Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-09-30


from the Revised Statutes which the
other, "A spare, upright old gentleman,
was reading aloud. Os making his err
rand known to the clerk who sat near
est the door, Eben was directed to a
fatherly-looking man, with snow-white
hair and beard, who sat by a window.
He answered various questions put
by this clerk, who presently said
'Oh, see The dependent mother
Is dead, you say p
Yes, sir she died in March, 1882,
nigh on to two years ago.
what papers are those which you
have =? The Doctors bill and -
No, sir the letters which you
wrote so many times for-letters from
Captain Hillyer when he sent money to
his mother
'Ah, yes the evidence Of mainte.
nance. They'll have to go 10 the Au-
ditor, OF course. Let me see, contin-
ued the clerk, consulting several ledg-
ers while he spoke no, the Hillyer
case has not yet gone to the Auditor, so
| will take those letters. You hayen't
sent on the bills yet, have you p
Bills ! What bills, sir p
The undertakers' the doctor s.
But Captain nillyer didn't need no
doctor, poor fellow F! He was shot
through the head in the Wilderness,
and died where he fell ;"
The soldier I Oh, yes, that evil
dence is all right. Now. what we
want is the bills for the mothers last
sickness and burial /; this is an ac-
crued pension case, you know
"A what, sir p asked puzzled Eben.
If Mis-. Hillyer were alive she
would receive twenty dollars a month
pension, with back pay from the date
of the soldiers death. But she being
dead the money reverts to the govern
ment, who, however, will pay all certi-
fed pills for The mothers funeral, also
bills for her board, nursing, medical
attendance, ETC.
DO you mean that her daughter can
not haye this money p
Only in payment of those bills p
'OLher folks daughters have got
their mothers pensions J"
'Oh, yes, that used TO be the custom
but the Third Auditor has decided that
the law did not so intend dependent
parents pensions that such were pay
able on to the parent, and not to his
or her heir. except in case dependent
father had left second wife,
The soldiers step mother could
draw his pension money even if he new
Ell saw her, or hated her like poison,
while his sister can't touch it p
Yes
Il call that an abomiuably unjust
law y exclaimed Eben, Indignantly.
Perhaps Captain Hillyer's sister can
get few years. pension as dependent
sister. How old was she when he
died ?,
mo offense to you, sir, but Eunice
Hi.lyer will not have anything more to
do with Government that takes back
the money it owed to her mother. If
I, or any one else, had owed money to
Mrs. Hiilyer, this very same Govern
ment would make me Pay the debt to
her heirs. Poor old lady ! She ate
her heart out waiting for this money !;
she died from sheer anxiety and over
work. If she'd had quarter part OF
what was owing 20 her, she'd be alive
now y and with this words Eben took
his leave.
Y n n
A rich golden haze was in The air,
aud sense OF rest and contentment of
feeling that 1t was afternoon and the
days work was done, and even the
busiest might sit idle for brief period
came over Eunice Ilillyer the day
before Thanksgiving. Mr.. Martins
buttery was full to overhowing with
spicy mince pies. Yellow custard,
golden pumpkin, deepred cranberry,
and numerous other pies, were ranged
in tempting rows on the shelves /; in
the stone jars below were cookies and
doughnuts enough to have fed regi-
ment of hungry boys in the deep
drawers were loaf after loaf OF cake
fruit, pound, cup, caramel, walnut,
marble, spice, silver, gold and jelly
and there was no cakemaker in town
equal to Eunice, Mrs. Martin had said
to her that very morning.
We'll, Eunice, as Eben got home
yesterday, and there amt no word of
pension, l guess there is no hope of it.
It's an i'll wind that blows nobody
good, you know, an what should a.
dona this THANKSGIVING without YOU