The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-21
FRAMED FOR THEM.
A SOLDIERS STORY OF PRESIDENT
LINCOLN AND BOYS IN BLUE.
An Envelope That Is More Valuable Than
the Best Stamp In Amy Collection The
Soldier Who Wouldn't Tell Lincoln a


LET this 90. A. LINCOLN
Unless it has been destroyed there is
in home in Fond du Lac county, Wis,
a 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 character
our whole company took TO kindly from
the first.
When the army was camped in Vir-
ginia, near Washington, the winter Of |
1862, it was a common practice with
the soldiers, when they got pass, to
visit the city to buy a 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
in high feather. He had two packages
of envelopes-one franked by Senator
| James r. Doolittle, now Chicago law
yer, the other by the late Senator Il, O.
Howe, who succeeded Captain James as
postmaster general in President Arthur's
cabinet. For 20 years senators and men,
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.
"Y on fellows, there, are making
big blast over getting a couple of sena-
tors to frank your envelopes" said
To- cca
me come back from Washington with
the presidents name on some letter COW
ers "
Within few days Frank King and
Harry 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 it is now. AT certain hours
of the day soldier could reach the
chief executive with fully as much ease
as a senator can in these later years.
King was the ringleader. Approach
ing the guard he said: 1--WE want to
see Mr.. Lincoln. Please stand aside and
Q let us pass.
"Who are you, and what is your bust.
I ness?"
"You tell old Abe we have charge of
a regiment over on Arlington Heights
g and want to see him OH an important
g matter He'll let US i'll. "
8 "Where are your shoulder straps?'
owe came over in our everyday
clothes. Come, we are in hurry. Lei
us go in and see Mr.. Lincoln. "
The parley had attracted the attention
of the president. The door swung oper
and the good natured chief of the natloi
smiled upon the cheeky young fellows
and babe them step right in.
"What can do for you, my men?'
"Mr. Lincoln, want you to franl
these envelopes, " said King.
''Better get your congressman to d
that -
"I'd much rather have you do it, Mr.
Lincoln. The folks at home would llk
TO see your name on my letters.
ON fix one of them. Take the res
, to your congressman. Who is he?"
az don't know.
"Where is your homer
"Lamartine, Fond du Lac county
Wis ="
"That is my friend Scott Sloan's dis
trict. You 90 to Mr.. Sloan. He will II
the rest of them. F"
The president shook hands with IN
nc two privates, asked them to be pra'
ne soldiers and wished them safe retur
ai TO their western homes.
as Frank couldn't make his terminate
Nv believe that the president had writer
'c- "I,et this 90. A. Lincoln. " But the ne'
at dav he wrote letter to his father. III
lie name of Lincoln was personally exam
ined by all of the neighbors
OF I'm January, 1864, our regiment WI
H. in Washington on the way home' havir
ne re-enlisted- as INT
il. called it. In company with two othe
'al I went to the White House. The pres
M dent shook hands with us, thanked
mt for swearing in for three years more al
he expressed the hope that we would ma
on a nice visit Oh our veteran furlough.
oil. "Mr. President" said jones'
ost Jopes-"you franked letter for one
OF the bows in our company, Frank Kin
I wish YOU would frank one for me.
"Odd AS it may seem, you are Z
eecond soldier 10 make such reque'
IA So both are of the same company! We
'o' well. q.
my On Jones' envelope he wrote =.
no Lincoln, President" and as ne mana
ex' il back he asked what had become
ing that other man who had asked him
Ia pass letter.
ng "He was killed at Gettysburg.
shall never forget ,hs look OF 81
ness in the presidents face when
answer was given, and IT had not disa
ing peared when we left the room.
III Clones, what did you tell him ano
'od King for? Did you see how 1t pam
him?" "a
md "What did he ask about him Tor!
by Won suppose was going to lie to IN
ho- I would die forf' was Jones lndlgni
can reply.-Chicago Times-Heraid'
ad ----
ing The Courts Decision.
md "You remember Howforth, VINO IN
ried the woman who kept house for ID