The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-02-05
ROMANCE IN LIFE.
| 0ome Interesting Stories Contributed by
/ the Pension once.

Como Interesting Stories Contributed by
the Pension once.
The Pension Office is perfect Boz
nanza for romance-writers if they only
knew it, and the incidents in real life
that are frequently coming to the atten-
ton of the clerks there show how much
stranger truth often is than fiction. A
letter was recently received from lady
in Connecticut inclosing an application
for widows pension, and in the regu-
lar order of business it went to the files.
As everybody knows, the records are
kept alphabetically, and this woman's
name commencing with an unusual let
ter there were few applicants in her
class. The recording clerk glanced over
the list-without any particular motive,
but noticed that man of the same name
given by the widow was already draw
ing a pension, which had been granted
him in 1873. and was being paid through
the California agency.
Itrequired only few moments search
30 discover that the report in the two
was identical, not only the same name,
but the same regiment and company.
The widow offered no proof of death, but
her affidavit stated that she had not seen
her husband or heard of him since the
war, and supposed that he had been
killed in battle. A letter was written to
her stating that her husband was already
drawing pension for wounds received
in the war, and by return mail came an
inquiry for his Whereabouts, She said
she had been mourning h. death for
twenty years, but was very glad to learn
that he was still living, and if the PEN
sion people would only assist her in
locating him she would make it very
lively for her trnant spouse.
About the same time another case,
strikingly similar in character, was de-
veloped. A letter was received from q
man in Kansas, who said he had made
application in 1868, but had never paid
any attention to it, and did not know
whether it had been granted or not
just at that time he had receiveda wind
fall, which made soldier pension seem
. trif1ing matter to him, but had recent
ly met with financial reverses, was 4 per-
invalid as the result of old
and now needed Government
aid to live. An examination was made
of the records, which not only showed
that his statement regarding the appli-
cation of 1868 was true, but developed
the fact that conclusive proof of bis
death had been received few years
after, with an application from his wife
for q widows pension, which was grant
ed in 1875, and she had been drawing
the money since that time.
In reply to q notification of this con-
dition of the records letter was re-
ceived from him asking where his wife
could be found He had gone from New
York State to Nevada soon after making
his original application, had been en-
gagged in mining there, and had lost all
track Of his family. Recently he had
been living in Kansas, and supposed he
was widower, but would Immediately
Join his wife If he could learn her where
abouts. Thus, undoubtedly, two fami-
lies win be reunited, and it would be .
good thing II the Pension Commissioner
would open bureau Of information for
The benefit Of husbands and wives, moth
ers and sons, and other relatives who
have become separated in the great
shuttle that is going ON in the world
Roshingtoss Capital.