The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-02

told by A. Jasper Conant, the portrait
painter. Mr.. Conant was1n Springfield IN
1850, painting a portrait OF the candidate
for the Presidency.
"One afternoon ne says, when noi>
but ourselves were present, lie busy with
his correspondence and / with my work.
a ragged, barefooted boy crept softly up
the stairs, and peering uinidly around the
edge OF the open door, looked with manifest
awe at Mr.. lipcoin. Busy as he was, ne
heard the soft step, and telling him to come
in, among other simple questions, asked
him his name
.'The boy answered, my name is
Folks Well said Mr.. Lincoln, that's
wrong. Don't you see that you are only one,
and folks mean more than one. Tell your
father that say your name should De FOLK
Goodby, sir having given him another
hearty shake OF the hanu. In the course or
an hour another dirty shabby little fellow
came softly to the door ana met with The
same kindly reception. In answer 10 the
question rs 10 his name, he replied.
Knots Well said Mr.. Lincoln, If here
isn't another mistake! You are but one.
Your name should be Knot. not Knots.
which means more than one With n
shake OF the hand and CHEEKY good-by,
he resumed his pen, and, with his left
hand. his exercises with his refractory
hair"
During this period of which Mr.. Coma mt
speaks il was common thing for poll
ticians visiting Mr.. Lincoln to bring
their boys with them TO see the new Presi-
dent. Not one OF them ever left without
some little attention; some times when
there was crush OF people IL was only
a friendly nod or pat, but oftener II was
an effort to quiz the young visitor.
One boy, now a man, who tells OF e oins q
with his father to see Mr.. Lincoln al
this time says that the President called
to him and took him on his knee. He
asked me some questions, remember.
seeming instantly py-hnJ' in the tSlRoih
OF all the great Questions that must have
been heavy upon him, the very ones that
WOULD go to the thought OF 4 child. i
answered him wiyiIopt hesitation, and
;siter a nfoment'he patted my shoulder and
slid: -. =.
.weil, you'll be- assman before your
mother yet and put me down. s
Il had never befote heard the honiely
Old expression, ana 1t puzzled me for a
tine After a mof.ens, l understood Il.
but tie looked at me while l was pizzling
overit. and seemed t6-be amused-as 10
doubt lie was"
HIS BIG, TENDER HEART
The foundation sot;;1Incoln,s love for
children was not, no veyer. by any means
the amusement hs got from watching
and quizzing them., 1t was the remarka-
Bile tenderness of his heart toward the
weak and innocent. Mr.. ,ConaHt says
that after he had finished Mr.. Lincoln's
picture in $3.50, and was leaving Spring
field for home, Mr.. Lincoln followed him
to the door. Having said goodbye to
my little daughter, who was with me,
taking me by the hand and drawing me
gently back, so that she coufd not hear,
he asked with unaffected pathos in his
voice: Is her mother living?' On my
ans wering in the affirmative, he said: i
am so glad to know 1t! Somehow had
got the idea that she was an orphan,
and was afraid to ask about her moth
er for fear might hnrt her feelings u
So tender was lie that he could not bear
to see a child in tears without an effort
to relieve it.
my first strong impression of Mr.. Lin
coln," says u lady Of Springfield, was
made by one OF his kind deeds. 1 was
going with a little friend for my first trip
alone on the railroad cars. The day l was
to go came but as the hour of the train
approached, the hackinan, through some
neglect, failed to call for my trunk. As
the minutes went on realized that should
miss the train. / was standing by the gate
sobbing as.if my heart would break, when
Mr.. Lincoln came by.
why, what's the natter" he asked
and poured out all my story.
How big's the trunk? TheIe's still
time, IL it isn't too big And lie pushed
through the gate and up to the door. Ny
mother and l took him up to my room,
where my little, oId-fashioned trunk stood,
locked and tied. oh, no., he cried; wipe
your eyes and come on quick And be-
fore / knew what he was going to do, he
had shouldered the trunk, and down stairs,
and stridiDg out of the yard. Down the
street he went, fast as his long legs could
carry him, trotting behind, drying my
tears as / went We reached the station
in time. Mr.. Lincoln put me on the train,
kissed me good-by, and told me to have
good time LISTS s5-
Prettier still is the story which some
Washingtonians tells. lone day member
of the Presidents official family was
much alarmed on returning to his home
to learn from the nurse, that the baby,
about three years Of age, and two older
children, had disappeared. Mr.. - start.
ed his entire household out on the search
and himself jumped into carriage to
| drive to the police station and give q
general alarm.
lone Of his clerks bethought him to
follow in the footsteps OF some troops
that had passed along the street on theil
way to the White House, where they
were to be reviewed by the President,
thinking that with childish love of music
they might have followed the soldiers.
His Judgment was confirmed, for as he
approached the Executive Mansion, the
grounds Of which were filled with milf.
tsry, he saw playing on the steps the
two elder children, and snuggied up BY
the Presidents tall, spare form, with one
arm thrown protectingly about her, was
the baby as happy and comfortable as il
she had been in her mothers arms"
And one might go on almost endlessly
with these instances OF the good man.
tenderness for chiidr9R4or there is scarcely
a man, OF woman living who knew Lincoln
| at all well who does not remember somi
| pleasant manifestation OF 1t.