The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-03-16
Daily Short Story
CRANDMA,s PENSION.
sy DON IA GRANGE

Everybody In the village OF Boon.
Vile said that Grandma Davis was a
dear old thing
Everybody In Boonvilie said that
Mss Minnie Harper. grzndma's niece.
who had lived with her for years. and
had come to be nineteen years ola.
was a girl worth knowing.
Irandma owned a house and lot
ana relative gave her an income.
and giri got an education besides
Everyone knew the pathetic story
OF the grsy-haired. sweet.faeed old
and ten When the Civil war broke
out she had been a bride Of oniy a
lev weeks Her young husband went
marching away with the others AMI
never returned. He had been made
prisoner after the war was q year
on lie was so carried on the rolls
OF his company and regiment. but
the young widow chung to the belief
that there WAS some error about IL
and that he would return TO her. When
u was known that the husband was
dead the widow was urged to apply
for the pension that was Justly hers.
He can't be dead. There IL some
mistake about IT," she would reply
And so. at the age of nearly seventy,
with the grim war a thing OF the disi
tsnt past. she was still hoping.
age the illusion. thew said nothing to
discourage the woman's belief, and
as for the niece, she even tried To
make herself believe that a miracle
might be wrought.
Miss Minnie was at school 80 miles
away. and Grandma Davis was all
alone when one day a stranger called
and asked 10 talk to her about that
pension she had never applied for.
He was lawyer from a town in the
adjoining county. and had heard her
story. He put II to her as a duty to-
ward the niece to secure that pension.
There would be a large sum OF money
and II would help the girl to make a
good marriage. This idea had never
occurred TO grandma before. In an
hour he had her signature to an APP
plication.
II was long weeks before the bureau
acted on the application. and the
niece had come home on a vacation
and returned to school again. At in
tervals the old lady had limited that
she hoped to leave a small fortune be-
hind her. but she kept her promise 10
the lawyer. Minnie was at school
again when grandma received her
check, and with IL came the lawyer
lie rubbed his hands and rejoiced
and complimented himself and grand
ma, but wished the sum were greater.
why not make IL greater2
Now that she had got her pension
she could leave Minnie a pretty good
sum-but why not double Il by let
ting the lawyer make an investment?
He had with him some gilt-edged
shares in a gold mine. and 20 oblige
her and add TO Minnie's dowry he
would make a special price TO her. OF
course he got her money. and she put
the shares away in her bureau draw
er, and under no circumstances was
she TO say word to Minnie.
The transaction had remained a Sc
cret for weeks when the girl, in rum
maging about. found the shares and
demanded an explanation. IL was
given with lamblike innocence.
But why didn't you tell me?"
II promised the lawyer not to-"
Il don't believe they are worth a
cent on the dollar. but I'll soon find
out"
The next day Miss Minnie Harper
was passenger on the stage running
10 Greenville. The Office of Lwayer
Peters was pointed out to her on her
arrival. and she climbed the stairs to
md him seated with his fet on the
desk. He just had time to take down