sell out my place and
come here he would surely get my claim
through, and would get me in one of the
departments. / came back, got In the Pat
ent Office and all went serene until 1874,
when l was fired out, my claim was disre-
garded and my member defeated. Then l
had to hustle. The associations l had
formed were hard to break away from,
and finally got hanging about the COM
mittee rooms, doing odd jobs for men,
bers. They would give me little
money now and then, and l managed to
eke out living, but that was all. During
all this trouble / became careless of my
self. / had no desire to go back to my
home, where know I'd have got start,
but simply hung about and never managed
to get clear of the rut fell into. Yes, I've
tried it, but it's no go, and Pm back here
again. During the summer months some
member generally gets me pass and gives
me little money, and go to some of the
watering places. This year l Went home.
Everybody has forgotten me. My money
gave out and 1 had to come back"
"How do you liver"
son whisky. Yes, whisky; it's easier to
get whisky than bread. / hang about, get
invited, and work the lunch. Sleep! Oh,
the corridors of hotels are convenient, and
once-but only once-I went to the station
house. III manage to live through until
the mill gets going again, and then III get
ON to some scheme and make enough, per-
haps, to go away next summer. Although
you would not think it, I'm only forty
one years of age, but feel seventy. Thanks,
will go you again, and, say, you haven't
got a spare quarter, have you! think I'd
like to try bed tonight" ~