The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-11-15
TWO PENSIONERS.

More than one of the passing throng
that went to and fro over the pavements
of the little city park had noticed the
small, tidy, comfortable and serene
looking old lady sitting on one of the
park benches near the fountain.
The old lady had nothing to sell and
no favors to ask of any one. Had she
offered any explanation as to why she
sat in the park sewing or knitting stead
lily she would have said simply:
II love to be out in the open air
where the sun is shinin an the birds are
singin, with the blue sky overhead.
Then like to set an see the people go
by an wonder where they're come
from an where they're goin. I've got SO
/ know lots of 'em by sight, an good
many of 'em nod an speak to me so nice
an fr'en'lylike, an some of 'em stop an
chat little once in awhile
'But l come here, " and then there
would be a quavering and pathetic note
in her voice, because somehow or
other seem to kind of make trouble at
home, though, land knows, try not to,
but it don't seem to do any good. You
see, live with my son an his wife. Ny
daughter in law, Susan, she seems to
think it's kind of hard to have me round,
though do every stitch of the mendin
an all the plain SEWN, an there's lot
of it to do, for Susan has big house an
rents furnished rooms, an there's al
ways sheets an towels to hem, an I'm
never idle, SO can't help feelin that I
earn my keep.
Then I've got pension of $12 a
month that draw every three months,
but somehow it always happens that my
son is in tight place an needs the pen
sion money to tide him over, an then
guess he an his wife fergit about it, for
never git it back ag'in. 1 wouldn't
mind that if they could only feel that
the pension money an the work l do
paid for my keep. 1 do hate to feel that
I'm burden to 'em, an can't be any
great of one, fer I'm no eater to speak
of, an I'm real savin an careful of my
clothes.
"I'd go into an old ladies' home if l
could save my money so as to pay the
entrance fee, but even if l did my son
an Susan wouldn't be willin l. should
go, because it would make talk, an /
reckon they miss my pension nightly.
$50 after | git the dishes washed up
an things kind O. put in order git my
SEWN ready an come out here in the
park where | amt in nybody's way
an where l don't make trouble for any
one Susan says she don't think ao-
complish as much SEWN as would if /
was in the house, an mebbe l don't,
but I'm happier out here where folks
seem fr'en'ly and pleasantlike. The
policeman on this beat comes round an
chats with me now an then an calls me
'gra ma am, an sometimes 1 tighten up
a button on his coat We're real good
fr'en's. Then the old apple woman is
real fr'en'ly an often runs over an
fetches me speckled apple or pear.
There's lots O. fir en- illness in the world.
That gray haired old gentleman over
there the other side o. the fountain is
one O. my fr'en's, an we chat together
a great deal He's got pension, too,
an is situated good deal as 1 am in
other respects. He lives with his mar
ried daughter, an l gether from what
he says that she wouldn't have i'm
round if it WANT for his pension. He
gifts $12 a month, same as do, but his
daughter don't let him keep but dol
lar of it, an she begretches him that. 1t
hardly keeps his pipe goin.
The old man referred to was an in
offensive looking man of about SO years.
He was pretty stability dressed and
would have been even ragged at times
had not the little old lady "kep' him
mended up. . 1t was not uncommon to
see him sitting in his shirt sleeves by
her side while she skillfuIly mended or
sewed up rents in his shabby old coat.
He had kindly face and childish
blue eyes, in which there was often a
look of mute appeal He spent most Of
his time in the park, because he, too,
was in the way in his daughters
home She was shrewish and slattern-
ly woman, with tongue like blade
Few kind words ever fell from her lips,
and none was ever spoken to her old
father
When the old mans pension money
came, it was seized by his domineering
daughter quite as if it were her own
and some months she failed to allow,
him even his dollar for spending
money.
1t was "kind of comfort, - he said,
to talk over his troubles with some one,
and he found the old lady to be will
ing and sympathetic listener. They had
not known each other until they had
"kind O. got acquainted, as the old
lady said. Now they were the best Of
friends, and the old man frequently
read the newspaper to her while she
diligently piled her needle. They made
pleasant picture sitting there under
the elms, and more than one passerby
had said, "They would make a good
study for an artist.
The old man had found her sitting
there one spring morning when he came
walking rather YEARLY across the park.
His rheumatic" had been giving him
little trouble.
But reckon it'll not trouble you
any more, now that it's gittin so warm
an pleasant, said the old lady, encour-
agingly.
"I'm hopin not" he said 81 shall
need all the strength l can git to hold
out ag'in Marthy, my daughter, the way
I'm plannin to hold out next week. -
Flows that?'
Well, my quarterly pension comes
in, an I've made up my mind to draw it
an keep it my own self this quarter.
I'm needin good many things, an I've
turned my pension over to Marthy every
quarter for so long I'm bound and de-
termined to keep it this time. It'll be
hard tussle, but I'm goin to do it.
81 would So, said the old lady SYM
pathetically. "It's kind O. funny, but
I've made up my mind to do the same
thing with my pension. Mine comes
due next week, too, an I'm goin to keep
every cent of it. I'm needin new cali
co dress an overshoes, an anyhow l
want to save little money in my pook-
ct. 1t amt right for me to give up SO
to my son after all I've done for him
| jest shan't do it any longer.
voice, and she gave her head a little
toss of defiance.
You're right" said the old men
with decision. 1T amt right for us to
ba oxro,. so Cor,afi,,oc Two