Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-11-06

irEox oUa aEGULAR ooKaExPoxpxSr. /
WAsHIsGros. Oct. q, I8S

WksHIsGroS. Oct. q. 1855.
The Pension Once is a perfect so-
nanza for romance writers, IL they only
knew 1t, and the Incl euts in real life
that are frequently coming TO the stten-
tion Of the clerks there show hov mach
stranger truth often is than 6ction. I
have related some Of these stories from
time to time. bot last week there was
developed double bsrreled romance
that is uucommonly queer. A letter
vas received from lady in Connecsieot
enclosing an application for q widows
pension, and in the regular Grder Of
business it vent TO the files. As every
body knows, toe records are kept alpha
oetlcaJly. and. this wsman's name coon
menc1n9 with an uD1su Al letter. there
we're few applicants in her class. Ehe
recording clerk glanced over the list
without any particular motive, but no
tIced tRat man of the same name given
by the widow VS. already drawing a
pension. which had besn granted him in
1873, and Was oeIag paid through the
California agency.
IL required search OF only a fes mo
meats 10 discover that the record iu the
Two cases was idonsieai-not only the
same name, bat the same regiment and
company. fhe widow offered no proof
Of death, bu. her affidavit stated that
he had not seen her husband nor heard
OF him since tae war, and supposed that
be had been killed IN battle. A letter
was written TO her stating that her hus-
band was already drawing a pension for
wounds received in the var, and by re-.
turn mall came an inquiry for his
wbereabouts. She said that she had
been mourning his death for twenty
years, bat was glad TO hear that he was
still living; and il the pension people
would oEly assist her in locating him,
she would make it very lively for her
traant spouse.
The attendants at the White House,
at the Corcoran Ars Gallery and other
places where tourists go. tell me that
there were never so many bridal couples
In Washington ss now. They seem to
come in droves, and it ia a. easy to select
them as Office seekers. There always
has been a bridal couple in the fore
ground of every photograph of Niagara,
and an enterprising photographer there
had big sign hanging cut some years
ago ansouucing " reduced rates to newly
married people. Have your picture taken
before the honey moon IL full" Presi-
dent Cleveland is very qaick in detecting
brides, and never fails to give them a
hearty squeeze Of the hand and a Presi-
Dental blessing.
see that some Of the correspondents
sre insisting that the President Is going
to marry, but he isn't any nearer the
matrimonial state than he has been for
many years, and his intimate friends
think he will remain q bachelor. The
failure Of the correspondents TO find a
bride for President Arthur ought to dis
courage them In their attempts to de the
same service for Mr.. Cleveland, and
their interest 10 not appreciated. II the
President has any notion of getting
married, they ought to allow him the
privilege of selecting the lady himself.
One of President Arthur's friends kept
watch of the newspapers and clipped
out everything that was published about
his matrimonial intentions. Jus. before
his term expired these olippin 9 were all
pasted in a handsomely bound scrap
book and presented to him. Upon the
cover vas stamped q figure Of Cupid
With a quiver fun of arrows, and the
words: Many we're called, bat none
were chosen" Mr.. Arthur regards this
nenento now with q great deal of In
t. rest.
Agooi story is going the rounds absut
Cpl. Casey, the engineer of the WASH
ington Monument. when the great
shaft was nearly finished, the Colonel.
on visiting IL one Monday morning. WAS
amazed aud terrified to 6nd thas the
plurb line hung some three or four
inches away from the wall instead Of
CLOSE to the stones, as 1t should hang.
and as he had left 10 on Saturday. He
looked away up the cord as far as his
ewes could reach, and all seemed correct
Visions of a PROSTATE monument fitted
before him, ~ it appeared certain that
the vast structure had settled and mast
sooner or later fall to the earth. Pale
and trembling with anxiety he began
the ascent of the shaft. When mp 9
distance of perhaps two hundred feet
he found the cau>e of his disturbance.
DuriaQ the interval between quitting
work on Saturday night and beginning
work ON Monday morning a spider had
spun a number of webs across the vail
to the cord. and the tension OF these
Individually insight icsnt threads had
drawn the plumb line away from the
vsli. causing the displacement OF the
lead noted at the base Of the structure.
Col. Casey's miBd was relieved, and the
vorkmsn we're handsomely refreshed at
his expenae. LKSox.