The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-15
ANEW sTORY or LTSC0LH.
General Sickles Tell. tat the Banquet oi
the Loyal Legion I'm Washington.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Feb. H.-At the
annual banquet OF the District Of Column
bia Commandery Of the Loyal Legion
Tuesday night, in honor Of Lincoln
birthday. a new orator was discovered
and "A new story OF Lincoln told. Ihe
orator who spoke 20 the toast "ADrandm
MncOla" was George l.. Wellington
young Republican, who has been eiectCo
to Congress- from the Maryland district
adjoining the city OF Washington ne
has a voice much Ike that or Joe bidch-
burn. and his rhetoric ana manner Oh
speaking remind one 0f Senator NolcolL
His eulogy of Lincoln was literally
burst OF clOquence and aroused the com
maudery, composed of some famous sol
dicrs, TO the highest pitch OF enthIsidsh'
There were only two set speeches. on me
programme after that OF Mr. Nelhh5toh'
one by Senator MandersOn ana the olhtF
boy Professor TOusley Of Harvard, whose
tncme was PATRIOTISM in Peace In the
course Of his speech Professor TOusley
said mat popullsm and the other new
political growths OF recent years fore
shadow great uphcaval IN aifalrs' ana
a new force in civilization. lie denounced
popuiism lu the abstract but Said that
the American people should not make the
mistake Of judging the cause by It's uu-
worthy leaders, who had come TO the
front IIo referred 90 { he result Of the
recent election I'm New York, the defeat
of bOssism. as an evidence of the power
Of the people 10 assert their viii at the
supreme crisis OF affairs.
After the set speeches General Daniel
T.. ScSles was forced TO his feet by the
sCl3mOrs Of the veterans around him, and
made one of his characteristic speeches
He prefaced il with gOOd-natured reply
10 Professor Tousley to the effect that
the people of New York had simply re-
pudiatcd Boss Croker and raised up Boss
Platt, a remark tnat caused a burst of
laughter and applause at the expense Of
the learned professor. Then General
Sickles dropped into "reminiscences Of
Lincoln, ana related an affecting incident,
demonstrating the intensely devout char
aCter Of that great man, which was
listened to in breathless silence. At the
conclusion of his story General Sickles
said that it had never before been told
10 any man. This new Lincoln story IS
as follows:
"Ft was on the 9Th day OF July, 1863"
said General Sickles, chat / was brought
10 Washington on Il stretcher from the
field Of Gettysburg. Hearing Of my
arrival President Lincoln came TO my
room and sat down by my bedside. lie
asked about the great battle, and when
! told him of the terrible slaughter the
him If ne had doubted the result. lie
said NO Then he continued:
This may seem strange TO you, but
a few DAYS ago, when the opposing
armies were converging, l felt as never
before my utter helplessness in the great
crisis that was 10 come upon the country.
l went into my own room ana locked
the door. Then | knelt down and pray
ed. as / had never prayed before ! told
God that lie had called me 90 this posi-
ton, that / had done all that l could
do. and that the result now was in His
hands. that / felt my own weakness ana
lack of power. and that / knew that il
the country was TO be saved it was be-
cause lie so willed it. When 1 went
down from my room ! felt that there
could be no doubt of the issue The bur
den seemed TO have rolled off my shoul-
dcrs. my intense anxiety was relieved.
and in its place came great sense Of
trustfulness, and that was why | did not
doubt the result at Gettysburg And.
what is more. Sicl1les,' he continued, L
believe that we may hear at any mo-
meut of a great success by Grant, who
has been pegging away at Nicksburg Tor
so many months. BY tomorrow You will
hear that he has won victory as inn
portant TO us in the West as Gettysburg
is in the East
Chen turning TO me- he said: 'Sicktes,
I am in a prophetic mood to-day, and
] know that you will get Well
D." The doctors do not give me that
hope, 1Ir President ] said; but he an
swered cheerfully, 4 know you VIII get
well, Sickles.'