Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

Soldier Who Wouldn't Tell LincoIE R Lie.
 let this go A, LINCOLN. ]"
 Unless it has been destroyed there is in home in Fond du Lac county, Wis, soldier letter in an envelope bearing the above words, signed by the great war president.
 Frank King was a Lamartine boy, fresh from the farm, and a character our whole company took to kindly from the first.
 When the army was camped in Yir- ginia, near Washington, the winter of 1861-2, it was common practice with the soldiers, when they got pass, to visit the city to buy q package of en- velopes 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 ill high feather. He had two packages of enyelopes--one franked by Senator James R. Doolittle, now Chicago law. yer, the other by the late Senator T. o. Howe, who succeeded Captain James as postmaster general ill President Arthurs cabinet. For 0years senators and mem- bers have been giving a 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.
 'sYou fellows, there, are making a big blast over getting couple of sena- tors to frank your envelopes, D said Frank King. Just you wait till you see me come back from Washington with the presidents name on some letter cov- CTS. '
 Within few days Frank King aud Harry Dunn, who for years after the war was Chicago business man, went to the city. They called at the White House. It was easier to see the president then than it is now. 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 Approach. ing the guard, he said: We want to see MT. Lincoln. Please stand aside and let us pass. J
 f'Who are you, and what is your busi- ness?''
 You tell old Abe we have charge of a regicsent over on Arlington Heights and want to see him on an important matter He'll let us in"
 Where are your shoulder straps?"
 We came over in our everyday clothes. Come, we are in hurry. Let us go in and see MT. Lincoln. ?
 The barley had attracted the attention of the president. The door swung open and the good natured chief of the nation smiled upon tho cheeky young fellows and bade them step right in.
 What can I do for you, my men?"
 'tMr. Lincoln, want you to frank these envelopes, said King.
 Better get your congressman to do that. '
 ''I'd much rather have you do it, Mir. Lincoln. The folks at home would like to see your name on my letters.
 ''I'I fix one of them. Take the rest to your congressman. Who is hep
 T don't know. ''
 "Where is your home?'
 Lamartine, Fond du Lac county, Wis"
 "That is my friend Scott Sloan dis trict. You go to Mir. 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 safe return to their western homes. Frank couldn't make his tentmates believe that the president had written; t'Let this go. A. Lincoln. J But the next day he wrote letter to his father. Tho name of Lincoln was personally exam. ined by all of the neighbors.
 In January, 1864. our regiment was in Washington on the way home, having e-enlisted-s'v 'veteranized, as they called it. In company with two others I went to tie White House. The presi- dent shook hands with US, thanked us for swearing ill for three years more and expressed the hope that we would have nice visit on our veteran furlough.
 "Mr. President" " said Jones-Ed Jones-"yon franked letter for one of the boys in our company, Frank King. I wish you would frank one for me. ,
 "Odd us 1t may seem, you are the second soldier to make such request So both are of the same company? Very we'll J
 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 letter.
 "He was killed at Gettysburg"
 shall never forget tha look of sad ness in the presidents face when the answer was given, and it had not disap- peared when we left the room.
 Jones, what did you tell him about King for? Did yo1 see how it pained him?"
 What did he ask about him for? Do you suppose was going to lie to man I would die forf'5 was Jones indignant reply. Chicago Times Herald.