Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-12-09

tctilS the tYrailt all this time over this dear.
ssfinted Old man, who had wears ago expitiated,
IN his whole Ilanhood's life, the madness of
boy treason 9 Mr. Nolann said l. " will
telLfon every thing you ASK about. Only
where shall begin,
On, the blessed smile that crept over his
white face and he pressed my hand and said.
God bless you Tell me their names"
he said and he pointed to the stars on the
flag. . The last know is Ohio. NV father
lived in Kentucky. But have guessed Mich
igan and Indiana and Mississippi,-that is
where Fort Adams is--they make twenty.
But where your other fourteen? You
have not cut up any of the old ones, hope 2"
Well that not bad text, and | told
him the names in good order as | could,
and he babe me take down his beautiful map
and draw them in rs best could with my pen
ell. He was wild with delight about Texas,
told me how his brother died there he had
marked gold cross where he supposed his
brothers grave Was; and he had guessed at
Texas. Then he Was delegated as he saw Cal
ltornla and Oregon that, he said, he had
suspected partly, because he had never been
permitted TO land on that shore, though The
ships were there so much. And the men.
said he, laughing, brought ON good deal be-
sides furs. " Then he went back-heavens.
how far,--to as. About the Chesapeake and
what done TO Barron for surrenderins her
TO Leopard, and whether Burr ever tried
again-and he ground his teeth with the onlv
passion he showed. But in Il moment that
over, and he said, ''God forgive me- for
| am sure | forgive him. Z" Then he asked
about the old war,-told me the true story of
his serving the gun the day we took the Java,
asked about dear old David Porter; as he
called him. Then he settled down more quiet
~, and very happyli, TO hear me tell in an
hour the history of fifty years
" How wished it had been somebody who
could. | told him of the Englisl, war. |
told him about Fulton and the steamboat be-
ginning. | told him about old Scott, anu
jackson; j told him all could think about
tho Mississippi, and New Orleans, and Texas.
and his own old Kentucky And do YOU think
he asked who in command of the Leg
ion of the West" | told him it was a very
gallant officer named Grant, and that bv our
last news, he was about to establish his head
quarters at Nicksburg- Then. - Where was
Nicksburg =" | worked that out on the map.
it was about hundred miles, more or less
above his old Fort Admins and thought
Fort Adams must be ruin now. alt must
be at old Vicks plantation, said he well
that is change"
g | tell you, Ingham, it was hard thing
to condense the history of half a century in
to that talk with sick man And / do not
know what | told him-of emigration. and
the means of it,-of steamboats, and railroads
and telegrapfS,-of inventions and books and
htetature,-of the colleges and West Point
and the Naval School, but with the Queerest
Interruptions that ever you heard You see
1t was Robinson Crusoe asking all the accu-
mulated questions of tifty-six wears
" ! remember he asked all of n sudden. who
was President now; and when / told him, he
asked if Old Abe was General Benjamin Lin
coins He said he met old General Lin
coin, when he was quite boy HIMSELF at
some fundamentally. | said 10. that Old Abe
was kentuckian like himself, but could not
tell him of what family; he had worked up
from the ranks. % Good for him :" cried No
Ian; :" am glad of that. As | have brooded
and wondered, have thought our danger was
III keeping up those regular SUGGESTIONS in the
FIRST families Then | got talking about nv
visit 10 W Washington. | told him of meeting
the Oregon Congressman, Harding | told him
about the Smithsonian and the Exploring Ex-
petition; told him about the Capitol-and
the statues for the pedlment,-and Crawford's
LIberty,-and GreenoUgh's Washington: Ing
ham, told him everything could think of
that would show the grandure of his country
and its prosperity: but l could not make up
my mouth to tell him a word about this infer
nal rebellion.
q And he drank it in, and enjoved it as
cannot tell you. He grew more and more 81
lent, yet never thought he was tired and
faint l gave him glass of water, but he
Just wet his lips, and told me not to go away
Then he asked me to bring the Presbyterian
Book of Public Prayer" which lay there, and
said, with a smile, that it opened at the right
place,-and so it did. There was his double
red mark down the page; and knelt down
and read and he repeated with me- For
ourselves, and our country, gracious God,
we thank Thee, that, Notwithstanding our man
fold transgressOns of thy Holy laws, Thou
hast continued to us Thy marvellous kindness"
and so to the end of that thanksgiving
Then he turned to the end of the same book
and read the words more familiar to me-
Most heartily we beseech Thee with Thy IA
vor to behold and bless Thy servant the Pres
ident of the United States and all others in
authority, and the rest of the Episcopal
collect. Danforth F" said he, " | have re
peated those prayers night and morning, it is
now fifty-tiye years. " And then he said he
would go sleep. He bent me down over him
and kissed re and he said, Look in my
Bible, DanfCrtt when | am gone. And
went away.
But had not thought it was the end. |
thought he was tired and world sleep. |
knew he was happy, and wanted to be alone
" But in an hour, when the doctor went in
gently, he found Nolan had breathed his life
away with smile. He had something press
ed to his lips. 1t was his fathers badge of
the order of Cincinnati.
we looked in his Bible, and there was a
slip of paper, at the place where ne had mark
ed the text
They desire country, even heavenly:
wherefore God is not ashamed to be called
their God; for he hath prepared for them
city 4"
On this slip OF paper he had written,- 81
Bury me in the sea it has been my
home, and love it. But will not some one
set up stone for my memory at Fort Adams
or at Orlea!i- that my disgrace NAV not be
more than | ought to bear: Say on it,
"Ls Jlanoy Of
PHILIP NOLAN,
g Lieutenant IN tie A1rau Of tie U5tited States
"'He loved his country no other man has
loved her; but no man deserved less at her
hands"