Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-10-07
Sfleft #isfellanu.
PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
A New and True Story Of the Late Pres
ident.

from Dickens "All the Year Round.'l
During the Summer of the most disas-
trous and doubtful years of the Amerl-
can war, the Colonel of a New Hamp-
shire regiment lay for some weeks e4-
tremely i'll of camp fever, near Hamp-
ton Roads in Virginia. Hearing of his
critical condition, his wife left her
Northern home, and, after much diff
Guilty, made her way to his bedside.
Her cheerful presence and careful nurs-
ing SO far restored him that he was i'll
: short time able to be transferred 10
Washington.
In the Potomac river the steamer in
which the invalid officer, Col. Scott, and
his wife had taken passage, was sunk in
a collision with a large vessel i'll the
night time The crew and nearly all
the soldiers on board were rescued or
saved themselves; but amid the horrible
confusion of the scene, Col. Scott became
separated from his wife and she was lost.
The Colonel was picked up in the water
by some of the crew of the larger steam
er, and under his direction every effort
was made TO discover his wife, or rather
her body, for all hope of finding her
alive was soon abandoned. The sad
search was fruitless, it was resumed i'll
the morning, the people along the shore,
humane Confederates, lending their aid.
But the gray, sullen riverrefused TO give
up its dead, and the young officer, halt
frantic with grief, was compelled to go
to Washington. Within a week, how
ever, he received word from below that
the body of the lady had been washed
on shore; that those good country peo-
pie generous foes, had secured it, cared
for it and were keeping it for him.
1t happened that just then imperative
orders were issued from the war depart
ment, prohibiting all intercourse with
the peninsula-a necessary precaution
against the premature disclosure ofim-
portant military plans. So it was with
some misgivings that Colonel Scott Ep
piled to Secretary Stanton for leave to-
return to Virginia on his melancholy
duty.
Impossible, Colonel,n replied Mr.
Stanton, firmly; mo man can get leave to
go down the river. at this time, on no pri.
vate mission whatever. Our present
eXigercies demand the most stringent
regulations; and hope / need not say
to you that no merely personal consider
~ ations should be allowed to interfere
with great national interests. Youl
case is sad one; but this is critical,
perilous, cruel time. THE dead must
bury the dead.,'
The Colonel would have entreated,
but the busy Secretary cut him short
with another impossible, from which
there was absolutely no appeal. Hew went
forth from his presence and returned to
his hotel, quite overwhelmed.
Fortunately, he was that afternoon Wis
tied by friend, to whom he told the
story of his unsuccessful application and
sad perpleXity, who Immediately ex-
claimed why not apply to the Presi-
dent?"
The Colonel had but little hope, but
acknowledging that the plan was worth
trying, drove with his friend to the
White House.
They were too late. It was Saturday
evening, and Mr.. Lincoln had gone to
spend Sunday at the Soldiers Rest, his
summer retreat. This was few miles
table friend proposed that they should
follow him out, and they went.
There was then popular belief that
all the wronged, the troubled and suffer-
ing could find a refuge in Father Abra-
hams" capaeious bosom; belief that
was not far out of the way. Yet there
were times when enover-burdened ,wearied,
tortured, the patriarch longed to clear
that asylum of its forlorn inmates, to bolt
and bar and double lock it against the
world: times when life became too hard
and perplexing for his genial, honest
nature, too serious and tragic and ras-
cally thing by half.
1t happened unluckily that the poor
colonel and his friend found the Presi-
dent in one of his most despondent and
disgusting moods. He was in a little
parlor. alone in the cleaning. He was
lounging loosely in a large rocking
chair, jutting over in all directions. His
slippered feet were exalted, his rough
head was thrown back, his long throat
bare-he was in his shirt sleeves. Yes,
dear, fastidious Enlish reader, it was a
genuine Yankee abandon-make the
most of il.
He turned upon his visitors look of
almost savage inquiry. There was, in
deed in his usually pleasant eye. wild,
angry gleam-a something like the glare
of a worried animal at bay.
Colonel Scott proceeded very modestly
to tell his story, but the President inter
rupted him, to say brusquely, $50 80
Stanton: this is his business"
Il have been to him, Mr.. President,
and he will do nothing for me-
You have been to him, and got your
answer, and still presume to come to me!
Am / to have no rest? No privacy?
Must 1 be dogged to my last fastness,
and worried to death by inches? Mr..
Stanton has done just right. He knows
what he is about. Your demands are
unreasonable, SIR
But, Mr.. Lincoln, / thought you
would feel for me-
Feel for youI good God! | have to
feel for five hundred thousand more un-
fortunate than you. We are at war, sir;
don't you know we are at war? Sorrow
is the lot of all; bear your share like a
man and soldier
'I'll try to, Mr.. President, but it seems
hard. My devoted wife lost her life for
coming to nurse me in my sickness, and
/ cannot even take her body home to my
children.
"Well she ought not to have come
down TO the army She should have
staid at home. That is the place for
womenI But if they will go tearing
about the country in such times as these,
they must take the consequences Not
but that am sorry for you, Colonel. AS
for your wife, she isat rest, and wish
/ were.'
Saying this, the President, leaned back
in his chair and closed his eyes, not
noticing, except with slight wave ol
his hand, the departure of his visitors
am not ashamed to confess that nv
hero tossed restlessly that night upon a
pillow wet with manly tears, that he
was desperate apd resentful, utterly un-
reconciled to the DEGREES of Providence
and the war department, and that he
thought Abraham Lincoln as hard as he
was ugly, anC as inhuman as he was un-
calmly.
Toward morning he fell asleep, and
slept late. Before he was fully dressed
there came a quick knock at the door Of
his chamber, and he opened it to Presi
dent Lincoln.
The good man came forward, pale
apd aa0ar fears plisfpninp in bic eves