Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-10-08

1
ious BOSOM a belief that was not fan
out of the way. Yet there were times
when overburdened, wearied and tortur-
ed. the patriarch longed TO clear that
asylum of his forlorn inmates; to bolt,
and bar, and double lock it against the
world; times when life became too hard
and perpIexng for bis honest, genial ma
ture, too serious and tragic and rascally a
thing by half.
1t happened, unluckily, that the poor
Colonel and bis friend found the Presi
dent in one of his most respondent and
disguised moods. He was in his little
private parlor, alone ia the cleaning.
He was Iounging loosely in large rock
ing chair, jutting over it 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 English reader. it was
genuine Yankee aJandon-make the
most of it.
He turned upon his visitors with look
of almost savage inquiry. There was,
indeed, in his usually pleasant eye wild,
angry gleam-a something like that glare
of worried animal at bay.
Colonel Scott proceeded veSy modest ly
to tell his story; but the president inter
rupted him to say brusquely, go to
Stanton; this is his business"
81 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 p
Must | be logged to my last fastness,
and worried to death by inches. Mr..
Stanton has doue just right. He knows
what he is about. Your demands are
unreasonable
"But, Mr.. Lincoln, l thought you
would feel for me-"
"Feel for you! Good God! l have
to feel for FIVE hundred thousand more
unfortunate than you. We are at war,
sir; don't you know we are at war p
Sorrow is the lot of all; bear your snare
like man and a soldier"
Il try to, MI. President, but it seems
hard. My devoted wife lost her life
from coming to nurse me in my sick
ness, AMI l cannot even take her body
home TO my children"
"WeIl, she ought not to coma to the
army. She could have stayed to home.
That is the place for women; but if they
90 tearing about the country in such
times as these, and running into all sorts
of danger they must take the consequen
ces. Not but that | am sorry for you,
Colonel. AS for your wife, she's at rest
and | wish | were"
Saving this, the President leaned back
YEARLY in his chair, and closed his eyes,
not noticing, except by slight wave of
his hand the departure of his visitors.
| am not ashamed to confess that nv
hero tossed restlessly that night upon a
pillow wet with many tears; that he was
desperate and resentfu, utterly unresign-
ed TO the DEGREES of Providence and the
War Department; that he thought Abra-
ham Lincoln as hard as he was ugly, and
as inhuman as he was ungainly.
Towards morning he fell asleep, and
slept late. Before he was dressed there
came n quick knock at the door of his
chamber, AMI he opened it to President
Lincoln.
The good man came forward, pale and
eager. tears glstening in his eyes, and
gras3ed the Coloners hand, saying: 81
treated you brutually last night. 1 ask
your pardon. | was utterly tired out,
badgered to death, generally become
about as savage as wild cat by Satur-
day night, d aimed dry of the milk of
human Kindness l must have seemed
to you the very gorilla the rebels paint
me. l was sorry enough for it when
you were gone. l could not sleep mo-
ment last night, so | thought I'd drive
into town, in the cool of the morning.
and make it all right. Fortunately. |
had little difficulty in finding YOU"
+" This is very good of you, Mr.. Pres
dent" said the Colonel, deeply moved.
"No, it isn't; but that was very bad
of me last night. l never should have
forgiven myself if l had left that piece of
ugly work stand. That was a noble
wife of yours, Colonel. You were a
happy man to have such noble woman
TO love you; and you must be good
fellow, or such a woman would never
have risked so much for you. And what
grand women there are in these times,
Colcnell What angels of devotion and
mercy, and how brave and plucky =
going everywhere at the call of duty,
facing every danger! | tell you, if it
were not for the women we should all 90
to the devil, and deserve to. They are
the salvation of the nation. Now, come,
Colonel, my carriage is at the door. I'll
drive YOU to the War Department, and
we'll see Stanton about this matter"
Even at that early hour they found the
Secretary at his post. The President
pleaded the case of Colonel Scott, and
not only requested that leave of absence
shonld be given him, but that steamer
be sent down the river expressly to bring
up he body of bis wife. "HumanIty
Mr.. Stanton" said the good President,
his homely fee transfigured with the
glow of earnest feeling, "humanity should
override considerations of policy and
even military necessity, in matters like
this"
The Secretary was touched, and he
said somett inc of his regret at not HAVING