The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-04
LNCOLN,SFRIEND.
Making High officials and Ladies' Stand

Making High Officials and Ladies' Stand
Aside.
Correspondence Boston journal.
George Clark, am eccentric man in
humble circumstances, was an early
friend ofLincoln,l who subsequently
removed to New: England. He met
Lincoln in Boston during q stumping
tour in the east, A few years passed,
and Mr.. Lincoln was the man of the.
hour. Clark, whenever I met him, was
talking about him. "I can have any
Office I want,'' he said emphati-
cally; "Abe. will look out for
me-" I thought him a dreamer,
and, like all his. acquaintance, doubt
ed his claim.. Shortly after Clark said
he was going to have an office, and
then in order.to get it he must have
$12 to pay his fare to Washington. I
told him it was a useless undertaking.
He laughed AIT me. Abe would not re-
fuse him anything he asked. He had
made up his mind to have post Office.
I told him that $12 would only pay
his fare, and that everything was so
high and the hotels so crowded that
he couldaot live twenty-four hours
in Washington. Again he laughed in
my face. and then said: "What do
care for high prices and hotels? Abe'll
take care of me. All want is money
enough to get there"
Halt in earnest, half in jest, the mon
ey Was raised and Clark went to Wash,
ington.
A reception was taking. place at the,
White House, and a man OF his plebian
appearance was not only ''out Of :
place." but was hustled about in an.
uaceremonious manner and in one way
and another deferred from approach.
ing Mr.. Lincoln. Clark 8 patience under
the embarrassing situation served him,
For more than an henr, when hunger,
and anxiety about q place to seput up,
for the night" caused him to lose his,
discretion and become desperate.
Mounting chair just as the foreign
minister was approaching Mr.. Lincoln,
he sang out, "Abe! Abel" Mr.. Lincoln
instantly recognized the speaker. The
passing pageant of chivalry and fashion
became to his mind like the unreality
of dream from which he had been
suddenly aroused and in all the bril-
liant assembly he only saw George
Clark, the man who had shared with
him the hardshlps and privations OF
frontier Me in the days ofsmall things.
"Maka way formy friend, I" exclaimed
the President, and the surprised ladies
and gentlemen paused in astonishment
as Mr.. Clark approached Mr.. Lincoln
and was received with acordiality and
warmth of greeting that had not been
accorded any other guest OF the eve
ming.
A few minutes later Mr.. Lincoln ex-
cused himself from the reception, and
passed into another room with his
old friend and closed the door. The
scene that followed is known only
through Mr.. Clark, and as he was in
clined somewhat to exaggerate circun'
stances, it must be considered with
some grains of allowance.
Mr.: Lincoln, SO Clark repeatedly
told his friends, was as familiar and
off-hand as in their youth. Heleaned
against the wall and laughed. He
was like AN overjoyed boy. "You
don't know" he said, how glad am
to see you. The face of an old friend
is like a ray of sunshine through dark
and ominous clouds. I've shook hands
till Pam tireder than was splitting
rails" He inquired where Clark was
stopping, and if he had been to sup
per. and when Clark told him he was
'stopping with Abe Lincoln and hadn't
! had ANYTHING of any account to eat
since leaving home," he ordered the
best the White House anorus,, see oe-
fore him while he returned to "fnish
up the business he had in hand"
Finally he told Mr.. Lincoln
the object of his visit and solic-
tied the Lawrence Fostmastership.
Mr.. Lincoln laughed at him and said:
"You amt quite up in education,
George, to take that kind of job.
But I've fixed you all snug and right.
Take this letter." The letter was ad-
dressed: ''To the Collector of theport
of Boston" Clark presented himself
at the custom house one morning, and
upon oeing snubbed by one or another
when he INQUIRED for the Collector, re:
marked that he hasSd. letter from hfs
friend Abraham Lincoln, addressed to
the gentleman for whom he had in.
quired.
This opened the doors. The letter
said, in substance: "The bearer is nv
friend George Clark. Give him the best
position he can fill. If he fails in one
place give him another" The Collec-
tor settled him as watchman on board
vessels in theharbor-a berth in which
he could sleep as much as he liked
81, 200 year.
.SS
President Lincoln,S Visitor