Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-10
TWOCOOD STORIESOF LINCOLN
How He Spent a Day Trying to Get a
Hearing in the Pension Office
KINDLY ACT FOR A SOLDIERS WIDOW
A Minister whom Lincoln Had Known
for Years Saved from Execution
-~AnccdOtes by General HAM
ilton and Senator voorhees,.

NCopyrighted, 1895. by s. s. Mcclure, Limited)
Stories Of Lincoln's gentle, generous deeds
are countless, but the following incidents,
related by persons who were parties to them,
especially merit preservation. The first is
told by General Schuyler Hamilton.
1t was a blistering day In the hot mid
summer of 1861, a fortnight before the first
shock of arms at Bull Run. The Washing
ton streets, ankle-deep in dust, resounded
with tramp of arriving regiments and bat
teries hurried forward by the loyal gov
errors for the coming conflict, and over all
hung a palpable, ominous foreboding, felt
nowhere more keenly than at the head
quarters of the army, where then held the
position OF military secretary to General
Scott, with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon OF the day
in question the doorway was darkened by
the shadow Of a tall, gaunt form, and Presi-
dent Lincoln entered the Office of the gem
eral-ln-chief. He wore a long linen duster,
soiled by dust and stained with sweat, his
vest unbuttoned, his pantaloons hung limp
about his long, angular legs, and a thick
coating Of dust covered his shoes. All in all.
Re looked the very picture of WEAKNESS and
disgust. Without waiting for General Scott
to rise to welcome him he sank YEARLY into
the first chair to which he came, and, taking
on his battered SLOUGH hat, began wiping his
face with a huge bandanna handkerchief,
General Scott, meanwhile, had gained his feet
and bowed courteously to the chief magistrate
but his fine old face showed plainly his sur
prise, IL not dismay, at the presidents un'
expected appearance.
'Sit down. General, sit down" said Presi.
dent Lincoln kindly as he wiped the dust and
moisture from his face. 1T is too hot tC
stand on ceremony. have only dropped
in to tell you that l have learned something
new today"
What is that. Mr.. PRESIDENT" asked
General Scott, his composure gradually re
turning.
LINCOLN REFUSED AN AUDIENCE,
That It Is a great thing to be an office
holder" President Lincoln went on. "Sinc'
8 o'clock this morning l have been tryinl
my best to get 0' nee with some clerl
in the pension ..-,-,, but without sue
cess. | have been upstairs and downstairs
from the ground floor to the attic half
dozen times, and l am completely Tagged
out"
Pardon me, Mr.. President" General Scot
broke in with a gentle wave OF the hand
'but II is rather an thing for thu
president of the United States to become
solicitor OF pensions. When you have an!
business of that kind demanding attention sen,
It to me, and Colonel Hamilton here vii
be glad to attend to II without delay"
81 am sure that the claim is a just one,
the president continued, without noticing tn
generals interruption, FOR l have gone owe
the papers in the case with care. Here h
drew a bulky package of papers from on
of his pockets and adjusting his steel rimme
speCtacles went over them one by one
"You see, general, the applicant is the widow
of a corporal of infantry, who was kille
by the Indians some twenty-five years age
She would have had her money long ago, bu
nobody seems to have taken any interes
in the case, She has been haunting the whit
house almost daily for weeks, until, betwee
you and me, | am afraid that Mrs. Lincol
is getting a tribe jealous. l am resolve
10 wind the matter up one way or anothe
today, and l have promised the poor woma
an answer at 4 o'clock. She is waiting owe
emearns tuS,oad row, Between the Nv
annoyance ar ~ TO 80 home wlthou
ODD "A u,