The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-03-31

"'But you are not a s0ldier.'
".Yes, madam; | belong to a
New York regiment. The surgeon
here has the record
| "'Can | do something for youl
Can you eat something or take a
swallow of wine I"
"l'm not hungry or thirsty
"'Can | write IL letter for you7
"Not to-day; Pm too weak
"'Then | will leave some OF
these flowers with you. President
Lincoln helped to Gull them. /
will come again in two or three
days. Keep up your courage.
You are going to get we'll; you
must get well.'
She was the first woman who
had spoken to the since I reached
the army. Looking at the sweet
flowers which Mr.. Lincoln had
helped to cull,' and thinking OF
the dear woman who had spoken
SO kindly aud hopefully, had more
effect in frightening my spirits
than all else that had occurred in
the hospital.
'sThree days later the same lady
came again, aud direct to my cot.
"sHow is my little soldier boy
to-dayi' she asked iu a way SO
nOtherly that it reminded mo OF
my good mother back in New
York, the patriot mother who had
given her CONSENT to my going to
the war after praying over the
matter many times. The hospital
angel-that is what We learned to
call those noble women after Civ.
ing me y taste Of chicken and jel.
lly, asked if l had a mother. She
saw by the tears in my eyes that
[ had.
"Now, we will write mother a
letter.
"'Then she sat By my side and
wrote the letter. l hadn't been
able to write for a mouth.
."'I have told your mother that
l am near her soldier boy, and
have talked with him What shall
| tell her for youi That you are
still too weak to write yourselfl'
"Please don't tell her that; it
will make her worry. Tell her l
am fast getting well.'
s'The first day got homo my
mother asked how l liked Mrs.
Lincoln, the presidents wife.
81 never met Mrs. Lincoln.
What made you think / hadi'
"Then she took from a box close.
" guarded in the old bureau, a
letter. It read like this: 4
"Dear Mrs. Agen: l am sitting
by the side of your soldier boy.
He has been quite sick, but is get
ting we'll. He tells me to say to
you that he is alright. With re.
spect for the mother of the young
soldier.
"'MRs. ABRAHAM L1NCoLN.'
ssThat was the first l knew that
it was the presidents wife who
had made me those two visits.
begged mother to give me the let.
ter. you can have it when l am
gone.' When she died a box and
an old letter folded in a silk hand
kerchief were among her gifts to
me.
"The box, 'kerchief and letter
will pass along the Agen line as
mementos too sacred for every day
"Last fall when Capt. Robert
Lincoln, OK secretary of war and
ex.minister to England, passed
through West Superior on his way
to Duluth to speak for Mckinley,
one Of his fathers soldiers in the
early sixties, l took a seat in the
same Car. He was surrounded by
a crowd, and / could not get very
close to him. Holding up the old
letter and asking him to take it,
he complied, read it, dropped his
head for q moment and reached
over and took me by the hand and
drew me to him. His lips were
trembling as he pointed to the let.
ter and said:
"'My dear mothers writing
81 then told him how Mrs. Lin.
coin happened to write it. He said
his mother frequently visited the
hospitals, and on MANY occasions
bis father and himself had accom-
| M Mad har Ha had mann 4;mae