Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-03-23

done earned It wild my own hands.
But Uncle Bob grew more feeble
every day, and the money that was
to have made both so happy. went
rapidly now in procuring The neces-
saries OF life for both. Poor Aunt
Tilda Many little tear she she'd
when Uncle Bob was sleeping. and
many day she toiled while he
thought she was shelpin' Miss Jane, =
rs she declared.
But the worst came when the dis
ease, which Lad affected his eyes at
first. destroyed his eyesight forever,
and Uncle Bob knew that his life was
to be that living death ssof one blind.
Il was pitiful to see Aunt Tilda in
those days; for the old man she had
ever 4 smile and loving word, but
many i day Jeannette found her cry
ing as ii her heart was broken.
.seannette, herself an orphan in
deed (for her father now slept peace
fully by her mothers side). clung
with all the old-time affection to her
lifelong friend From the wreck of
their property enough bad been saved
to maintain her comfortably. at least.
and as Aunt Tilda still looked to
Miss Jane" as of old, she kept her
when all the rest had gone.
So a new life began. Aunt Tilda
worked faithfully and well. jean
nette passed most of her days among
the poor and needy, who blessed her
as an angel of mercy. Uncle Bob,
blind and suffering, existed, but en-
joyed life no more. Sitting in the
sunlight outside his cabin, with his
eyes shaded, he would picture the fu-
ture he had hoped for-the time when
ssTilda would hab her own house, 2
and he would be able to support both,
because he was free. And, man as
he was, the bitter tears would fall
when he thought of the reality. He,
blind, poor and helpless; Aunt Til
da still working, but doing double
duty.
But one day, when more than usu-
ally detected, Aunt Tilda came,
breathless with excitement: .sBobl
Bob it's all right dis time. You'll
be paid all your life for fightin' in de
Union army and bein' blind. and
then she managed toltell him how the
government had granted pension to
all disabled or suffering from any dis
ability contracted in the army. An
you know, Bob, you can show all
about it, Col. Jake Hayes and Dick
was dar wild you, an den we won't
be poor any more," and Aunt Tilda
grew almost hysterical.
Jeannette came then, and it made
her very heart glad to see the radiant
joy on the blind man s face. 8 Deed,
deed. Use too happy to live, he
cried. ssJes to think, Miss Jane,
/ that Tilda won't hab to work for me
no more,'' and leaning his head on
his hands, he sobbed aloud for very
thankfulness. So Jeanette wrote to
a Washington lawyer, and every day
Aunt Tilda walked three miles TO the
nearest postoffice for letter. And
when one came from Washington,
with the words Department of the
Interior IN the corner, it seemed as
if the ground flew from beneath her
feet. SO quickly did she reach home.
Here Is is, right yer, Miss Jane, =
and she placed the big. important
looking letter into her hands. s.Not
just yet, Aunt Tilda," said Jeanette,
trying not to see the disappointment
so plainly visible in her face, lit S
the number of Uncle Bob's claim,
now it will be taken up in IT S turn,
and we won't have to wait long, So
they waited.
Day after day the patient Tilda
walked into C. Then other lei
ters came, this time ordering Uncle
Bob before ssthe Board of Examining
Surgeons, requiring a history of his
disability, the testimony of witnesses,
the name and number of his hospital,
date of entering and leaving the
same," etc., etc.
LET me keep desc letters, Miss
Jane, pears to me like it makes the
pinsion nearer, " coaxed Tilda.
II must send each one back, Aunt
Tilda; see, it says, 'return this letter
with your reply, but you may have
these. langhingly pointing to the
envelopes.
ssThank 'ee, Miss Jane, thank ee,
honey. I'll fetch 'em down to Bob,
and he'll think heaps of EN-. deed
be will. .
Many days of toll followed for poor
old Bob. He must swear TO affidav-
its, and to do this had to walk to
c.. three miles away. II was
pitiful to see them start to walk the
long, dusty road, Aunt TiIda leading
the blind man so patiently and low
ingly. never complaining. though the
sun shone pitilessIy down. and the
weary old man grew restless and i'm
patient Then Aunt TiIda had to 90
and see Jake Hayes and Dick and
get their evidence 10 show that Tncle
Bob contracted his disability IN the
army.
AT last ali seemed complete. the
toiIsolne journeys were ove-- aud the
last question surely answered. Then
the weary. weasy waiting Then the
months passed away. The autumn.