The Washington critic., 1888-01-12
TOPICS OF THE DAY.
Another Good Story About Lincoln
and War Times,
COLONEL LAMONT'S LINEAGE,
The Unfortunate Mistake Of an At
tache of the Colombian Lc-
cation.

A lady correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Times adds the following in
teresting reminiscence to our large
but never wearisome stock of Lincoln
literature / called upon Mr.. Lincoln
TO ask for position in the service for
my son. Alasl i received it, my boy
went to the war and never returned.
/ was accompanied by lady compan-
ion, q Southern woman, and we had
with us n little boy, grandson of
Lord Fairfax. After n pleasant in
teryiew my friend said "Will you
give me your autograph for friend
in Englandp' /, however, had hesi-
tated to ask him, although wanting
one very much. He went to his desk
and wrote, "Yours truly, A. Lincoln"
but instead Of giving IL to my friend,
who had asked for il, he handed 1t to
me, and j still have it among my
treasures. He then wrote simply, "a.
Lincoln" Handing it TO my friend,
he remarked soto voce: "Tnat is good
enough for England" | then said:
"Mr. President / have brought
grandson of Lord Fairfax to see you"
He was q beautiful boy and Mr.. Lin
coin, who was always fond of children,
extended his hand TO him saying:
"He bids fair to be handsomer man
than / am. Well, my little man, you
are for the Union2 The boy loolSel
up into Mr.. Lincoln s face and reptile |:
Somewhat ~ Both and my friend
were horriiied, she, Southern
woman, fearing we would be arrested,
and /, that | would fail in getting my
boys appointment, but Mr.. Lincoln
only laughed and said: 81 guess there
are q good many somewhats " Just
as we were about to withdraw, wish
ing to express nv thanks for his cour-
tesy, / said: ooh, Mr.. Lincoln, you
do not know how much | shall prize
your autograph, and if you only get us
out of this war it will be ever very pre-
cious" shall never forget his earn
est, careworn, yet hopeful expression
of countenance, as he replied: "You
pray for me, and / will do the best
can" After getting into our carriage
/ said to the boy, who was only about
seven years of age, "Why did you say
you were somewhat for the Union ?"
He replied, "Why, mamma is always
crying and praying for the South and
papa is serving Uncle Sam, and can
not help being somewhat"
W.
Says the New York Press: Colonel
Carroll d. Wright, head of the Labor
Bureau at Washington, was in New
York few days since. A bright
faced fellow, in the prime of life,
good looking, world-loving AMI well
read, he has given fifteen years to the
compilation and study of the questions
that most vitality affect the welfare of
the laboring classes in this country.
He has views of his own, based on the
study he has made of those matters,
and, what is better, he has the courage
of his convictions and dares to say all
that he believes, without regard to
labor agitators or capitalistic criti-
cisms. He is New Hampshire man
and the son of q Universalist clergy
man. and he served in New England
regiment all through the war.
Wv
A correspondent of the New York
Morning journal says: Many people
seem to think that Colonel Lamonts
family is French. 1t is Highland
Scotch of the purest kind. The name
should be pronounced with the accent
on the first, not the second syllable
The name of the original clan was
MacLawman, or the son of Lawman
1t held the lands of Cowal, on the
east coast of Argle, until the Camp
bell clan cleaned it out, as ii did
everything it could lay its hands on.
Had the Colonel been born in the
Ia &c Arly Gtnt n
they would have called him Hector OF
or Evan or Ronald or Colin-any,
thing but Daniel. The Highlandcrs
do rot run to Scripture names.
Wv
81 eaking of matters social, says 7
G. II. in the Pittsburg Post, the inter
Ireter of the Colombian Legation re-
Gently got himself into peculiar
scrape by lack of knowledge of some
American traditions. Shortly aftei
his arrival here he became deeply in
terested in the daughter of a Western
Congressman. She was just nice
every day girl, like the most of them
n credit to the country, with no pecu
liarities except that her hair would
pale an ltlllnn sunset. On tillS POM
she was sensitive. Equestrianism ha;
become great diversion here of late
in swell circles, and it was not unnat
ural that the gallant South American
should propose to the young lady tha
they take morning gallop. L
was accepted, and the legation at
tache secured a couple of passablC
nags at livery stable and called fol
the lady. She met him graciously
and tripped down the front steps tC
the horse block. BY an unfortunate
coincidence the animal which was
equipped with n side saddle was {
white horse. Red hair-white horse
She was insulted, and after a momen
of indignation burst into tears. Th'
interpreter was paralyzed as sh,
dashed into the house, but was re
stored to sensibiity by the appear
ance of the girls father, who de
manded an immediate apology for tn
insult of bringing Il white mount fol
his daughter. Subsequent eXpana
tons gave the foreigner some idea o
the oifense of which he was guilty
but to this day he cannot exactly un
derstand what connection there is be
tM cen n red-headed girl and whit