Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-01-29
4 Fr-r0N H

t4tt hilH ED. J. t4t4IDisA+s
 Unigds U has been destroyed there is in home n Eaad du LaeeoaHty, Wis, a soldier lettcf in an envelope bearing the ahoEa worVa sigucd by the great war president
 Prank King Was Lamarsine boy, fresh from tho iGrm, and character our whole company took to hndly from tho first
 When tho army was oamped in Yir- ginia, noar Washington, the winter of 18G1-2, it WAS common practice with the soldiers, when they got a pass, to visit the city tn buy q package of en- velopos and eall at tho capitol, send ill 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 envelopes--one franked by Senator James B. Daolittle, now Chicago law yor, the other by the late Senator ?. O. Howe, who succeeded Captain James as postmaster general in President Arthur cabinet Fer 20 years senators and mem- bers 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 as they used to frank envelopes for the boys, they must be pretty nearly angels.
 You follows, there, arc making a big blast over getting q couple of sena- tors to frank your envelopes. said Frank King justyou wait till you sec me come back from Washington with tho president B name on some letter cov- CTS. ''
 Within 8 few days Frank King and war was Chicago business man, went to the city. They called at tho White House. It was easier to see the president then than il is now At certain hours of the day a soldier conld reach the chief executive with fully as much case as senator can in these later years.
 King was the ringloadg. Approach ing tho guard, he said: We want to see Mir. Lincoln. Please stand aside and lot us pa5s
 Who arc you, and what ia your busi- ness?"
 You tell old Abe we have charge of a regiment ayer on Arlington Heights and want to sec him oil an important matter Hell let us in. ''
 Where arc your shoulder straps?9
 Ne eamo ovor in our everyday clothes. Come we are i'll hurry Les us go ii and see Mr Lincoln.
 The barley had attracted tho attention of the president The door swung open and tho good natured chief of thanation smiled upon the cheeky young fellows and bade them step right in.
 What cen ! do for you, my men?"
 Mr Lincoln, 1 want you to frank these envelopes, said King.
 Better got your congressman to do that.
 s'Id much rather havoyou do 1t, Mr Lincoln Tho folks at home would like to sec your name on my letters.
 "IH fix enc of them. Take the rest to your congressman Who is he?'
 1 don't know
 "Whore ia your homo?"
 Lamaftiae, Fond du Lac county Wis. "
 That is niy friend Scott Sloans dis triot. You 60 10 Nr Sloan. He will fix tho rest of them.
 The president shook hands with the two priYatea, asked them to be brave soldiers and wished them a safe return to their western homes.
 Frank couldn't make his tenmates believe that tue president had written "Let this go. A Lincoln. Rut the next d. [, l., name of Lincoln was personally exam ined by all of the neighb0rs
 In January, 1864, our regiment WAS in Washington on tho way home, having ra-enlBted-"v vetoranized, 3 as they called it. In company with two others 1 went to the White House. The presi- dent shook hands with us, thanked us for swearing in for threo years more and expressed tho hopo that WIG would have a nice visit on our veteran furlough.
 Mr President, said Jones-Ed Jonos-"yot franked q letter for one of the boys in cur company, Frank King. wish you would frank one for me "
 Odd as it may seem, you are tho 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 Ee haaGed it back he asked what had become of that other man who hHd asked him to pass a letter.
 "Ho was killed at Gettysburg.
 shall never forget the look of sad ness iii the presidents face when tho answer was given, and il had not disap- poared when we left the room.
 Jones, what did you tell him about King fer? Did yc9 see how if pained hiln?'
 What did he ask about him fer? Do you suppose I was going to lie to q man would die for: WAS 3ones' indignant roply-Ghieago Tines Herald
 
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