Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-06-08
THANKED FOR THEM.
.e7LplER,S STORY OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND BOYS IN BLUE.

ITnless 1t has been destroyed there is ,ra home n Fond du Lac county, Wis, . soldier letter in an envelope bearing tbe above words, signed by the great war president.
 Frank King was a Lamartine boy, frash from the farmi and character my whole company took to kindly from the first.
 When the army was camped in Vir- oinia. near Washington, the winter of 1861-2, it was common practice with the soldiers, when they got a pass, to visit the city to buy a package of en- yelopes and call at the capitol, send in for their senator or representative and e2t him to frank them
 tOne of our boys came back 10 camp in high feather. He had two packages of envelopes--one franked by Senator James R. Doolittle, now Chicago law. yer, tho other by the late Senator T. O Howe, who succeeded Captain James as postmaster general in President Arthur's cabinet For 20 years senators and mem- bers have been giving good daal of their time to helping the soldiers with their pension claims If they hays dons 1t as willingly and pleasantly as they used to frank envelopes for the boys they must be pretty nearly angels.
 " ou fellows, there, are making a big blast over getting a couple of aena. tors to frank your envelopes, said Frank King. Just you wait till you see me come back from Washington with the presidents name on some letter cog- 1a.
 Within 8 few days Frank King aud Harry Dunn, who for years after the war was a Chicago business man. went to the city. They called at the White House. 1t WAS easier to see the president then th4n it Is now. At certain hours of the cay soldier could reach the chief execttiye with fully as much ease as q senatD Dr can i'll these later years
 King !, ,s lie .ngleader. Approach. ing the gpaId, lie said We want to see MT. Lincoln. Please stand aside and let us pass. s.'
 sWho are you, and what is your busi. ness?"
 You tell old Abe we have charge of B regiaent 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 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.
 eI'd much rather have you do it, Mir. Lincoln. The folks at home would like to sec your name CD my letters. ,
 'I'll fix one of them. Take the rest to your congressman. Who is he?''
 II don't know"
 "Where is your home?"
 "Lamurtine, Fond du Lao county. Wis. '
 That is my friend Scott Sloan's dis trict. You go to Mr. Sloan. FEe 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 Chat the president had written; Let thi 3 go A Lincoln " But the next day ha wrote letter to his father. Tho namo oi Lincoln was personally exam. ined by all of the neighbors.
 In January, 1864, our regiment was ln Washington on the way home, having e-ealisted-'v veteranized, as they called ii In company with two others went to t..e White House. Tho presi. dent shook hands with us, thanked us for swearing in for three years mere and expressed the hope that we would have nice visit on our veteran furlough.
 Mir President, said Jones-Ed Jones~''yod franked letter for one of the boys in our company Frank King. wish you would frank one for me.
 Odd Us it may seem. you are the second soldier to make such a request So both arc of the same company? Very t.yell. "
 On Jones envelope he wrote "A Lincoln. President, and as he handed 1t 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 ths look of sad ness in the presidents face when the answer was given, and it had not disap- peafed when we left the room.
 Jones, what did you tell him about hing for? Did yor see how it pained hin?''
 What did he ask about him for? Do you suppose l was going to lie to man lWoulG die for?" was Jones' indignant reply. - Chicago Times Herald. The Courts Decision.
 Yeu remember Howforth, who mar,