The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-22

dummy in chiffon regard him scorn-
fully. I
The First Woman in the Crowd-It's
hand organ, l guess. Isn't there a
monkey? l dote on monkeys.
Second Woman-It isn't monkey.
It's only a little man with a flute.
Let's move on Ito the millinery window.
First Woman-Wait. I've got ten
cents.
Second Woman-Tve spent every
cent I've got in the world on that os-
tridh plume and my Jet trimmin's
I've got TO borrow of you to 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
Doodle. Finishes the strain conscien-
tiously before he speaks)-Excuse me,
ma'am, 1t seems to be silver that's COM
ing in. know it by the note it strikes.
| want to earn what l take. / don't
beg. l am "a musician. / used to play
in bands. I've always been fond Of
music. Yes, ma'am. lost my eyes in
the war; one of 'em.
Maria Holt-The other followed,
come five years. That was when we
was first married, so / know. l was
young then, "a slip Of girl. 1t came
dreadful hard on us.
Lady-Is he quite blind?
Henry-I am quite blind. One eye
don't look ut, they say. Some folks
think I'm shamming, but they're folks
that don't know anything. got a
piece of a shell ait Antietam.
Lady-But the United States does not
leave its blind soldiers to be-play on
the streets-on public sympathy-for 4
living. What is your pension?
Henry (smiling)-I don't get the pen
sion for serious disability. What get
just about pays our rent. 1t don't
clothe nor feed us. l don't get a blind
mans pension. But we get along
sometimes quite well. 1t depends
some on whether my wife can get job
and then there's the weather l ain't Sc
strong as l was before the war don't
stand bad weather. / have the pneu-
monia-and that's expensive. There's
hitch about my pension, you see. !
used to think it would come round
But we've given up botherng, haven't
we, Maria? 20" N,S 8.
Maria apahetically)-Yes it only
riles you up and disappoints you. Moth
ing comes of it. -,
Lady-Weren't you honorably dis
charged?
Veteran (proudly)-Madam?
Lady-Well-of course-but mean
Wife-It's something about a sur
geon. He died. -...
Henry recovering himself and smil-
ing)-So he doesn't find 1t convenient
to testify. His Testimony is lacking.
Lady-Ah! A flaw in your pension
papers?
Veteran-That's about the size Of it.
Lady (gently)-Hard! '
Veteran-Well, yes. But we're kind
Of used to it. 1t is hard, though-some-
times
Lady-How many children have you?
.
Maria-And the two little ones. We
had two older boys. They died. The
drainage was bad where we live. We
tried to save on rent those days. We
don't-since.
Lady-Do you make a living? Dc
you suffer? Have you clothes? A fire.
Food enough? How many battles did
you serve in? Now give me your street
and number. l must look into this
matter. How many battles, did yor
say?
Veteran Quitting his flute down from
his mouth and counting on the stops
with his cold fingers)-Fair Oaks, Nal
vern Hill, Bull Run, Antietam. 1t was
at Antietam I got the shell.
Lady-This Is pitiful! 1t is not right
The country-patriotic people ought t.
do something!
Veteran-Oh, folks are kind enough
| get turkey most every Christmas
Last year we had cranberry sauce anC
fixings,
Lady (sotto voce)-He gives hi
youth, his manhood, his health, hi
eyesght for his country, and gets
turkey and cranberry sauce on Christ
mas.
Veteran-Ma'a am, thercwas thirty-fiv
thousand of US the last time inquired
I'm only one of the delayed list. Don
take it to heart so. We're kinder uset
to 1t. Some weeks we get on yer,
well. 1t depends so much on tn
weather!
Man from the Crowd-How do yo,
know that he amt one of the fraudu
lent claims? There's been a good sigh
more than thirty-fve thousand o
them.
LADY, don't know, but don't be
lieve it; and l can look him up.
Gentleman from the crowd-PI
spare you the trouble. I know tn
man. I'm a neighbor of his, in a way
teach in his ward. His children com
to my school. know about the fam
lily. They are honest people. 1t is a
just as he says.
LADY, will see you again. Yo
shall hear from me. l will remembe
and the children! The holidays ar
coming along.
Maria-Yes. We do mind II when W
can't make Christmas for the child
rem. That's the hardest. Now, h
talks about Molly. / don't see how
can let that child go on the street wit
him. Her little winter sacks worn I
rags; it's past mending, and I've Gu
over all the, flannels I've got. It's n
place for Molly, anyhow, but I ain
very strong. Madam-(she whispered
Lady-Oh! (She wrlngs the woman
hanO.
Henry mechanically counting on tn
stops Of the flute)-Fair Oaks, Malver
Hill, Bull Run, Antletam--
Lady (extending her hand, for whic
the street player gropes)-So, good-b.
now l shan't forget you. Your cour
try hasn't forgotten you, either.
don't believe 1t!
Veteran (smiling slightly)-Don
you, ma'am?
Lady-Well, I don't blame you Il
looking that wayl