Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-10-04
Little "Tad" and the Manned Soldier.

| was in Washington the day President
Lincoln was shot. / went to the White
House in the forenoon with q crowd of
persons who Were anxious to see the Pres
ident The large ante-room was literally
crowded with officers and civilians--J Judges,
Senators and members of Congress, sol
diers and citizens, waiting for an inter
view. There We're no seats in the room,
and men passed the weary hours in stand
ing as best they could.
Those who passed up to the Presidents
rooms that morning, saw standing at the
foot of the stairs n manned soldier. He
appeared stricken with poverty and sor-
row: His uniform was soiled and torn.
He had but one leg and looked friendless
and forsaken. He said nothing no one
spoke to him, but even the young, vigor-
Gus and hopeful cast look on the tattered
blue, evidently anxious, and yet afraid to
mount the stairs. He had some message
that lay heavy on his heart, some great
wrong to be redressed, or some great boon
to ask at the hands of the President.
Pushed aside, like the poor man at the
pool, he had no friends at court, and no
influential arm to lead him up. Hemain-
tanned his position through most of the
forenoon, standing YEARLY on his crutches,
for there was no place to sit, and he eyed
the throng as they drifted up and down
the Presidential stairs.
About eleven o'clock, little Tad, the Pre-
sidents son, entered The crowded ante
room, leading the manned soldier, whom
he had picked up below. The soldier
paused on the threshold in dismay, He
seemed appalled, at the sight before him.
Generals, Judges and Senators were wait
ing for an audience, and what could he
hope in such crowd? Shame seemed to
mantle his face like veil when he looked
at his tattered, untidy garb among the
grand persons around him, Not so his lit
10 DttlI III TON, 60
with words of encouragement and smiles,
he beckoned him on till he reached the
door before which the grim usher stood,
saying to every newcomer, 1.-THE Presi-
dent is engaged, sir you must wait" The
privileged pet of the White House was dis
gusted with the check put upon his free
dom. He insisted upon leading the soldier
directly into the presence OF his father,
He attempted to force his way through,
but his puny strength could not resist the
man alarms. The young soldier desired
to withdraw from the contest. He quailed
under the eyes of an hundred men, some
of them the first generals of the land. He
attempted to retreat, but little Tad held
him to his position. He resorted to tactics
often tried and said never to have failed,
He screamed at the top of his voice, " Fa-
ther, father, they won't let me come inn
The well-known voice struck the uar of
Mr., Lincoln in the midst of his discus
sions. He arose, pen in hand, and went
to the door.
As the well-known form appeared, little
Tad pushed the soldier in, and the door
closed. Taking him aside, Mr.. Lincoln
learned the necessities of the case The
wounded man told his complaints to one
who, if he heard at all, he heard the whole
story through. At once he granted his re-
quest and little Tad, with a face radiant
with smile, led the soldier back to the
stairway, gave a whistle, threw up his
heels, and disappeared through the door
of the Presidents private library. Shortly
of Mr.. Lincoln's room and said
Gentlemen, the President will receive
no more to-day
With that proclamation Mr.. LincOln's
public levees ended. Almost his last Off
cial act was to hear the sad story, and af-
| ford relief to a poor, friendless boy. That
| night he left the White House never to re-
turn.