The National tribune., 1900-04-26
EVERYDAY LIFE OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
tContinued from first page.

with my sorrows.' A few days afterward
she asked him if he could trust God. He
replied: 1 think l can, and | will try.
wish l had that childlike faith you speak
of, and trust He will give it to me- And
then he spoke of his mother, whom so many
years before he had committed to the dust
among the wilds of Indiana. In this hour
of his great trial, the memory of her who
had held him upon her bosom, and soothed
his childish griefs, came back to him with
tenderest recollections. L remember her
prayers said he, and they have always
followed me. They nave clung to ME all
my life."-
SOME CHAPTERS FROM THE SECRET
SERVICE.
An interesting passage in the secret
history of the war at I lis period is narrated
by one of the chief actors, Mr.. A. M. Ross,
distinguished ornithologist, who has
enriched the natural history Of America
by a mass of valuable notes on the birds of
Canada. A few months after,the inaugura-
ton of President Lincoln, Mr.. Ross
received n letter from the Hon. Charles Sum-
ner. requesting him to come to Washington
at his earliest convenience. 'The day after
my arrival in Washington" says Mr.: Ross,
Il was introduced to the President. Mr..
Lincoln received me very cordially, and
invited me to dine with him. After dinner,
Mr.. Lincoln led me to window, distant
from the rest of the party, and said: Mr..
Sumner sent for YOU at my request; we
need a confidential person in Canada to
look after our interests and keep us posted
as to the schemes Sof .he ConfederafeS in
Canada. You have been strongly recon-
mended to me for the position. Your
mission shall be as confidential as you
please; no one here but your friend Mr..
Sumner and myself shall have anyknowl-
edge of your position. Think it over to-
night, and if You can accept the mission,
come up and see me at 9 O'Clock tomorrow
morning. When | took my leave OF him,
he said, i hope YOU will decide to serve us.
The position thus offered was one not
suited to my tastes, but, as Mr.. Lincoln
appeared very deSirOuS that | should accept
it, / concluded to lay aside my prcitdces
and accept the responsibilities of the mis-
sion. | was also persuaded to this con-
clusion by the wishes of my friend, Mr..
Sumner.
AT 8 o'clock next morning, waited
upon the President, and announced my
manner, and said: Thank you, thank
you; l am glad of it, You must help us to
circumvent the Vaccinations Of the rebel
agents in Canada. There is no doubt they
will use your country as a communicating
link with Europe, and also with their friends
in New York. 1t is quite possible also
that they may make Canada a base TO
harass and annoy our people along the
frontier.
"After a lengthy conversation relative TO
private matters connected with my mission,
| rose to leave. when he said: 1 will walk
down 10 Wizards with you; the hotel is on
my way to the CAPITOL. where / have an
engagement at noon Before we reached
the hotel, Il man came up to the President
and thrust letter into his hand, at the
same time applying for some Office in Wis
consin. | saw that the President was
offended at the rudenesS, for he passed the
letter back without looking at it, saying:
No, siri | am not going to open shop
here. This was said in a most emphatic
manner, but accompanied by a comical
gesture which caused the rejected appli
cant to smile. AS we continued our walk,
the President spoke Of the annOyances
incident to his position, saying: These
otiice-seekers are curse to the country;
no sooner was my election certain, than /
became the prey of hundreds of hungry,
persistent applicants for office, whose high
est ambition is to feed at the Government
crib When he bid me goodbye, he said:
Let me hear from you once a week at
least AS he turned to leave me a young
army officer stopped him and made some
request, TO which the President replied with
a good deal OF humOr: No, can't do that;
| must not interfere; they would scratch
my eyes out, if | did. You must go to the
proper Department.
A MIDNIGHT IETERYIEw.
"Some time later" says Mr. Ross, Il
again visited Washington. On my arrival
there (abOut midnighU | went direct 10
the Executive Mansion, and sent my card
to the President, who had retired. In a
few minutes the porter returned and re
queSted me 10 accompany him 10 the PreSi-
g oil afalt Oh
Lincoln would join ne. The room into
which was ushered was the same in which
L had spent several hours with the PreSi-
dent on the occasion Of my first interview
with him. Scattered about the floor, and
lying open on the table. were several mill
tary maps and documents. Indicating recent
use. In a few minutes the President came
in and welcomed me in a most friendly
manner. ] expressed my regret at dis
turblng him at such an hour. He replied
in a gpOd-humored manner, saying: No,
no. You did right; you may Wakcu me up
whenever you please. ! have sleT with
one eye open ever since ! came tO Washing
ton; / never close both, except when an
nllice-seeker Is looking Tor me. / then
laid before the President the rebel mail
He carefully examined the address OF each
letter, making occasional remarks. At
length he found one addressed 10 Franklin
Pierce. eX-PreSideut OF the United States,
-
another to eX-AttOrney-Gencral Cushing,
a resident Of Massachusetts. He appeared
much surprised, and remarked, with sigh,
but without the slightest tone of asperity:
! will have these letters inclOSed in official
envelopes. and sent to these parties. When
he had finished examining the addresses,
he tied up all those addressed to private
individuals, saying: i won't bother with
them; but these look like official letters
] guess I'll go through them now He
slowly and carefully. While he was thus
Of studying this eXtraord nary man. A
marked change had taken place in his
countenance since my first interview with
him. He locked much older. and bore
traces Of having passed through months
Of painful anxiety and trouble. There
was a sad, serious look in his eyes that
spoke louder than words OF the disappoint-
mcnts. trials and discouragements he had
encountered since the war began. The
wrinkles about the eyes and forehead were
deeper; the lips were firmcr, but indicative
of kindness and forbearance. The great
struggle had brought out the hidden riches
Of his noble nature, and developed virtues
and capacities which surprised his oldest
and most intimate friends. He was simple,
but aStute; he possessed the rare faculty
OF seeing things just as they are; he was a
Just, charitable and honest man.
Having finished reading the letters,
] rose 10 go, saying that | would go to
Wizards, and have u rest. No, no,
said the President, 1T is now O'Clock; you
shall stay with me while you are in town;
tg..,