Evening star., 1897-01-09
FRANKING FOR THE BOYS.
How Lincoln Used to Put His Auto
graph on Soldiers, Letters.

How Lincoln Used to Put His Auto
graph ON Soldiers Letters.
Col. Jack Wstrous in Chicago Times-Herald.
Let this go. A. LINCOLN"
Unless 1t has been destroyed, there is in
home in Fond du Lac county a soldier
letter in an envelope bearing the above
words. signed by the great war President.
Frank King was Lamartine boy, fresh
from the farm, and character our whole
company took to kindly from the first
When the army was camped in Virginia,
rear Washington, the winter of 1862, it
was common practice with the soldiers,
when they got pass, to visit the city, to
buy package of envelopes and call at
the Capitol, send in for their senator or
representative, and get him to frank them.
One Of our boys came back to camp in
high feather. He had two packages of en-
velcpes. one franked by Senator James r.
Doolittle, now Chicago lawyer, the other
by the late Senator T. o. Howe, who sue
eral in President Arthurs cabinet For
twenty years senators and representatives
have been giving good deal of their time
to helping the soldiers with their pension
claims. If they have done it as willingly
and pleasantly they used to frank en-
velopes for the boys, they must be pretty
nearly angels
You fellows, there, are making big
blast over getting a couple of senators to
frank your envelopes" said Frank King.
Jest you wait till you see me come back
from Washington with the Presidents S
name on some letter covers
Within a few days Frank King and Har-
ry Dunn, who for years after the war was
Chicago business man, went to the city.
They called at the White House. 1t was
easier to see the President then than 1t is
row. At certain hours of the day a soldier
could reach the chief executive with fully
as much ease as senator can in these
later years.
King was the ringleader. Approaching
the guard, he said: I'VE want to see Mr..
Lincoln. Please stand aside and let us
pass"
WHO are you and what is your busi-
ness?"
You tell old Abe we have charge of
regiment over on Arlington Heights, and
want to see him on an important matter.
He'll let us in"
Where are your shoulder straps?"
I'VE came over In our everyday clothes.
Come, we are in hurry. Let US go In and
see Mr.. Lincoln"
the President. The door swung open and
the good-natured chief of the nation smiled
upon the cheeky young fellows and bade
them step right in.
What can do for you, my men?'
Mr.. Lincoln / want you to frank these
envelopes" said King
Better get your congressman to do
that"
Il.
Lincoln. The folks at home will like to
see your name on my letters"
I'll fix one of them. Take the rest to
your congressman. Who is he?"
Il don't know"
Where is your homer
'Lamartine, Fond du Lac county, Wis
consin''
THAT is in my friend Scott Sloan's dis
trict. You go to Mr.. Sloan. He will fix the
rest of them"
The President shook hands with the two
privates, asked them to be brave soldiers
and wished them a safe return to their
western homes.
Frank couldn't make his tent mates be-
lieve that the President had written, Let
this go. A. Lincoln" but the next day he
wrote a letter to his father. The name of
Lincoln was personally examined by all of
the neighbors.
In January. 1864. our regiment was in
Washington on the way home, having re-
enlisted-"veteranized," as they called it.
White House. The President shook hands
with US. thanked us for swearing in for
three years more, and expressed the hope
that we would have nice visit on our vet
eran furlough.
"Mr. President" said Jones-Ed Jones, of
whom nave spoken several times in these
chapters-''you franked letter for one of
the boys In our company, Frank King. I
wish you would frank one for me-
odd as 1t may seem. you are the second
soldier to make such request. So both
are of the same company? Very WELL"
On Jones' envelope he wrote. "A. Lincoln,
President" and as he handed it back he
asked what had become of that other man
who had asked him to pass n letter.
He was killed at Gettysburg"
I shall never forget the look Of sadness
In the Presidents face when the answer
was given, and it had not disappeared
when we left the room.
Jones, what did you tell him about King
fer? Did you see how it panied him?'
hot hn III nI,o,,t hivof fnr1 no
suppose I was going to lie to man I
would die for?" was Jones' indignant reply.