The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-06-21
A Romantic Meeting

Two strangers met casually in
Langfit's saloon on Second avenue
about six weeks ago. Both had been
soldiers in the late war, but had fought
on opposite sides, as subsequent facts
brought out.
A young girl was there playing on
an organet for her own amusement.
She finally struck up the old familiar
Union song, Tramp, Tramp, the
Boys Are Marching
That's right, my girl" spoke up
one of the men. "Play that tune. it
reminds me of old times and 1 like the
air."
"But l don't like it." interposed the
other stranger. II hate the song.
Don't play it. Play something else.'
'But she shall play it," exclaimed
the first man fiercely.
"No, she WON'T" was the determined
answer.
The child was frightened, and look
ing up into the faces of the men said: !:
so, sirs, don't quarrel. 1 will play
angels of Heaven Defend Us in
stead,'
But the Union man was not satis-
fed, and was determined to have his
song. The Confederate was equally
obstinate and the courtesies exchang-
ed were not according to the best
usages in society.
"Who are your" asked the Souther-
ner in a rage.
"Men called me the P.umed Scout
in the late war. 1 am the man who
captured Gen. William N. Pendleton
at Sailors Creek" was the answer.
"You are! Well, 1 have heard of
you, and since you have been frank
with me will be equally as open with
you. My name is Semmes, the son of
Commodore Semmes, the commander
Of the Alabama. I am the unknown
Captain of the Merrimac, who was
supposed to have been lost when the
vessel was captured by the Monitor.
Read history and you will find that
the Captain OF the ill.starred iron clad
was never known; 1 am the man. For
reasons known to myself I never pro-
claimed my identity, but 1 can easily
prove that l am the son of CAPTAIN
Semmes," and the stranger produced
the necessary papers.
He appeared to be machinist and
led bohemian life. The "Plumed
Scout" now lives on the South Side,
and it is he who told the story of the
meeting toa Dispatch reporter.-Pitts-
burg Dispatch.
An UnpublFsheh Lincoln Letter.
The following passage from the
Century Lincoln Life" for May. con.
tains letter BY Lincoln. written in
1861, and hitherto unpublished:
"For the moment the leading Union
lists of Maryland deemed their true
role one of patience and conciliation.
In this spirit Reverdy Johnson, a law
yer and statesman of fame and infiu.
ence both at home and abroad, came
to Lincoln upon the stereotyped er-
rand to obtain some assurance in writ
ing that he meditated no invasion or
subjugation Of the South; to which
the President confidentially replied:
81 forabore to answer yours Of the
22d because of my aversion (which I
thought you understood) to getting on
paper and furnishing new grounds for
misunderstanding. do say the sole
purpose Of bringing troops here is to
defend this Capital, do say l have
40 purpose to invade Virginia with
them or eny other troops, as / under
stand the word invasion. But suppose
Virginia sends her troops. or admits
others through her borders, to assail
this Capital, am l not to repel them
even to the crossing Of the Potomac,
II canS Suppose Virginia erecta. or
permits to be erected, batteries ON the
opposite shore to lombard tho city.