Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-30

There is certain class Of men in this
city, the members of which number thou
sands who, although they never served for
any department of the National or State
Governments, OF worked for private or
public corporations are receiving PENSIONS
with which they manage to exc ont exis-
tence with the same regularity as those
whose names are on the official dockets of
the Pension Office at Washington. The
pensions which these men receive how
ever, consist of peculiar form of charity
which, though it may be as old as the pyra-
mids, has only through its practically re
cent development in this city become
worthy of classification. To state it briefly
these men are for the most part veteran
pensioners of the gambling house, of the
political organizations, OF those who have
some peculiar hold upon the benevolence
Of wealthy men who are not generally
recognized as philanthropists
striking example of the last subdi-
vision Of this class may be found in the
pensioners Of the late Charles Broadway
Rouss. Mr.. Rouss as a veteran of the Con-
federate Army always had a soft spot in
his heart for those who had fought with
him in the same cause and in late years he
had given with liberal hand TO the needy
ones who had worn the gray Among those
Of that class who accepted of his charity
there were a dozen OF more whom he called
his pensioners, and who were almost wholly
dependent upon his regular donations For
the past FIVE or ten years, every evening
about 6ve O'Clock, those who happened to
pass Mr.. Rouss' store on Broadway could
not help but notice a number of men, whose
very appearance noted hungry expectancy
grouped about the entrance of the building
These men were all broken down with
years, bent with the tortures of rheumatism,
covered with scars which they had received
in the heroic struggle of the South, or
crippled and untitled for manual labor by
the loss of an arm or leg As Mr.. Rouss
went from his store 10 his carriage, he
would stop at each one of his pensioners
and hand to him his daily pittance Before
his sight failed him, he was able to pick
out each one and greet him with some
cheering word. In the last few years of
his life, however, he was compelled to rely
upon his hearing for recognition, and as he
grOped his way to his carriage, they would
step up to him, one by one, in regular order
and greet him with a Good evening, Mr.
Rouss }" To which he would respond, "Oh,
that's you, Jim or Tom" as the case
might be, and then 80 down in his pocket
and hand over the coin or bill
Whenever the merchant was going to
leave the city for any length of time he
would make some provision for his pen
siOners but when he was in town it suited
him to dispense this little charity with his
own hand Though the majority of these
pensioners awaited his departure from the
IL
once a week. These men had the airs and
manners Of the Southern gentleman and
had both led regiments in the lost cause
They would arrive before the merchants
store just on the moment they knew he
was about to leave, and as he came from
the doorway go up and greet him, shaking
him by the hand in such casual way as
not to excite the slightest suspicion of any
ulterior motive, In the hand shake the gift
of money would be received, and these two
digni6ed pensioners would 90 on their re-
spective ways with chins high and eyes
front
The pensioned veterans Of the gambling
house, however, form the large majority of
the recipients of pensions such as have been
referred to, and there is not a prominent
gambler in this city who has not his string
OF pensioners. OF this class probably the
pensioners of John DAILY are the most inter.
esting in point of appearance and the pecu-
liar grace and dignity with which they re-
ceive their bounty
At certain hour almost every afternoon.
except in the midsummer months the in.
terest OF those who pass along Broadway in
the neighborhOod of a certain uptown
street cannot but be attracted to little groups
OF men separated at intervals along the
street, apparently in earnest conversation
Their conversation, however, is simply a
cloak and close inspection will reveal the
fact that their eyes are directed to certain
street corner with an eagerly expectant
gaze that has more than a suspicion of
sordid interest in it,
description of any one Of these men is
a sufficient classification, for though their
features and stature may be utterly unlike,
there is an inde6nable something common
TO them all. Here is a man probably in the
neighborhood of 60 His hair is almost
snow white and allowed to grow to a luxu.
RANT length. His features might have been
cut from some Grecian model. and there Is
not so much as the suspicion of a beard.
There is something about the way the lines
are drawn about the mouth and eyes. how
ever that imparts anything but a pleasing
expression to this classical countenance
II is an expression that comes with long
years at the gambling table, and when
thrown into direct contrast with venerable
gray hairs, is almost pathetic. He is
dressed IN the height Of fashion of decade
ago. A Prince Albert coat, that is almost
satin in its gloss and simmer, with trous-
ers of broad stripe, carefully pressed if
somewhat threadbare, an ancient tile re-
splendent in its satin gloss but neverthe-
less revealing a stormy career Of years, and
shoes which, despite the patent feathers
Efforts to shine, show many enameled
cracks and patches. Such is the general
appearance Of them all, save that this one
OF that one may have a flowing goatee or
fierce moustache
Generally It is only few minutes after
their arrival that their benefactor appears.
when an unmistakable 1utter Of expectancy
runs through their ranks, and they rise to
the extreme height Of their dignity
smoothing down their coats, Strengthening
their ties, and clearing their throats for the