The Shasta courier., 1866-06-16

nie.'
Late that night the door of the "back
stoop" opened softly and little figure Gid
ed out. and down'th foothpath that led to
the road by the mill. She seemed rather
fving than walking, turning her head nei
ther 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 if
in prayer.
Two hours latter the same young girl,
stood at the Mill Depot, watching the com,
ing of the night train and the conductor,
as he reached down to lift her in, wondered
at the sweet, tear stained face that was up
turned 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 brothers 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 s
could refuse to be melted by it.
The next morning they reached New York,
and the conductor found suitable company
for Blossom and hurried her on to Wash
ington. Every minute now, might be a year
in her brothers life.
And so in an incredibly short time, Bios
som reached the capital and was hurried at
once to the White house.
The President had but seated himself to
his mornings task, of overlooking and sign
ing important papers, when, without one
word of announcement, the door softly open
ed, 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 morning?'
Bennie's life, please sir, faltered Bios
som.
g Bennie Who is Bennie ?'
''My brother, sir. They are going to
shoot him for sleeping at his post"
"Oh, yes," and Mr.. Lincoln ran his eye
over the papers before him. 81 remember.
1t was fatal sleep. You see, child, it was
at time of special danger. Thousands of
lives might have been lost for his culpa5le
negligence"
so my father said, said Blossom grave
ly, but poor Bennie was so tired, sir, and
Jenny so weak He did the work of two,
sir, and it was Jemmy's night, not his but
Jenny was too tired, and Bennie never
thought about himself, that he was too
tired"
6 What is this you say, child; come here,
| don't understand" and the kind man
caught eagerly, as ever, at what seemed to be
justification of an offense.
Blossom went to him, he put his hand ten
derly upon her shoulder, and turned up her
pale anxious face toward his. How tall he
seemed, and he was President of the United
States, tool A dim thought of the kind
passed for moment through Blossom s
mind. but she told her story simply and
strai ghtforward, and handed Mr.. Lincoln
Bennie's letter to read.
He read it carefully, then taking up his
pen wrote few hasty 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, ana tell that father
of yours, who could approve his country's
sentence, even when it took the life of child
like that, that Abraham Lincoln thinks the
life far too precious to be lost. Go back, or
wait until tomorrow Bennie 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 Heaven heard and reg
istered the request
Two days after this interview the young
soldier came to the White House with his
little sister. He was called into the Presi
dents private room, and a strap fastened
upon his shoulder. Then Bennie and Bios
som took their way to their Green Mountain
home, and crowd gathered at the Mill De.
pot to welcome them back, and father Owen S
hand grasped that of his boy, Mr. Allan
heard him say fervently, as the holiest bless
ing he could pronounce upon his child =
" just and true are thy ways, thou King Of
Saints"
That night Daisy and Brindle aad Bet
came lowing home from pasture for they
heard a well known voice calling them at the
gate !; and Bennie, as he pats his old pets and
looks lovingly in their great brown eyes,
catches through the still evening air his Pu
ritan fathers voice as he repeats to his happy
mother these jubilant words: Fear not, for
am with thee. | will bring thy seed from
the east, and gather thee from the west,
will say to the north give up, and to the south
keep not back; bring my sons from afar. and
my daughters from the ends of the earth,
every one that is called by my name, for
have created him for my glory have form
| ed him, yes, have made him."
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will
cast out my shoe; Philistia, triumph thou
because of me-
SEMBLrNs was making his regular halliday
in church. Original First Presbyterian, and
no nonsense. The gray headed preacher
was running the boundaries and renewing
preaching what they call doctrinal
sermon. 1t was All Sinners day all the
old mans abuse was hurled at the faithful of
the other shops. AS to the Raptists, he
ID xaaIIca-axad thau launch n