The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-11-06
NUMBER 45.

easy with me and so gentle that | soon
forgot my fright. He asked me all about
the people at home, the neighbors, the
farm, where | went to school and who
my schoolmates were. Then he asked
me about mother, and how she looked,
and l was glad l could take her photo
graph from my bosom and show it to
him. He said how thankful L ought to
be that my mother still lived and how, if
he was in my place, he would try to make
her proud mother, and never cause her
a sorrow or tear. | cannot remember
it all, but every word was SO kind.
He had said nothing yet about that
dreadful next morning. | thought it
must be that he was so kind hearted that
he didn't like to speak of it. But why
did he say so much about my mother, and
my not causing her q sorrow or a tear,
when | knew that | must die the next
morning? But L supposed that was some
thing that would have to go unexplained,
and so l determined to brace up and tell
him that did not feel bit guilty, and
ask him wouldn't he fix it so that the fir
ing party would not be from our regi-
ment. That was going to be the hardest
of ALTO die by the hands of my COM
rades. Just as L was going to ask him
this favor, he stood up, and he says to
me, My boy, stand up here and look me
in the face | did as he babe me. My
boy he said, you are not going to be
chnt / hnlinua urha N-aI
tell me that you could not keep awake.
| am going to trust you, and send you
back to your regiment. But L have been
put to good deal of trouble on your ac-
count. | had to come up here from
Washington when | had great deal TO
do, and what want to know is, how you
are going to pay my bill" There was
big lump in my throat; l could scarcely
speak. had expected to die, you see,
and had kind of got used to thinking that
way. TO have it all changed in a min
ute. But | got it crowded down and man
aged to say: Il am grateful, Mr. Lincoln.
L hope | am as grateful as ever man can
be to you for saving my life. But it
comes upon me sudden and unexpected
like. | didn't lay out for it at all. But
there is some way to pay you, and will
find it after little. There is the bounty
in the savings bank. l guess we could
borrow some money on the mortgage of
the farm There was my pay was some
thing, and if he would wait until pay day
| was sure the boys would help. so L
thought we could make it up if it wasn't
more than five or six hundred dollars.
But it is great deal more than that he
said. Then | said l didn't just see how,
but was sure | would find some way
if lived.
Then Mr. Lincoln put his hands on my
shoulders and looked into my face as if
he was sorry, and said: MY boy, my bill
is very large one. Your friends cannot
pay it, nor your bounty, nor the farm,
nor all your comrades, There is only one
man in all the world who can pay it and
his name is William Scott, If from this
day William Scott does his duty, so that,
if | was there when he comes to die, he
could look me in the face as he does now
and say, L have kept my promise. and
have kone my duty as soldier, 'then my
debt will be paid. Will you make that
promise and try to keep it,:
| said l would make the promise, and,
with Gods help, | would keep it. He
went away out of my sight forever, but
may God forget me if l ever forget his
kind words or my promise"