The Red Cloud chief., 1888-01-27
A TRUE STORY.
What the Writer end Others
Think It Shows.

The following story is better than most sto-
ries as because il Is exactly true. excepting
he aaneS gwen 20 the parties and places. The
gentleman Shon / have called General Glov-
or has permitted me 10 put il in writing. that
il may give 'ae sa;Se courage TO other persons
which Il has given 10 h:ru and TO ne. But. ~
his request have changed every name in the
story from those which he gavS me: and I as
sure the most curious reader or critic that he
viii find il impossible 10 ascertain by any con
lecture who are the parties described. No IN
cident, however, IN the story. il drawn in PIE
slightest degree from Imagination. / tell the
tale as II was told u me, aid print il after 1t has
had the revision OF General Glover."-E. L.
HALE.
Twas riding across the country TO Duluth
when my old friend General Glover came
into the palace car. We two were born at
very nearly the same time; we like each
other aud respect each other. We have
knocked about the world a good deal, and
do not meet each other as often as we wish
ne did but whea we NEE: we begin where
We left OF and enjoy the meeting. AT
least l am sure ] do. and l think he does.
As soon as the first inquiries were passed
/ said 10 him: Il want You to tell me AGAIN
your story Of the letter You wrote to a
stranger. AT the time you told me l re-
peated it TO my wife, and afterward to one
VI " I'M sSiSoASs ia u 4 dA
TO tell 1t. it Is SO strange, and l am always
thinking that my Imagination has added
something to 1t"
General Glover looked at me with a sur
prise not wholly of amusement. 1:
was quite clear to me that the story
was a serious matter TO him. as it was TO
me; and he told it TO me for the second
time. I think 1t is four years ago since l
heard ii first, and il speaks as well for my
memory. as for his, that l should recognize
each slightest detail. as q thing which had
impressed itself upon his careful mind, SO
that this narrative was identically the
same as the first was. II was as il you had
struck a second impression from a stereo-
type plate which you had not used for fou
Years.
81 was sitting at my desk at Xeres,' he
said, and working through my daily mail.
Ny custom was to attend 10 the business OF
the firm first, and to leave the personal
etters to be answered in the afternoon.
u was nOw afternoon. and j turned 10 the SIX
80 eight letters which l had for answer.
Among these was one from a man for
-ThomI had secured a place IN the navy in
tae outset Of the civil war. II you remem-
Der, | WAS then at the head of the Bunting
Board, and had a great deal to co with the
enlargement Of the navy. Also. l was my
self connected with The service. / had
been IN service on the SeabOard all my lie.
and knew. naturally enough. a great many
sailors IN the merchant marine. Hundreds
OF such men came to me, and IL was with
my recommendation Of them that they re-
Ccivcd their places N rhat volunteer scrv-
ice which was of such infinite advantage to
the country in the war. Among these
hundreds was 4 good fellow who had been.
L should say, in the coastlng trade; but /
10 not remember what he had been. He
wanted 10 serve the country. and. at my
recommendation. he WAS appointed, as
other men We're appointed, a masters
mate. AS q masters mate he did his
duty. rose to be a master. afterward Oh
taiDei a li~eutenant's commission, and SO
wen: well-uigh through the war, until, by
An accident-no,, ] think, = wouud-he
was so far disabled that he could no longer
90 10 sea. did not know this AT the time: |
there was no rcaso. why i should know II; /
l had nothing todo with him and he had moth !
ing 10 do with me. He was to me no more |
than one post in this rail fence which we
are passing uov is as distinct from another. |
1 had signed tine papers, l suppose, during |
the service, Of thousands OF men VINO had
more or less TO do with or Bunting Board.
and this man, his name or his affairs, made
no more impression upon me than the res,
ot them did.
But, among the letters OF this particu-
lar afternoon, as ! said, was y letter from
this taan. 1t WAS a gcntlcmanly letter,
shor, nd to the point, in which he told me
that h received his appointment on nv
recon eucat;on. that, after some years OF
SERVED lie had been obliged to cease going
10 sea, account OF the accident OF which
/ SPEAK I e now asked me II / we're willing
10 write the head Of the Pension Bureau
70 ask rhS his clam might be examined
and acted a - Immediately. He said that
neither he ny his counsel had succeeded
ia obtaining letters fro" tho Pension !