The Arizona champion., 1889-01-26
JAMES G. ELAINE.
How He Secured PPnSiOd for the
 Daughter of Zach Taylor.

How He Secured Ppnsiod for the
 Daughter of Zach Taylor. An Interesting story of the Nan From Maine Related by General ". r. ShernHn-fiis Appeal to the Great OljectOr.
 In the year 1873 General U. $. Grant Was President of the United States. 1 was General-in-Ghief of armies of the United States and James G. Blaine was Speaker of the House of Representatives, says General W. T. Sherman in an ar ticle in the North American Re view. All were residents in Wash ington, D. c. l was seated in my office in the old War Departments, now destroyed and replaced by a better one, when my orderly pro duced the card of Mrs. Wood. " widow of the late Assistant Sur geon-General, U. S. A., an old friend. She was a daughter of Zachary Taylor. Her husband had been forty four years in the army Of course 1 instructed him to show the lady in. She was deeply yelled then not uncommon by reason of i the many dependent widows and
 
 orphans who thronged the national capital to appeal for help.
 She, without unveiling, handed me letter in the flmili4r hand writing of the venerable General David Hunter, asking me to be- friend the bearer" Castin, my eyes over it 1 exclaimed:
 "What! are you the widow of my old Surgeon-General Wood and the daughter of General Zachary Taylor!"
 Yes" she answered, raising her veil and revealing her features, then of an old lady, but beyond question the daughter of General Zachary Taylor.
 Dear Mrs. Wood, what does this meant What can I do for youl"
 She replied: q do not know, but General Hunter, our steldfast friend, has sent me to you" And she went on to explain:
 When my husband died in 1869 l supposed had estate enough to satisfy my moderate wants. 1 went to Louisiana, took possession of tine old sugar plantation, collected few of
 THE OLD SLAVES, With promises of wages or shares, tried to make hving, but every thing was out of joint. 1 then ried lease vita n) bett.r sIc ;eSs. Now my daughter writes me from Austria that she is sick, and begs' me to come to her. General Sher- man, l must go to my daughter, and have hot q cent, My old friends are all deld and know not what to do."
 naturally inquired how much money was necessary. She said 5000. 1 had not the money. General Hunter hld not the money.
 "How about your pensionl"
 'When my husband died, after forty-four years of faithful service, thought 1 could take care of myself, and never asked for a pension"
 Mrs. Wood, 1 am sure we could easily make up case under the general pension law which will give you S35 month, but it can only date from the time of your formal application.
 "What good will that do mel" she exclaimed; my dau. hter is calling for me nowl My passage across the ocean will cost Sl20' and the incidental expenses afterward i will run up to thousand.
 After few moments thought I said: "Mrs. Wood, we must get special bill, putting your name on the same list with that of Mrs. General Worth, Mrs. General Sum- mer and others, and have this special pension to date back to your husbands death, March 2S, 1869. This will require an act of Congress. What member of that body do you know from Loui ,iana!"
 "Alas! none."
 "What member from Kentuckyl"
 Not one"
 Do you know any one in Con gressl" 1
 MOT A SINGLE MEMBER. ,"
 Don't you know Mr. Blaine2 He is Speaker of the House-a fellow of infinite wit and unbound ed generosity"
 No, she had never met Mr. Blaine.
 "Now, my dear Mrs. Wood, can you meet me this afternoon at the speakers room, say 4 o'clock pune tIa ly!"
 ''I will do anything, she answer ed, that you advise"