The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-10-06
TWO OLD PENSIONERS
BY J.. L. HARBOUR.

MORE than one of the passing throng
lvl that went to and fro over the
pavements of the little city park had
noticed the small, tidy comfortc BILE
and serene-looking old lady sitting en-
one of the park benches near the foun-
tain
The old lady had nothing to sell AID
no favors to ask of anyone. Had she
offered any explanation as to why
she sat in the park sewing or knit
ting steadily she would have said sim
ply:
II love to be out in the open air
where the sun is shinin' an the birds
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 1 know lots of 'em by sight, an a
good many of 'em nod an speak to me
so nice an frenzy like, an some of 'cm
stop an chat q little once in awhile.
But 1 come here" and then there
note into her voice, 'because somehow
or other I seem to kind o. 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. My daughter-in-law,
Susan, she seems to think it's kind o.
hard to have me round, though I do
every stitch O 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 always
sheets an towels to hem, an I'm never
idle, so can't help feelin' that earn
my keep.
"Then I've got pension of $12 a
month that | draw every three mon tbs,
but somehow it always happens that
my son is i'll tight place an needs the
pension money to tide him. over, an
then I guess he an his wife fergit
about it, for 1 never git it back ag'in.
l wouldn't mind that if they could only
feel that the pension money an the
work l do paid for my keep. do hate
to feel that I'm burden to 'em, an
1 cant be any great of a one, fer I'm
no eater to speak of, an I'm real saw
in an careful O. my clothes.
ed go into an old ladies' home if I
could save my money SO as to pay the
entrance fee, but ever if did my son
an Susan wouldn't be willin' [ should
go because it would make talk. an I
reckon they'd miss my pension might
lily.
80. after I git the dishes washed
up an things kind O. put in order,
get my SEWN ready an come out here
in the park where amt in anybody's
way an where I don't make trouble
for anyone. Susan says she don't
think | accomplish as much sewing
as l would if J. was in the house, an
mebbe don't. but I'm happier out
here where folks seem FRENZY and
pleasant like. The policeman on this
beat comes round and chats with me
now an then an calls me gran ma am
an sometimes I tighten up button
on his coat. We're real good fr'en's.
Then the old apple woman is real
FRENZY an often runs over an fetches
me speckled apple or pear. There's
lots o. fr'en'liness 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
good deal. He's got pension, too.
an is situated good deal as am in
other respec's. He lives with his mar
rled daughter an I gether from what
he says that she wouldn't have i'm
round if it ant for his pension. He
gifts $i2 month, same as I do, bu4 his
daughter don't let i'm 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 IS
years. He was pretty stability dressed
and would have been even ragged at
times had not the old lady KEEP him
mended up It was not uncommon
to see him sitting in his 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
look of mute appeal. He spent most
of his time in the park, because he,
too, was Gin the way" in his daugh-
ter's home. She was a shrewish and
slatternly woman with tongue like
a blade. Few kind words ever fell
from her lips and none were ever
spoken to her old father
When the old mans pension money
came it was seized by his domineer-
ing daughter. quite as if it were her
own, and some months she failed to
allow him even his dollar for "spend-
ing money"
1t was "a kind of comfort" he said,
to talk over his troubles with some
one, and he found the old lady to be
willing 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