The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-04-02
HOWTHE RANCH WAS SAVED.
Journey in a Postal Car Which
Ended in a Smash-Up.
Scramble for Mail Pouch-S3OO,OO0 of
Uncle Sans Money in Danger-Inter-
view with the Postmaster-General
An Expedited Pension.
COPYRIGHT, 1861

COPYRIGHT, 1861
"There is no use in figuring, Mandy,
unless 1 get the pension ard the back
Day we'll lose the place" SAID Mr.. Jeni-
fer, gloomily. as he pushed away the
pencil and paper. Mrs. Jenifer looked
at her husband, blanlly. rs it as bad
as that, Hiram?" she asked.
"There is no help for it," replied Mr..
Jenifer. THE mortgage company at
Omaha will foreclose the mortgage on
the ranch unless the note is paid. The
wheat and the corn are harvested, and
1t outside prices won't meet the note
by $500"
There was silence for few minutes,
broken only by the click of Mrs. Jeni-
fer's knitting needles.
What did the pension lawyer at
Washington write in his last letter
about the prospects of your claim get
ting through" she asked.
"Why, you know what he wrote,
Mandy. He said there We're 5000 or
1000 cases ahead of mine, and that the
pension bureau is very strict about
considering cases in their regular or
der. He said it might be over a gear be-
fore they reached mine. When it is
taken up though he thinks I'll get the
pension and the back pay-that's about
$4,000, you know-for the proof is all
right, and [ have a clear case under the
law"
at seems kind of hard that, if the
government is going to give you the
back pay some time, you can't get it i'll
time to save the ranch from being sold
over our heads" sighed Mrs. Jenifer.
Yes, and the hardest part of it is
that they do sometimes take up cases
out of ORDER" replied her husband, but
the lawyer said it requires influence to
have that done, or some one must show
the commissioner of pensions that there
is a special reason for it. | have no in
tuence away out here on a Nebraska
ranch. | can't even get down to Wash
ington to plead my own case. There
really seems to be no help for US"
During the course of this converse
tion there had been an interested but
silent listener on the opposite side Of
the table, who now arose and passed
through the kitchen door. This was
AIeck French, Mr.. Jenifer's nephew.
He sat down on the bench outside and
locked across the dusliy prairie, lying
grim and still in the moonlight. In one
the station.
"If they only knew all about it at
Washington" he thought, IL am sure
they would take up our case first. Oh!
if l could only get to Washington and
tell them!" A long time he sat there,
thinking, with his chin in his hands,
looking out over the prairie. AS he
gazed he saw light some distance
away, moving rapidly along. He knew
1t was the headlight of a locomotive,
for he had often watched them, miles
away, creeping over the level plain.
Soon he could hear the rumble of the
cars, and by the absence of lighted win
dows knew that it was not a passenger
train. When it stopped at the station
the lowing of the cows and some dis
cordant squawks and grunts told him
it was a stock train bound for Chicago.
Every day these long stock trains
passed, and sometimes they stopped
while the cattlemen fed and watered
the live cargo. The cattlemen always
accompanied the train, and Aleck had
often envied the lot of the young men
who were going to see the great city.
Then an idea came to Aleck-the DOS
sibility of doing something to save the
ranch. He soon stole away to his bed
where he fell asleep thinking about it,
and took it up again early next morn
ing when he went to feed the stock.
After breakfast he went into the
kitchen, where his aunt was washing
the dishes. There he told her his plan.
growing enthusiastic in the recital. He
wanted to go to Washington and tell
the commissioner of pensions the story
of their troubles and ask him to act
upon his Uncle Hiram's claim at once.
AS he talked she, too, became interested,
and her wan face was lighted up for
moment by hope; but she soon became
grave again
But, Aleck, we could not spare even
five dollars to buy your food on the
way, for perhaps. your plan might fail. |
No, it won't do said his aunt, shaking |
her head.
AAiCSh "CuI Vul 1S1e KlUcnen with a /
heavy heart and walked towards the |
barn. When be reached the gate his |
own little pony, Brown Bess, came run
ming to the bars and affectionately |
thrust her nose at him to be stroked. |
As he patted the mares head another
idea came to him. In moment he was
In the harness noon, tagging at his
saddle on the hook; and five minutes
later he was gallopfRg over the prairie
towards the station. Up the principal
street he rode, without drawing rein
until he stopped before the post office.
Mr.. Brand, the postmaster, was stand
ing at the delivery window as Aleck
came in, and seemed surprised to see
him.
"Why, AlecF, there amt any mail
this time of day." he began.
II didn't come for mail" Aleel< re-
piled. Then he continued, hastily:
"Mr Brand, you offered me $50 for
Brown Bess two months ago, and re-
fuSed tn sell her