The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1919-09-05

murmur. want to forget IL soon and
hope we will be more fortunate In the
future.
Last year he had to put his years
earnings In Mt. Carmel hospital This
year IT went up in smoke, which Is
better than ii he had to go to the hos
pital. Now II you will pardon me this
time ! will not bother you again II
can help II. With kindest regards
and appreciation, / remain, a poor
old soldier widow"
Representative Aslibrook has the
heart to understand such letters and
to interpret them. His translation OF
what lies behind this letter is a good
sermon-sa>Aere it Is, as he sat back
in his chair with half-closed eyes,
dreaming of the feelings that possess
I.ed the old widow as she wrote to his
as to one near the throne:
"ionest Simplicity"
II have read 1t hundreds of times.
Each time it makes me better man.
] was the one who received rather
than gave aid and comfort. or unset
fishness for gratitude, for looking
for the silver lining in each dark
cloud, for failure to complain against
misfortune. it cannot be excelled in
| its honest simplicity.
| "She is glad to have her load light
ened a little bit, but instantly thinks
of her neighbors who are also bene-
| flied. She tells of the misfortunes OF
her son, but in the same breath ex-
presses thanks that while he lost all,
his babies were saved Fire destroy
ed his home and contents, but she
says 1t wasn't as bad as the year be-
fore when his savings went to pay a
hospital bill. She wants to forget and
Optimistically looks to the future.
Her cheerfulness, uncomplaining, un-
I selfish disposition is worthy Of emu
lation of us all. Would that there
were more like this poor soldiers
widow. How such characters bright
en our pathway.
81 am proud that she lives in my
district. / went to visit her Just to
tell her how much her letter cheered
and helped me. / never worked hard
er for anything in my life than for
that widows pension bill, but I have
had my pay 1000 times by receiving
grateful letters from the beneficiar-
les of the most humane and benefl-
cent law congress ever passed."
How closely Representative Ash
brook has been identified with this
legislation was attested when a let
ter from Tacoma, Wash, addressed to
"The Widows Pension Bill, Wash
ington. 2: c." c., was delivered. without
a moments loss OF time in transit to
Representative w. A. Ashbrook,
House ofice Building.
Testimonial from Commissioner
~ saItzsaber
Not only from those who benefited
by this legislation, but also from Of
flcials and even from officials to
whom the law meant extra cares and
labors, Representative .Ashbrook re-.
ceived letters of congratulation. Hon.
G. M. Saltzgaber, commissioner of
pensions, expressed emphatic appre-
citation as follows:
"We have seen j, many comrades
from all over the United States, also
many of the widows who will receive
added pensions, and they all express
great gratitude to you for havins
brought about the law OF Sept. g.,
1916, known as the Ashbrook bill,
which increases the widows pensions
from s12 to 500 per month.
1--WE are sure your heart would be
very much stirred to hear the pa
thetic stories of the women who, said
they could not live on $l2 per month,
and the bounty OF the government,
brought to them by your zeal, will
make the remainder of their lives
very happy indeed. Many thousands
of these widows, claims have already
been allowed"
Most of the time when you are
talking with Representative Ash
brook on the subject closest to his
heart-pension legislation-you fee
like letting your own heart echo to
the tears in his own because. women
who can write as do his correspond
ents must live so frugally and on
such small governmental bounty. But
Ashbrook gets some good chuckles
out of his pension experiences, too
And, unlike most members when they
tell you good story, he gives you
real names. So here's the story OF
!, two colored aspirants for Uncle Sans
benefactions. It's the story of col
ored preacher named Levi Mitchell
at Newark, o., and one Esau Johnson
A cclcred Preacher
1t must be explained that there are
| whole lot of colcred fellows who