Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-05-24
A Story About Lincoln.

While officially resident in Washington
during the late war once had occasion TO
call upon President Lincoln with the late
Senator Henry Wilson, upon an errand of
public nature in which we we're mutual.
ly interested. In the recognized order of
precedent member of the House of
Representatives, rs then was, could not
in times of pressure of audience with the
president gain admittance SO long rs there
were cabinet ministers, members of the
diplomatic corps, senators or justices OF
the supreme court desiring audience with
him, and all civilians must wait their
opportunity until after members of con-
gress and officers of the army and navy,
and of the civil service and others had had
their turns respectively. Having n jomt
errand with Senator Wilson, | could
avail of his privilege Of earlier admission
but we were obliged to wait some time in
the ante-roOm before we could be received,
and when at length the door was opened
to us, a small lad. perhaps ten or twelve
years old, who had been waiting for ad.
mission several days without success,
slipped in between us. and approached the
president in advance. The latter gave
the senator and myself cordial but briei
salutation and turning Immediately to the
lad said, And who is the little boy?"
During their conference the senator and
myself were apparently forgotten. The
boy soon told his story which was in sub
stance that he had come to Washington
seeking employment as page in the
House of Representatives, and he wished
the president to give him such an appoint
ment. To this the president replied that
such appointments were not at his disposal
and that application must be made to the
door-keepcr of the House at the capitol.
"But, sir, " said the lad, still undaunted,
al am Il good boy, and have letter from
my mother, and one from the supervisors
of my town, and one from my Sunday
school teacher, and they all told me that l
could earn enough in one session Of con-
gress 10 keep my mother and the rest of
us comfortable all the remainder Of the
year." The president took the lads papers
and ran his eye over them with that pene.
trating and absorbent look so familiar TO
all who knew him, and then took his pen
and wrote upon the back Of one of them
" If Captain Goodnow can give this good
little boy 4 place,I shall be gratilied," and
signed it A. Lincoln"
The boys face became radient with hope
and he walked out the room with a step
as light as though all the angels were
whispering their congratulations.
Only after the boy had gone did the
president seem to realize that a senator
and another person had been some time
waiting to see him,
Think for moment Of the president OF
great nation, and that nation engaged
in one of the most terrible wars ever
wsged among men, himself worn down
with anxiety and labor subjected to the
alterations of success and defeat, racked
by complaints Of the envious, the disloyal
and the unreasonable, pressed to the de-
cision Of grave questions of public policy,
and encumbered by the numberless and
nameless incidents Of civil and martial
responsibility, yet able so far to forget
them all as to give himself up for the time
being to the errand of little boy who
had braved an interview unlimited, and
of whom he knew nothing, but that he had
story to tell of his widowed mother, and
of his ambition to serve her!-Er- Coz
Rice IN a fortEcoming memorial colnnae.