The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-07


''us,,taI Angel" Was Until He Re-
..,sd Home and Saw the Letter.
AIT hove letter you would like to
gness. +" said Assemblyman James
Aeon of West Superior
with you"
Ono II is too precious to carry
round in a grip or pocket "
"Who wrote it and what does 1T con-
AIM"
o,ino your double question: In 1864, |
lille following Grant near Richmond, |
Ind when we had come so close 10 IL
Ibat they could hear our muskets and
No their church bells, l was stricken
It'll n fever and sent to hospital. In
lime they landed ME, more dead than
live IN one of the great hospitals at
washington. was very sick boy.
Row is right, for that was all was
sweet rs. as "a girl of that age would be.
|ror three weeks / had no ambition to
live.
Zone day, after I had passed the dan
oer point and was taking little notice
If what was going on, number OF Ia
dies came through the hospital. They
had baskets containing delicacies and
hououets of beautiful flowers. One of
them stopped at each cot as they passed
along A bunch of blossoms was hand
cd 70 each sick or wounded soldier, and
if he desired il a delicacy OF some kind
was also distributed. Every now and
then one of the women sat in camp
chair and wrote a letter for the poor
fellow who hadn't the strength to write
himself.
81 wanted nothing to eat or drink,
but those pretty posies held my atten-
ton One of the ladies stopped at my
cot. I hadn't yet got my full growth,
| and in my then emaciated, pale condl-
ton | must have looked like child.
She seemed surprised as she looked at
me.
"'You poor child, what brought you
here:'
"They sent me here from the Army
of the Potomac.
"'But you are not a soldier?
4 "'Yes, madam. l belong to New
York regiment. The surgeon here has
the record.
"'Can do something for you? Can
YOU eat something or take swallow OF
wine?'
"'I'm not hungry or thirsty.
"'Can l write "a letter for your
"'Not today. I'm too weak.
""Then will leave some of these
L m
helped to Gull them. will come again
in two or three days. Keep up J our
courage. You are going to get we'll.
You must get well. +"
''She was the first woman who had
n spoken TO me since l reached the army.
Looking at the sweet flowers which Mr..
Lincoln had helped to Gull and think.
ing of the dear woman who had spoken
so kindly and hopefully had more effect
in frightening my spirits than all else
that had occurred in the hospital
"Three days later the same lady Came
again and direct to my cot.
:" How is my little soldier boy to
day?' she asked in "a way so moth, RI,
that il reminded me of my good mothei
back in New York, the patriot mOthe
who had given her consent to my gonl
to the war after praying over the matte
many times. The hospital angel-tha
4 is what we learned to call those ncbl
women-after giving me taste o
chicken aud jelly asked if I had
mother. She saw by the tears in IN
eyes that had.
Now we will write mother let
ter.
Then she sat by my side and wrot
the letter. l hadn't been able to writ
for month.
L have told your mother that l al
near her soldier boy and have talSe
with him. What shall 1 tell her fc
you? That you are still too weak {
write yourself?'
Please don't tell her that. It wi
. make her worry. Tell her l am fast ee
ting we'll
The first day got home my motht
asked me how liked Mrs. Lincoln, IL
presidents wife.
II never met Mrs. Lincoln. VIII;
made you think had?'
Then she took from box close
guarded in an old bureau letter.
read like this:
DEAR Mrs. Agent am sitting by the III
OF your soldier boy. He has been quite sic
but is getting well. He tells me to say to "
that he is all right. With respect for the mot
er OF the young soldier,
"MRs. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
That was the first | knew that
was the presidents wife who had mae
me those two visits l begged my mot
er to give me the letter. You can ha'
1t when l am gone When she died.
box and an old letter folded in a 81
handkerchief were among her gifts
me.
The box, kerchief and letter w
pass along the Agen line as mement
too sacred for everyday display. -Cl
cago Times Herald