The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-12-30
THE PENSIONERS.
By FRANCES 8. vEIRs.

A hundred yards perhaps back from tho
road, in clump of trees, stood the plain,
hip rooted, red washed poorhouse Benja-
min Dorkett sat on the stops that served
as an exit from the west side, fondling
letter In his hands. A pale checked little
woman sat beside him, her gaze swinging
pttentively from his fnce to the letter,
from the letter back to his face again.
Her hair, gray and dead looking, was
parted and brought with severity over her
wrinkled brow. Her shoulders stopped as
though warped from toll, and one of her
limbs was shriveled and twisted, SO that
she shifted the weight Of sustaining her
body TO the other side A pair of crutches
rested partly on her lap, partly on tho
ground, and her hands, brown and cal
loused, frightened over them.
Dorkett had been soldier in the Union
army. At Williamsburg he acted the part
of flag bearer and planted the stars and
stripes upon-the ramparts of the southern
fort; at Pope's Creek he received wound
which brought him down In hospital.
Then, before he was physically able, no
answered the call to the field again.
So the years went, and tho war closed.
Being in the west at the time, he preferred
Ito remain there, and living as he did in
the new, uninoorporated towns where mail
writing until his letters became as imma-
terial as hopeless wish. Some day, he
told himself, when lie should become rich
with controlling interest in tho Creede
Mining company, bo would wipe out his
score of unfiliation by surprising his fam
lily with visit. But as time wore on tho
dissonance between those dreams and the
Gctual produce of his labors caused him to
believe tho story of riches easily won in
the new lands delusion. Then, too, i'll
luck, rs ho termed It, took such n hold on
him that any tenacity ofpurpose he might
have had in the outset crumbled helpless
ly. Still he lived, suffered, never COM
planned, but bore up always in that patient
Soiceless manner in which people of his
nature generally do. Afterward when in
his declining years he found himself with
out pecuniary suffioiency to meet his COM
mon needs he turned his face homcward
to die.
And that home coming-how different
1t was from what ho had expected North
ern enterprise had made its nest in tho
lazy southern village that once was, had
brought new people into it and had put
new life into the old ones. What used to
be his old homo with its brass knocker
| on the door, had bocn turned into a store
| of general merchandise, and displayed its
tens and shoes and calicoes before its front
His mother, he learned, had died with her
oyes fixed on the doorway, Watching for
his return; his sisters had married in the
north, but it had been so long ago that no
one could locate them, or what was worse,
no one cared to, and SO to savo himself
! from beggary Dorkett obtained a permit
| to tho poorhousc.
| He remembered the time when he had
4 Ia.f, Of Il ~.
| and as such had attended the big dinners
at tho quarterly meetings. He could not
| help contrasting them with the plain,
humble meals ho ate now; yet ho was
grateful for tho ones he did roceiye-a
gratitude which dcepened with tho care
and kindness shown him as ago whitened
his hair and his step became feebler and
| more totteTing
| Until Jane Herriok, the widow of a
southern soldier, came to the poorkouse to
1.-Two he had kept aloof from the inmates
but between her and him there seemed to
be something different from his relations to
any other persona difference wherein lay
the distinction between her liking for him
and her Indifference toward the other pau
pcrs. Tho bond of need shared, of mutual
dependence, drew them together, and in
those hours they consecrated themselves to
each other.
Now, as they sat on the steps he, toyinr
,affectionatel7 with tho letter, drow nearer.
II thought you would be glad, Jane.
To-day when l got the letter out of the
postofflce l could not break the seal fast
enough. Then when l knew a pension
had been granted me l thought of you.
Oh, Jane, Jane, tell me why you don't
seem gladp'
He bent forward and would have looked
into her eyes, but she turned them away.
"l'm glad, she answered DULY. "You'll
be independent and can make othor
frionds. "
The desolation of her tones touched him
inexprcssibly. Ho turned her face and
looked into it-a look of pity, then Of love.
Jane, he said, ''you are dearer to me
than all tho pensions the government al
lows. l couldn't give you up But we'll
compromise matters I'll draw tho pon.
sion; you'n share it."
Then she took his glance for awhile
trenbling helplessy in her happiness
YOU'RE good man, Benl Oh, you are
good MANI sho exclaimed. "Yon'ye beer
good to me from the first"
Ho put his arm around her, drawing hei
to him in his own feeble way, and as they
laughed The notes of joy, suddenly found
leaked through their dry, harsh carkle.
Fischer, tho keeper Of the poorhouse
looked through the window and eyed then
speeulatiyely. A smile came over his face
then he said sharply;
Dorkett, wish to speak to you"
Experience having taught the pauper
never to cross this mans will, Dorket
arose Immediately. Jane put forth he
hand with an air of depreciation.
Hadn't you better let me keep the pa
pers, Benz
No, no, " he replied through his laugh
ter. " Fischer II be glad TO hear of GU
luck. ucn come to our wedding, and
md dato say he'll do the handsome thin
by us now that we're not dependent O
him for every cent"
But sho locked up dlstrustfully.
tYou won't do anything that'll rob 20
of what you've been waiting for so long
It's yours by law and justice and reward
Remember that, Ben"
Fischer was seated before his desk, bu
lily writing but when Dorkett entered
wheeled about, saying adroitly:
So you've got your pcnsion9"
} DOrkctt Ghuckled.
AYES, yes" he replied "Jane and
were just talking 1t over, and
"Of course you'll make an assignmcl
of 1t to this institute, " said the keepe
with direct, sSon certainty. i've draw
up paper to that effect,
, Tho old man leaped to his feet, If indie,
his palsed tremulous movement could
called leap.
"Oh, you can't ask mo to give 1t up
he cried. "IIow could youf It's all T.
a got, oil 1 expect to have this side of ett
= nifty
a You've had homo hero for years
said Fischer calmly land II / reck
Alright you intend to end your days hel
In tEis case tho rules of tho institute
quire you to give up the income"
:: 'Twould be opredation-robbery
: pleaded the pauper, closing his hand oy
tho paper. Something vital seemed
have gone out Of him, and he sank ba
Y on tho chair, hiding his face In his han,
i "Oh, Jane, Jane lie cried down
: his heart, "holp me, help me"
! Seeing he was weakening, Fischer cal