Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-11-01
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 rs 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 il 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 30
I know lots Of 'em by sight, an good
many Of 'em rod an speak TO me so nice
an fr'en 'lylike, an some OF 'em stop an
chat little once in awhile.
But | come here, and then there
would DO quaverinR 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 IL don't seem to do any good. You
see, live with my son an his wife. My
| daughter in law, Susan, she seems to
think it 3 kind Of hard to have me round.
though do every stitch Of the mendin
an all the plain sewin, an there's lot
OF IL 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, 90 can't help feelin that ]
earn my keep.
Then I've got q pension OF fl2 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 be an his wife fergit about it, for
| never git 1t back ag'in. wouldn't
mind that IL they could only feel that
the pension money al the work do
paid for my keep do hate to feel that
I'm a 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 II ]
could save my money SO as TO pay the
entrance fee, but even II did my son
an Susan wouldn't be willin / should
20, because it would make talk, al !
reckon they d miss my pension nightly.
$50 after git the dishes washed up
an things kind O. put in order git my
sewin ready an come out here In the
park where I amt in anybody's way
an where I don't make trouble for any
one. Susan says she don't think ! ac-
complish rs much sewin as would II
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 All then an calls me
'gra ma am, an sometimes tighten up
q button OIL his coat. We're real good
fr'en's. Then the old apple woman is
real fr'en'ly an often runs over al
fetches me a speckled apple or pear.
There's lots O. fr'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
q great deal He's got a pension, too,
an is situated . good deal as l am III
other respects. He lives with his mar
ried daughter. an l gether from what
he says that she wouldn't have i'm
round IL it want for his pension. He
gifts $l2 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 65 years.
He was pretty shabbily dressed and
would have been even ragged at times
had not the little old lady KEEP him
mended up" 1t was not uncommon to
see him sitting in bis shirt sleeves by
her side while she skillfully 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 tho old mans pension money
came, il was seized by his domineering
daughter quite as II it were her IN
and some months che failed to allow,
him even his dollar for spending
money
Il was "kind Of comfort" he said,
20 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
q pleasant picture sitting there under
the elms, aud more than one passerby
had said, "They would make good
study for an artist.
The old man had found her sitting
there one spring morning when he came
walking rather wearily across the park.
His rheumatic" had been giving him
q little trouble.
"But reckon it'll not trouble you
any more, now that it's gittin SO warm
IN pleasant, said the old lady, encour.
agingly.
"I'm hopin not, he said. II shall
need all the strength can git to hold
cut az in Aarthy. my daughter. the way
I'm plannin to hold ont next week. F"
"How's that?'
well, my quarterly pension comes
In, anI've made up my mind to draw it
IN keep it my own self this quarter.
I'm needin good many things. al 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 q
hard tussle, but I'm goin to do it"
81 would 90" said the old lady sym.
patheticaIly. "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, IN I'm goin 20 keep
every cent Of IL I'm needin new cali
90 dres an overshosA an anyhow
want b 0ye little moosy In my pOck.