The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-22
A BRIGADIER.GENER RAt MADE ny A
LITTLE RTUNE.

- III NANN
From ne CfHetHi Commercial
The following illustration Of the wonderful
effect Of a "litte story" upon the mind Of Mr..
Lincoln is worth the dignity Of printing. heard
II related by a member of Congress, whose words
shall give as nearly as l can remember them -
Last summer two members Of the House.
from Maine, called upon the President TO have a
friend Of theirs, q colonel in the army, promoted
TO brigadiership. They enter Il the Presidents
room, and found His ENCelency IN a humor not
the most lively or agreeable Something had
evidently gone wrong with him. aud he was no,
ne all pleased 70 receive the distinguished visitors.
Nevertheless, he rose TO greet them, took them
by the hand, told them to be s,Red, and asked
what he could do for them. eve called said
one Of the honorablcs, "to have Colonel --, q
gallant officer and q worthy man, promoted to a
hrigodicr general"
Tho President crossed his legs, combed his
hair with BIS fingers, and replied as If a little
iritatCd, ld rather see you on any other business
than that. This Brigadier business is getting to
be a terrible bore. Every man wants to be pro-
NOTED, and the fact is, l CANE comply with one
request IN hundred. I'm getting disgusted
with such applications So the COng-ossmen
let that subject drop for the present, and rather
than make an abrupt departure, which was the
first impulse, one Of them remarked, "Wuat Is
the news from Kentucky, Mr.. Lincoln ~ "Wcl,
IFS not very good said the President "Iue
fact is, there are three kinds OF people in
Kcutucky-oue is the UnOnists good and truo,
who will stand by the country all the time
another is made up Of SeCessiOuists, open and
avowCd Rebels who don't pretend TO be any
thing else and then there IS third, that wayers
between the two, and is sometimes on one side
and sometimes on the other"
THAT reminds me" said one Of the listening
CoIgrCssmen, ''Of an old worn. out preacher, who
was going 10 retire from the ministry. In
preaching his valedictOry sermon, he said tha
there were three kinds of people in his congrega-
ti1u-g0od people, who were sure TO 80 60
the other wav, and large number Of folks who
were too good 10 De damned, aad too bad 20 be
saved
The President smiled, rubbed his hands, and
requested the Congressman TO repeat that story
again, which nc did. lie then pulled a card and
pencil out Of his pocket and said, Let me sec
what is the name of that man you wanted pro-
noted s' The name and regiment Of the colonel
was duly ChronClcd, and next day brigadier's
commission was duly made out and forwarded.
This incident ought 20 go down 10 history, i'm con-
ncCtOn with others which have been transmitted
TO us from hundreds Of years back, TO show what
triiling events sometimes affect human life and
destiny for veal or woe.
Here is hrigadier-g general made out Of q colo
mel through the instrumental,y OF a little story
but for which the eagles would never have been
changed TO stars Who knows but that the pro-
mote d colonel may be an embryOtic Napoleon,
destined to be Commander Chief of the Army
Of the United States, and that but for his promo.
ton his talents would have lain dormant forever.
Talk Of the cackling Of geese saving an ancient
city from capture That's nothing to the rcsHls
that may wait upon the telling of what the worn
out preacher said 70 his congregation, and Mr..
Lincoln's appreciation Of a happy hit