The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-04-27

Went On MT Lincoln, taxing no apparent nOtlCe Ol the generals criticism, for l have examined il carefully, and he took package of papers from the pocket of his duster and having adjusted his steel-rimmed spectaces went over them one by one. You see, general, the poor woman who makes this application for pension lost her hus- band, who was a corporal in the tn infantry, at the hands of some bloody Indians twenty five years ago. Nobody seems to have taken any | friendly interest in the case, and she has been haunting the White House for weeks, until between ourselves (and there was merry twinkle in the presidents eye) Pm afraid Mrs. Lincoln Is getting little jealous. l thought l had better end the matter up some way other to day, and promised the poor woman an answer at four o'clock she's waiting over there now. Between the two of them don't know that I dare go home without having had the job fnished,' and MT. Lincolns eyes twinked again. "l was not far away, aD interested spectator of the scene, and when Gen. Scott cleared his throat and called Col. Hamilton,' l came promptly to the front.
 "'How long do you think 1t would take you, colonel to get this through the pension officer asked the president after brief examination of the facts
 "In from twenty to thirty minutes, I think, MT. President glanced over the papers and saw that they were in proper form. If you will await my return will come back to you in half an hour or l added, If you prefer it, will take the certificate to you at the White House and save you that much time'
 "'NO, no, young man, MT. Lincoln responded, cheeriy, bring them back here. Pll wait for them here
 "The pension office was then located in Winders building in Seventeenth street, only a few doors from the war department. 1 was not long in reaching the office of the commissloner and I was not moment too soon, either for 1t three o'clock by that time, and the officers and clerks were put ting away their papers and making ready to depart for the day.
 "'Did you see a tall, dark-complexioned gentle man here to-day, wearing a linen duster and interested in pension for women who lost her husband in the Seminole war2' asked of the com- missioner.
 "'Yes, was the answer, 'and the man has nearly bothered our lives out all day. He said he was lawyer from somewhere out west-the most per- sistent pension beggar you ever saw. Guess he got the worst of it, though
 "Are you sure you remember him?'
 ooh, yes, perfectly-tall-dark- -slim-clothes didn't fit im-anxious-kept on saying he was sure it was all right-and-' "'That will do sir. All have to say to you is that you have made nice mess of it. That man is President Abraham Lincoln. Pve promised him an answer from you in thirty minutes. He is down in Gen. Scott's office now waiting for that answer
 sudden movement from slow music to double quick, it was in that office Bells were rung and the heads of all the divisions summoned, desks were unlocked, papers flew out again, clerks and messengers ran up ana uOWn ana ID ana out, at the peril of life and limb. At intervals between the orders to clerks and officers the commissioner sought to cover over the matter with apologies. He hoped that I would explain to the president that it was all & mistake-n he had only made himself known-if some one had only recognized him-how anxious they would have been to accommodate him. This was repeated over and over in a dozen ways.
 "It didn't take them twenty minutes to verify all the statements and affidavits and certify the G~~w ~s-k-- asked for I had everything properly signed and executed and had placed the final papers in the presidents hand.
 "He looked at them quizzically, turned them over, and having examined them carefully, as if to make sure that they were really all right, he said to me with that nnainf nression % offen seen on