Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-08-01
STORIES OF LINCOLN.
ne Chops Wood for a Soldier aud Com
forts a Wounded Officer

Lincoln stories. told few days prior
to his assassination. It has never be.
fore appeared in print:
During President Lincoln's second
visit to Richmond after its capture. and
only few days prior to his melancholy
assassination" said DR.. T. B. Hood, OF
this city. The paused at City Point to
visit the Union hospitals. which were
very much crowded, and contained
some five thousand patients. While
awaiting the arrival of another sur
geon, who, like myself, was going to
escort him through the place, Mr.. Lin
! coin and / stood for a few minutes near
one of the wood-piles, where one of
the detailed men was busily engage
ed in chopping wood. Asking the man
to lend him the axe for a moment, the
President to my great establishment,
proceeded in the most scientific man
ner to chop of about a foot from the
end of good-sized log, swinging the
axe around in a powerful manner
which would hardly have expected in
man of his sedentary habits. Smil-
ing pleasantly. he handed the axe back
to its owner. thanking him for its use;
and the latter, who had looked on APP
provingly during the performance,
said:
You have chopped wood before,
sir. see.'
80, yes responded the President,
I've chopped good deal OF wood in
my time, my man
when the soldier found out who the
wood-chopper was and whose services
he had commended, he was very much
astonished, and vowed that he would
keep the precious axe as one of his
choicest possessions as long as he should
live The axe became quite a cele-
brated instrument at the hospitals at
City Point, and the soldier was offered
large sums OF money for it; these Of
fers, however. he Indignantly refused,
and took it home with him, where it is,
doubtless, treasured to this day as one
Of the brightest jewels OF his house.
Presently, upon the arrival of my
brother surgeon" continued Dr. Hood.
1--WE accompanied our distinguished
guest through the hospitals Those
who were able to stand were formed in
parallel lines, through which Mr.. Lin
coin passed, shaking hands with each
one, while we paused at many of the
beds and the President addressed kind !
ly and cheering words to many of the
unfortunate sufferers. Finally we ar
rived at the bedside of Lieutenant
Colonel Shepherd, of a Massachusetts |
regiment, whose leg l had amputated |
few days before. This gallant officer
was coolly smoking a cigar, and after
he had been presented to Mr. Lincoln |
he remarked quietly, pointing to the
remaining portion of his bandaged |
limb:
You see, Mr. President, I'm rather
out OF the regular line of advance for
the present, and if you could give me
a little comforting news about the con-
ditiOn of affairs you would be confer
ring a great boon upon an invalid
''At that time thousands of prisoners
were coming in daily from General
Grants triumphant operations; we had
40 proper place to keep them, ard they
we're temporarily placed in an old cattle
corral. Counting the provost marshals
md the hospital guards, | don't believe
We had over 1000 men with which to
hold in subsection some 1900 prison
ers and protect the hospitals besides
md the situation was extremely Sc
'ious; why, the captured confederates.
lfter one bold dash for freedom, could ;
lave whipped us with their fists. All
If this was, of course, well known to !
'1r. Lincoln, but it affected him not one |
Whit. s
"'Well, Colonel he replied to the t
wounded man. you see I'm not much I
letter posted as to the immediate,
curly happenings than you gentlemen '
re yourselves; but can say in a gen. c
raj way that | believe every thing is /
'orking properly to a triumphant t
OnclusiOn. know that Lees army C
) disintegrating, and General Grant d
following-up with wonderful tenacity :
} the bitter end. But he added. p
olnting to the almost unbroken pre- h
ession OF arriving prisoners, the IT, s
reaslng numbers of these gentry and n
our limited accommodations for them h
I'm nd me of Jim Smith, who kerS a p
rocery store in our town, up in IIli-
ois. 1t was late on Saturday night
hen friend happened into the store.
NTH had money on the counter in
ont OF him in heaps, and he was count o
g out the contents of his till, which W
,emed to be fairly trimming over. e,
I GU seem to have done pretty good l
lsiness to-day, JIM" remarked his F
lend. We'll, yes. pretty fair, but W
'uld have done better and taken in a 10
UGH bigger pile of money if I'd only tt
I'd room to put it" replied the happy az
'ocer' That was the last occasion" G.
DR.. Hood, upon which | al
W Abraham Lincoln, but his innate te
ndness and goodness, his tender con- to
m for the wounded, whose pallets he of
sited that day, and, above all, the &c
lendid calm and unalterable cheer fe
mess which covered with the pleas Sc
t smile the brooding cares and anx- m
les of a bleeding continent are H
lngs which l can never forget to
ashington Cor n. Y. Tribune. fir
gi
GALLANT DEED. alb