Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-12-16
BELLOWS FALLS, VT. FRIDAY,

petitioners were insolent hey ond human
endurance; some were silly to excess
some were ludicrous in their pompous-
ness, displaying piles of letters of intro
duction, which the President would not
look at. They would, however, persist
in their efforts to make him look at such
letters from such persons.
The President soon became exasperat-
ed, as he listened to one and another
In vain he shook his head and stamped
his feet, and brought his hands violent
ly down on the table, telling them that
he would not and could listen to such
petitions. They, with an assurance new
er to be imagined, would still go on.
Men with defiant faces, men whining
and pleading, forward women grasped
his arm to arrest his attention. His pa
tience with such rudeness was wonder
ful. If he expressed contempt for af-
fection, he also did not forget to respect
modesty and real sorrow when he met
it.
Again the little bell was rung, and
again the room was filled. Those who
had Just gone out muttered their dislike
for the good man who listened from ear
ly morn until late at night to peop e of
every grade.
Often the President was grave to sad
ness. For hours in success he presented
no anger, no mirth. Petition after petit
ton was presented in rapid succession.
1t was the same story of sorrow-of IA
thers, brothers and husbands in prison,
each pleading for theirs to be the first
released in the exchang of prisoners
Some had dear ones dying in camp, be-
yond the lines they we're begging to 60
to them. Hundreds had made the same
request.
'Oh, let US go to them-only let us
Co."
There were bands of poor, oppressed
sewing women stating their wrongs,
Peace Commissioners and Southern ref
ugees.
Many times the President started to
go to his private room; but sad faces
pressing up the stairway stopped him as
he was crossing the hall and he went
back again.
"Do kind President grant my request. /"
The woman,s voice was very plaintive
and large tears were falling, but she
made no sound of crying.
'aNo, no | cannot. / cannot, good wo-
mani cannot | might grant such
requests thousand times day. can't
turn the government inside out and up
side over. l can't please everybody. |
must do my duty-stern duty as | see it.
Nobody wants their friends drafted--no-
body wants them taken as deserters. He
should not have been absent so long he
should not have taken upon himself the
appearance of deserter. How do |
know-how does anybody know-how
does the War department know-that
. be did not intend to stay upon the boat
) where the soldiers found him? How
does anybody know that he didn't think
7 about his furlough being ended q? Didn't
| think. That was his business to think
5 / am sorry-everybody ought to be sor.
5 ry for those who do wrong. When he
i. knew the laws why did he break them
e When he knew the penalty why did he
j, bring it upon himself? You plead fol
e him, and tell me how upright he was
5 That's all very we'll, it is easy for us to
! estimate the goodness of those we love
You are his neighbor. 1t is very kinc
. in YOU to comeso far and plead so strong
ly-I can't can't do anything fol
L you"
u please, President Lincoln"
: mo, no no, no! can't won't :
/ won't?" and he sprang to his feet, bu
in an instant he resumed his former po
e sition in his chair, and leaned forward
d to snap the little bell.
IS "Oh, ohp'
1t was a sound of intense grief, disap
pointment and surprise, all mingled to
d gether coming up so from the heart a
It this peculiar sound did, it arrested tn
y hand upon the bell, lifted the eyes tha
'e were growing cold and stern to the plead
ing face of the woman before him. Sh
had left her chair, and stood so nea
er that her cloths brushed against him.
II Heavy were the lines upon her face
e, lines of care and sorrow; earnest wer
d. the tear-dimmed eyes.
"a "Do kind sir, consider my case me
D. ment more-President Lincoln Rem
ne ember, you were poor once and-and.
IL Had no friends, do you mean? b
interrupted, almost scornfully.
" No,-oh, no-had a few friends
tried and true friends who would new,
" forsake you. Only tne of them l kno
one, who is alike friend to you an
to me. For his sake-for our dear Lord