Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-05-10

OuCt VI VIC WIN ou' " ~ -"
more, was written plainly on the
strong, thoughtful face and in the
dignlfed, queenly figure. Ageand
care hal lined the once handsome
face and whirened the har. Later
Ilearned her history and that my
snrmises were correct. By a stroke
of fate our desks were next &c
each other tor many months and
through her eventually my life's
story was changed. She WIS ~
widow of once notedarmy officer.
Through the carelesSness OF trus-
tees her fortune was swept away.
The same government that hon
ored her husband while living SOON
gave her means of earning her
bread A bill Ind been introduced
lin G on Eessst to- give hersa. suitable
ieTisio ST. llllt elaged s:and,,
seensei mos isSsG;
ss;1 sss
Sgs
sestln y
We aIlsthree LEFT that building
and went totlle pension Office OF.
Twelfth street,. 1t was a reliefto
me to he with the two older ladies'.
and they, both assumed care and
helpfulness that | have never
ceased TO remember gratefully.
Another office, with several desks,
occupied by men buSily writing
and messengers coming in and go
ing ont, carrying -papers. We
varied some time. and at last, our
papers being seen and approved,
we were given cards, with our
name and number of building and
room thereon. The ''School-'each-
arr said "good-by" and went to
another buil,ling. while the other
lady and myself followed amessen-
ger mp a fight of stairs and INTO a
large. well-lighted room. 1t was
filled with desks, men, women and
chairs, and all swan in confused
circle before my frightened eyes.
In a moment of compoSure began
committing, and found that there
were eighty clerks assigned in this
room, seventy Of whom were men
and ten women. The desks we're
arranged in rows, as at school,
eight rows. with six in row.
The ladies' (all, with one eycep-
tion looked like ladies) had the
lightest. warmest side of the room
and were in a row by themselves.
The scratch of pens, OF rafting of
papers, with an occasional subdued
remark, was all that broke the ST.
lpnce At the end of the room
and facing the others were the
desks Of the Chief and Assistant
chief of the division. Ialmost ex-
ppcted to see apples, kn YES and
marbles there; it seemed like a
'.grown up" school room over which
two teachers presided. A soldier
" looking gentleman came for
ward. and Offering chairs, looked
at our cards. In a few minutes we
were shown the ladies' cIoak-room,
small, neat room, cared for by an
elderly colored woman (once
maid to one OF the misrresSeS of
the White House). and upon our
return were given desks at the end
of the line OF ladies.
The work WAS making outpapers
for pension cases, copying old war
records and trying to rewrlle the
records of the revolutionary war.
These last we're really interesting,
containing many quaint historical
facts, tn 1t lie hidden in he old
yellow parchmcntS. In once the
payrolls was pinned a receipted
bill, made out to George Wash
instou for we Shoeing OF one iorse'
by one Phineas Secly." | have
forgotten the amount, but the debt
was paid. There were many funny
applications for pensions, tine rea
SONS for applying being absurd he
yond belief. One ole, fellow aD-
Piled because chs wife'S frSi huS-
hand had hecn killed in battle, and
he, having married her and en-
dured her temper and bad cooking
for many wears, until death re.
leased her from this worll and
himself from The above trials. he
desired pension on that acconnt.'
From 0 in the morning until 4
in he afternoon we wrote ut orr
desks. with Il half honr for lunch,
every day hut Sunday. OF the
men employed as clerks nearly all
had suffered in some way from the
war, through which most had
passed. Some few were there
through influence. Or The twelve
counting the last two assisneu)
women employed, eight were wild
ows, either wives or daughters OF
men killed in battle. The four
young women were orphans. The
most perfect decorum prevailed
and can assert that no lady could
fail 10 be ell with greaterre
spect by all with whom she may
come in contact.
speak from only a briefmon
experience, but III that time, on
account of rapid penmanship, |
was senr from one room to another
TO assist in work needed in lur-
ry, | SAW and heard enough of he
different people 10 write many
novels that would verify the old
adage that ..truth is stranger than