Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-04-07

the Best Stafnp An any SoiScsAon Soldier Who Wouldn't Tell Lincois a Lie.
 ''Let this go. 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 18G1-2, it was common practice with the soldiers, when they got a 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 n 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 T. O Howe, who succeeded Captain James as postmaster general i'll President Arthur's cabinet. For 20years 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.
 !" Y ou fellows, there, are making t,TocF rx-o7,= fyaft7no, o oouY11o If coIla. 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 GOV CTS "
 Within few days Frank King aud Harry Dunn, who for years after the war was q Chicago business man, went to the city. They called at the White House. 1t was easier to see the president then than i5 is now At certain hours of the day soldier could reach the chief executive with fully as much ease as a senator can ill these later years
 King was the ringleader. Approach ing the guard, he said: We want to gee MT. Lincoln. Please stand aside and let us pass.
 Who-are you, and what is your busi- ness?'
 You tell old Abe we have charge of regiL4ent over on Arlington Heights and want to see him OH an important matter. He'll let us i'll. ,
 Where are your shoulder straps?"
 I've came over in our everyday clothes. Come. we are in hurry. Le, Us go in and see MT. Lincoln. ''
 The parley 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 bada 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 p
 .I'd much rather have you do if, Mir Lincoln. The folks at home would like to see your name on my letters. D
 "I'Q fix one of them. Take the rest to your congressman. Who is he?"
 ''I don't know.
 Where is your home?"
 sI.amartine, Fond du Lac county, Wis ,"
 '9trhat is my friend Scott sloan's dis. triet. You go to Mr. Sloan. He will fix the rest of them. J
 The president shook hands with the two priyates, asked them 10 be brave soldiers and wished them safe return to their western homes.
 Frank couldn't make his tentmates believe that the president had written ''Let this go. A. Lincoln. " But the next day he wrote a 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 re-enlisted-''y 'yeierani2ed, /" as they called it. In company with two others 1 went to tAe White House. Ihe presi- dent shook hands with us, thanked us for swearing i'll for three years more and expressed the hope that we would have nice visit on onr veteran furlough
 Mr. President, said Jones-Ed Jones---''you ranked letter for one of the boys ill our company, Frank King. I wish you would frank one for me- :"
 ssOdd as it may seem, you are the second soldier to make such request Sc both are of the same company? Very we'll /"
 On Jones' envelope he wrote "A. Lincoln, President, " and as he handcd it baok he asked what had become of that other man who had asked him to pass a letter
 He was killed at Gettysburg. {"
 shall neger forget tha lcok of sad. ness in the presidents face when the answer was given. and ii had not disap- peared when we left the room
 Jones, what did you tell him about King for? Did yen see how it pained hims"
 What did he ask about him for? Do