Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-22

~ "
For Freedoms Sake and Those Blind
Eyes.
as if she and he were alone in the world.
He shows no consciousness of the presence
of observers.
Lady-Tell me all about it! Tell me how
it happens. Why are you like this? You
are Americans
Henry dnterrupting)-New England, born
and bred.
Lady-You don't look as if you ought to
be doing this. You look above begging on
the street.
Henry-Ma'am?
Maria-Oh, madam, Don't you see?
Henry, she don't understand. She didn't
mean it. She amt that kind of lady.
Madam
Henry-Begging?
His face fiushes from white to purple His
flute drops to the pavement. His wife
picks it up and wipes it with her shawl
She speaks in grooming tone.
Maria-There, there, dear! She don't
know. She don't understand. Madam!
my husband is a musician. He is not
beggar He works hard for living. Try
ii and see-all weatheIs.
Maria Holt raises herself with dignity
and with trembling forefnger points at
her husbands eyes.
Lady-Blind?
Maria mods silently.
Lady (overcome)-Oh. beg your pardon!
Oh. you poor people! 1 beg your pardon
with all my heart.
The Street Musician (bowing with fine
gIace)-Madam, you have Ii from mine.
Lady-TeIl me how it came about-this
great misfortune DO you mind telling me?
1 will try not to hurt your feelings so
stupidity again.
Henry Holt drawing himself erecD-Yes,
ma am, l will tell you. 1t happened thirty
years ago. but it don't need thirty words
to tell it, Seems to me, ma'am (smilinS)
If you'll excuse me, you're the one that
don't of US two!
The street musician lifts his purple fin
gers to his sightless eyes and then, with
superb gesture, points In silence to a faded
decoration pinned upon his shrunken breast.
1t is the badge of the Grand Army of the
Republic.
The crowd about the group has slowly in
creased. Silver begins to fall into the
street players cap. There is a gap among
the women at the show window.
Maria Holt looks through this gap. Her
wan eyes raise themselves to the ermine
opera cloak with instructive feminine at
tention; she glances at the pink and silver
room. The blind mans pale face turns
blankly in the same direction. To him
alone of all the people before the window
its luxurious display appeals without arous-
ing interest. The dummy in ermine and the
dummy in chiffon regard him scornfully.
The First Woman in the Crowd-Its a
hand organ, / guess. Isn't there monkey?
L dOte on monkeys.
Second Woman-It isn't a monkey. It's
only little man with a flute. Let's move
on to the millinery window.
First Woman-Wait I've got ten cents.
Second Woman-Ive spent every cent I've
got in the world on that ostrich plume and
you 10 get home. l feel kind of ashamed
too-seems so mean. Let's move along,and
they'll think we didn't see him.
Lady-Did you lose your eyesight in the
army?
Henry Holt (cheerily playing Yankee Doc
die Finishes the strain conscientiously be-
fore he speaks)-Excuse me, ma am it
seems to be silver that's coming in. /
know it by the note it strikes | want to
earn what L take. 1 don't beg / am a
musician. l used to play in bands. Eve
always been fond of music. Yes, ma am.
/ lost my eyes in the war; one of 'er
Maria Holt-The other followed. come
five years That was when We was first
married, 50 L know. l was young then, n
slip of girl. 1t came dreadful hard on
Lady-Is he quite blind?
Henry-I am quite blind. One eye don't
look 1t, they say. Some folks think I'm
shamming, but they're folks that don't
know anything. l got a piece of shell at
Antietam.
Lady-But the United States does not
leave its blind soldiers to be-play on the
streets-on public synpathy-for a living.
What is your pension?
Henry (smiling)-I don't get the pension
for serious disability. What L get just
about pays our rent. 1t don't cothe nor
sion. But we get along sometimes quite
we'll 1t depends some on whether my wife
can get a job, and then there's the weather.
l amt so strong as l was before the war.
don't stand bad weather. 1 have the
pneumonia-and that's expensive There's
hitch about my pension, you see. 1 used
10 think II would come round. But we've
given up bothering, haven't we. Maria?
Maria (apathetically)-Ies, it only rifles
you up and disappoints you Nothing comes
of it.
Lady--Weren't you honorably dis
charged?
Veteran proudly)-Madam?
Lady-Well-of CourSe-but 1 mean
Wife-lts something about a surgeon. He
died.
Henry recovering himself and smiling)-
So he doesn't find it convenient to testify
His testimony is lacking.
Lady-Ah! A flaw in your pension pa
peTs?
Veteran-Thats about the size of it.
Lady (gently)-Hard!
Veteran-Well, yes. But we're kind of
used to it. 1t is hard, though-sometimes
Lady-How many children have you?
Henry agerly)-There's Molly,
Maria-And the two little ones. We had
two older boys. They died. The drainage
on rent those days. We don't-since.
Lady-Do you make a living? Do you
suffer? Have you clothes? A fire? Food
enough? How many battles did you serve
in? Now give me your street and number.
/ must look into this matter. How many
battles, did you say?
Veteran quitting his flute down from his
mouth and counting on the stops with his
Run. Antietam. 1t was at Antietam / got
the shell.
Lady-This is pitiful, 1t is not right
The country-patriotic people ought to do
something.
Veteran-Oh, folks are kind enough. 1