The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-06-13
A Story About Lincoln.

While officially resident ia Washing;
ton during the late war, says Ex Gov
ernor Rice, once had occasion to call
upon President Lincoln with the late
Senator Henry Wilson. upon an errand
of a public nature in which we we're mu-
tually interested. In the recognized or
der of precedent member of the House
OF Representatives, as then was, could
not in times of pressure for, audience
with the President gain admittance so
long as there were Cabinet Ministers.
members of the Diplomatic Corps. Seu-
ators or Justices Of the Supreme Court.
desiring audience with him, and all ci-
Whites must wait their opportunity until
after members of Congress and officers
of the Army and Navy, and of the Civil
Service, and others, had had their turns
respectively! Having Joint errand
with Senator Wilson, could avail of
his privilege Of earlier admission; bus
we were obliged to wait some time in
the ante room before we could be re-
calved, and when at length the door wss
opened to us, small lad, perhaps ten.
or twelve years old. who had been waits
ing for admission several days Without
success, slipped in between us, and ap..
preached the President in advance. The
latter gave the Senator and myself a cor
dial but brief sslutation, aud turning
Immediately to the lad, said, "And who
ia the little boy2"
Daring their conference the Senator
and myself were apparently forgotten.
The hoy soon told bis story, which was
| in substance that he had come to Wash
ington seeking employment as page id
the House of Representatives, and he
wished the President to give him such
an appointment To this. the President
replied that such appointments we're not
at his disposal, and that application must
be made to the doorkeeper of the House
at the Capitol "But, sir" said the lad,
still ndsunted. 81 am good boy, and
have letter from MY mother, and one
from the Supervisors of my town, and
one from my Sundaysschool teacher,
and they all told me that could earn
enough ia one session of Congress to-
keep my mother and the rest of US COM
Portable all the remainder OF the year."
The President took the lads papers;
and ran his eve over them with that PEN
etrating and absorbent look so familiar
to all who knew him, and then took his
pen and wrote upon the back Of one OF
them eff Captain Goodnow can give
place to this good little boy. l shall be
gratifsd," aud signed it "a. Lincoln"
The boys face became radiant with
hope, and he walked out of the roofd
with step as light as though all the
angels we're whispering their congratu-
latious.
Only after the lao had gone did the
President seem to realize that q Senator
and sHother person had been some time
waiting 10 see him:
Think for moment of the President
Of great nation, and that nation enga-
ged In one OF the most terrible wars ev-
er waged among men, himself worn
lown with anxiety and labor, subjected
to the alterations of success and de-
feat, racked by connplsints OF the en-
vious, the disloyal, snd the unressonaA
BILE, pressed to the decision of grave
questions of public policy, and encum-
bered by the numberless and nameless
Incidents of civil and martial responsi-
bility, 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
| I.
whom he knew nothing but that be had
a story to tell of his widowed mother,
and of his ambition to serve her r.g