The Arizona sentinel., 1884-11-22
4 Story AJnut T,EPn!1.

While 1IlIc1aly resident III WaAhiDr- tt'. during the late wsr l once had oc- cssion to call upon President Lincoln with the late Senator Henry Wilson upon an erTana of public nature in which we were mutually interested In the recognized order of precedent a member of the House of Representa- lives, as then was, could not, in times of pressure for audience with the Fresi- dent, gain admittance so long as 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 memners of Congress and officers of tie army and navy, and of the civil service and others had their turns respectively. Having joint errand with Senator Wilson, ] could avail myself of his privilege of earlier admission; but we were obliged to wait some time in the ante-room before we eoull bt received, and, when at length the door was opened to us, small lad, perhaps 10 or 12 years old, who had been waiting for admission several days without success, slipped in between US, and approached the President in advance. The latter gave the Senator and myself cordial but brief salutation, and turning imme- diately to the lad said, "Ard who IS the little boy?" During their conference the Senator and myself were apparently forgotten. The boy soon told his story, which was in substance that he had come to Washington seeking employment as a page in the House of Representatives, and he wished the President to give n'r such an appointment. To this the Pres ident replied that such appointments were not at his disposal, and that appi- cation must be made to the Doorkeeper of the House at the Capitol. "But, sir" said the lad, still undauhted, "I am good boy, and have a letter from my mother, and one from the Supervis- ors of my town, and one from my Sun. day-school teacher, and they all told me that l could earn enough one session of Congress to 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 penetrating and absorbent look so familiar to all who knew him, and then took bis pen and wrote upon the back of one Of them: eff Capt. Goodnow can give place to this good little boy, shall be gratified," and signed it "A Lincoln.
 The boys face became radiant with hope, and he walked out Of the room with step as light as though all the angels were whispering their congratula- Gons.
 Only after the lad had gone did the President seem to realize that Senator and another person had been some time waiting to see him.
 Think for moment Of the President of great nation, and that nation en- gagged in one of the most terrible wars wsged ag. inst men, himself worn down with anxiety and labor, subjected to the alternations of success and defeat, rscked by complaints of the envious, the disloyal and the unreasonable, pressed to the decision of grave questions of public policy, and encountered by the numberless and nameless incidents of civil and martial responsibility, yet able 60 far to forget them all as to give him. self up for the time being to the errand of little boy who had braved an inter- view uninvited, and of whom he knew nothing, but that be had story to tel ot his widowed mother, and of his am- bition to serve her l-Er GoU. Rice.