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

kinS, but that she died few weeks be-
fore her case WAS acted upon at the Of
flee in Washington.
Just about the time that the spur
was given TO her hope. MIS-. Hillyer re-
ceived an unusually explicit letter from
the Pension Office, which said, with
out very much circumlocution, that the
one evidence now needed was some
proof, either by letters from the dead
soldier or by sworn statements from
responsible persons who paid or saw
paid to her money which her son sent
her before and during his service IN the
army, that she was actually dependent
upon CAPTAIN Basil IIillyer for her
maintenance. Many such letters had
been received some Of them had been
lost or destroyed, but Mrs. Hillyer was
very certain that least dozen of
them, tied together with bit of tape,
had been put in that very indefinite
place somewhere. And rs the son
had always been so careless as to send
his money directly to her in a bank.
note, there were no witnesses to any
payments ty him.
During the search for the lost letters
death came to Mrs. Hillyer and ended
all her anxieties and pIiyations. In
the general overhauling incident upon
the sale and the removal of her own
effects, Eunice could find no trace of
the much-desred letters so shs con-
cluded that her mother had uncon
sciously destroyed them and now she
spoke of her pension much as ones
ship that is to come in. but which so
rarely ever does make port.
AS she was emptying the jar of the
bits of old string and torn newspapers
which it contained, she said to Mrs.
Martin
Are you going to camp with Ely
Knights's folks p
well, dunno kind of thought l
should like to we ain't so very drove
just now. l wonder if they've made
up their minds where's bes to 60 p an
swered Mrs. Martin, pausing in her
work of beating eggs.
Il seen Ida when l was to the store,
and she says they've about decided to
90 to Sunk Hase Me1der ; 1t amt so
very far. Morse's folks is all going
Then, of course, you be, too so l
will hey to 60 to keep an eye on you
and Eben.'
There's a good lot of nice strong
twine in this jar said Eunice, irrele-
vanity.
'Eben is as good feler as ever trod
shoe-leather,' continues Mrs. Martin,
not to be arrested in her remarks by
Eunice's twine. 'He amt so awful
smart as some folks, mebbe, but 'cute.
ness amt all one looks for in hus-
band. I suppose he can't help his na-
ture 1t wasn't his choosing that he
was born of that money loving Morse
tribe there never was Morse that
would not squeeze cent till it holler-
ed Ah, Eunice, if you would only
get that pension, Eben would marry
you quick enough then ! Well, you
might easy git wuss man, IL he is
one - Why, Eunice, what is the
matter p
The last words were caused by the
unwonted sight of Eunice in tears !;
the girl had dropped into chair beside
the table, and holding letter in her
hand, was weeping bitterly, sobbing as
if her heart would break.
Look y said she, with sob ; 'one
Of Basil's letters l found them in
the jar -
'Sho now = exclaimed Mrs. Martin,
sympathetically. Poor Basil !! Then
suddenly remembering the Importance
of these letters. she added, excitedly {:
Not his army letters tat you've ben a.
searching for Well, we'll, but be
glad Now you will git your pension
and Eben, too y
No one who knew the Morses was at
all surprised that Eben, who had plan.
ned long visit to relatives in Philadel.
phia, should offer to take the precious
letters to Washington, and, if possible,
close up Eunice's business for her.
A s soon as he arrived in Washing.
ton, Eben betook himself to the Pen
sion Office (which was then in It's old
quarters on Pennsylvania avenue), and
on being asked by colored man who
sat at the head of the long flight of
stairs which led from the street to the
Commissioners room, the lower part
of the building being occupied by a
store, what his errand was, he said he
had come to see about a pension for
Mrs. Hillyer, Captain Hillyer's moth
er. This was so much more lucid ard
exhaustive an answer than the man
usually got to such questions, that he
did not send Basil very far. only to the
room of the Chief Clerk, directly behind
him. Here too, Eben, being man of