The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-15
,eart. .Amenl" he said solemnly.

lament" ,.t
"To-night in the early twilight shall
see the COWS all coming home from
pasture. Daisy, and Brindle, and Bet
his stall, and precious little Blossom
stand on the back stoop waiting for me-
but / shall never, never come. God
bless you all; forgive your poor
Bennie."
Late that night the door of the '.back
stoop" opened softly, and a little figure
glided out and down the footpath that
led to the road by the mill. She SEEM
ed rather flying than walking, turning
her head neither to the right nor the
left; starting not as the full moon
stretched queer, fantastic shapes all
around her, looking only now and then
to heaven, and folding her hands as II
in prayer.
Two hours later the same young girl
stood Mt the Mill Depot, watching the
coming of the night train, and the con-
ductor, as he renched down to lift her
in, wondered at the sweet tear-statned
face that was upturned toward the dim
lantern he held in his hand.
A few questions and ready answers
told him all, and no father could have
cared more tenderly for his only child
than he for our little Blossom.
She was on her way to Washington
to ask President Lincoln for her BROTH
er's life. She had stolen away, leaving
only note to tell her father where and
why she had gone. She had brought
Bennie's letter with her; no good, kind
heart like the Presidents could refuse
to be melted by it. t.-.l.-.i +
The next morning they reached New
York, and the conductor found suitable
company for Blossom, and hurried her
on to Washington. Every minute now
might be a year in her bothers life.
And so in an incredibly short time
Blossom reached the Capital and was
hurried at once to the White House.
The President had but Just seated him
self TO his mornings task of overlook
ing and signing importantp paper when,
without one word of announcement,
the door softly opened, and Blossom,
with eyes downcast and folded hands,
stood before him.
"Well, my child" he said in his
pleasant, CHEEKY tones, "what do you
want SO bright and early in the morn
ing !g9Ro,,,,o,s e. rr. n,aoso s;r - falteres
"Bennie ;" "whois is Bennie2"
"N1y brother. sir, They are going to
shoot him for sleeping at his post"
80 yes" and MIR. Lincoln ran his eye
over the papers before him, 81 remeln-
ber. 1t was fatal sleep. You see,
child, it was time of special danger.
Thousands of lives might have been
lost for his culpable negligence"
$50 my father said," said Blossom
gravely; "but Bennie was so tired, sir,
and Jenny so weak. He did the work
of two, sir, and it was Jemny's night.
not his, but Jenny was too tired, and
Bennie never thought about himself
that he was too tired"
"What is this you say, child? come
here, Idon't understand" and the KIND
man caught eagerly, as ever, at what
seemed TO be justification OF an Of
fense. E
Blossom went to him; he put his hand
tenderly on her shoulder and turned
up the pale, anxious face toward his
How tall he seemed, and he was Presi-
dent ofthe United States, too! A dim
thought of this kind passed for mo-
ment through Blossoms mind, but she
told her story now simply and straight-
forward. and handed Mr.. Lincoln Ben
MES letter to read. 5-4.
He read it carefully, then taking up
his pen wrote n few nasty lines and rang
his bell.
Blossom heard this order given:
"SEND THIS DISPATCH AT ONCE"
The President then turned to the
girl and said: Go home, my child,
and tell thai father of yours, who could
approve his country's sentence, even
wien it took the life of child like that,
that Abraham Lincoln thinks the life
fur too precious too be lost. Go back,
or-wait until Tomorrow Bennte Will
need change. after he has SO bravely
faced death: he shall go with you"
"God bless you, SIR" said Blossom;
and who shall doubt that God heard
and registered the request.
Two days after this interview the
Young soldier came to the White House
with his little sister. He was called
into the Presidents private room, hnd
a strap fastened "upon the shoulder"
Mr.. Lincoln said, 'that could carry a
sick comrades baggage and die for the
Bennie and Blossom took their way to
their Green Mountain home, and a
crowd gathered at the Mill Depot to
welcome them back, and Farmer
Ovens tall head lowered above them
all, and as his hand grasped that of his
bov, Mr.. Allan heard him say tervent-
ly, as the hoIiest blessing he could pro-
nounce upon his child, Just and true
are all thy ways, thou King of saints. "
That night, Daisy, and Brindle, and
Bet came lowing home from pasture.
for they hear well known voice calling
them ut the gate; and Bennie as he pats
his old pets and looks lovingly in their
great brown eyes, catches through the
Still evening mir his Puritan fathers
voice as he repeats to his happy mother
these jubilant words: Fear not; for
am with thee: L will bring thy seed
from the east, and gather thee from the
west; I will say to the north, Give up;
and to the south, Keep not back: bring
my sons from far, and my daughters
from the ends of the earth; even every
one that is called by my name: for i
have created him for my glory, have
formed him; yea, have made him. Fl