The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-11-15

doctor, lncredulouSly.
81 s'pose Sam does drink more'n he'd
| ought to sometimes" admitted Sprague;
''but it's worse N that this time. You re-
| member, doc'-dropping into half-oracu-
| lar, half confidential tone-"Sam come
home from the army pritty well used up
with malary, an with a pritty consid'ab
smart cough onto him. Folks didn't mind
the cough much; but remeaber sayin' to
old DR.. Dick: That boys goin' in con-
| SUMPTION says l; 'tain't the quick kind,
likely, but he's goin'.' DR.. Dick agreed
with me, am if he was back here now he'd
| see we was right"
"If he's as bad as that, I'll drive right up
| and see him." and the doctor gathered his
relns.
out fishin', likely. | didn't see his pole ON
the shed as l come by. Drop round to-
| morrer. That III probly be his shakin' day,
| am you can jedge how bad he RELY is.
They've ben pesterin' me about gittin' a
pension for Sam. l thought I'd look it
over little an see. | tell 'Sper'ence lots
o. folks gifts pensions that don't need 'em
half so bad as they do. Long as such
folks as the Gaylords an Hitchcocks has
pensions, | should think they'd ought to.
| Everybody knows Sam was sound enough
when he went to the war, an he hain't ben
good for nothin' sence. AM | think the
Guy'ment ought to pay for it. | guess you
lts
you think ont"
81 should like to see Sam get pension -
chuckled the doctor. 81 believe in taking
care of the jlen that took care of the flag"
THAT'S the idee, doctor-that's what |
say. You look Sam over, an see how bad
he is; am p'r'aps you'd better talk to
Julany little. Women have to have these
things explained heap more'n men do.''
And the Squire essayed to move on.
But Preston did not move, and replied:
81 s'pose if Sam gets his pension, 'Sper'ence
will be paying up his mortgage"
''Wa'al, | dom know" said Sprague,
with well-managed surprise. "'Sper'ence
an Julany have been powerful good to
Sam, am il the interest draws hard on 'em,
very likely he might help a little.
'Twouldn't be no more'n his boards ben
with"
'And before he gets it," continued the
doctor, there's a lot of work to be done.
You must have the certificate of a physi-
ciap, and that's got to be strong enough to
hold water. Then there's the atiidavits of
the boys in the company who know about
his mourning disease in the SERVICE
"lf / managed the case" interrupted
Sprague, 81 should count on you to do that
work. You know the boys"
"But I'm pretty busy this fall. Fact isl
he added, laughing, 'I'm putting i'll just as
many visits as my patients will stand to
take care Of that note of yours. | meant to
be ready for it when snow flies, but if | 90
into this thing, I shall have to neglect my
work, and let the note go till the pension
cOmes.n
81 do know" and the Squire whistled
retiectively. 81 guess you'd better look
Sam over, anyway. If the chances are
pritty good, Wen 90 on with it. There'll
be fever in the Spring to pay the note from,
anyway, likely"
Gg,,,i,,o J-o,,+ r,,r,,, a.,
for fortnight, when he was called to a
council about ways and means and pros
poets. He found that his suggestion had
sprung into purpose that fouished like a
bay-tree.
The only opposition came from Juliana,
and was impalpable, manifested chiefly by
silence, and difficult to cope with on that
account. At last she spoke: 'N ell, if it S
nght for Sam TO have pension, | want
him to have it, OF course. | don't see my
self why it amt just as right for US as for
the GaylOrdS, an Pm willin' to leave the
whole thing just as it stands to the Gov
erhment am let them settle il. They'd
ought to know. An if it amt right,
don't want nOthin' more to do with it. |
don't want folks sayin' the Canarys was
snoopin' around after money 'twa'n't CHIT
fully theirn."
THAT'S Jest it, Julany," put in the
Squire. "The' ain't nobody in Clark
Township don't know that you am 'Sper'-
ence never wanted nothin' that want
rightfully yourn, am nobody would lay it
to you. If Guv'ment was in Clark Town
ship, you would "a had the pension Years
ago. But it amt. Guv'ment don't know
noohin' about ye, except what's in your
papers"
That's it: the papers tell the story
broke in Sam, who had lurking suspicion
that If his pension We're to be voted upon
in town meeting his chances would be very
small.
"An' that added the Squire, sis why
you need to have the papers look right.
We mustn't put in bout you am 'Sper'ence,
an the Gaylords, or Guvment would think
we tryin' to create sympathy, an was
frauds. The papers must be short an
sharp an business like, an it takes jedg-
ment to make 'em. Judgments what ye
want in pension case"
The Squirrels Judgment" carried the dav,
and when.the papers We're finished, they
presented as clear a case of a constitution
broken by malaria and incipient cOnSump-
ton as the most critical pension lawyer
could require. The soldiers were collected
in the Squire's sitting room to talk over
Sans three years service and its Incl
dental hardships. They recalled their
glOries and sutHeringS through the mistS of
fifteen years. None of them lied, of course
ing their memories as to the physical effects
of their privatiOns, and the Squire's ''jedg-
ment" in selecting portions suitable for the
athdavits, the case made up was a strongly
effective one. As the months rolled into a
year favorable reports began to reach Clark
Township, As the prospects frightened,
Sans needs of pension became more APP
parent. He was won't to celebrate the
favorable bulletins with DR.. Preston and
other boon companions for weeks after the
news came.
Bad whisky and exposure made more
rapid inroads upon his strength than the
ague had ever done, and it became clear
come quickly. Then the word came that
the payment would probably be made in
about two months.
''I'm fearful" said Experience, shaking
his head slowly, that Sam won't last so
long. It's too bad, consid'rin' the time am
money we've put into it, sayin' nothin' o.
havin' counted on the money, an got our
plans made up accordin.' That's the hardest
part ont"
81 s'pose," commented Juliana, ''that if
his wife had only lived, she could have had
the money, anyway. 1t would "a done her
some good, poor creatur"
The Squire, who had brought the news
from Washington, rose soon after this
speech, accompanied to the wagon, of
course, by Experience. Outside he said,
decisively: "Sam ought to git married"
Gland salles, Squirrel He's jest a-goin'
in consumption, an he want never no
great ketch, Sam WANT"
"Thet's Jest the trouble, don't We see.
in IA srpp ha 4iI