The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-20

you. Tnis IS the most minimizing Sltua. | ton in which l ever found myself. | would not have been here except that have been driven to extremities-and that by you. do not blame you for it--foE anything, but have tried so hard to get | justice-oh, so hard, sir, in the best cause \ ever presented to justice, and 1t has al | gone so wrong-and there has been sC many years of struggie-and victor, finally in our grasp ana then that teffi. l yesterday upset it all-and my money is almost gone-and mamma and Granny are down there out of money and depend | ent on me-oh! sir, 1t Is all so terribly i'm | portant that I simply must see you for a few moments The girl broke into sobs for a moment, but before he had time to say anything, resumed:
 'T beg your pardon, oh, I beg your par don; all ask is that you let me tell my story"
 Go on. tell it," he said gently. Sam, a glass of wine for the lady,
 I am trying to get through Congress the Buller claim. 1 thought 1t was through all rght until you made that hear the story-that is all 1 ask.
 We are Viig nians. sir. the Buffers Before the war we possessed considerable estates in West Vi ginia-and slaves and were people of consequence and related to the best blood ot the South. My grandfather. Bernard Butler, was stu de mt and the ki lduest ot msn. Although born Vo-hUIdar Ae became very much oppos ed to slav,r ry and just betCre the war liberated all his slaves and moved North, thus alternating himself from his family. Some time after the war began, and wh | the Union u oops were having so difflcult a time in the mountains Of West Virginia, word was taken to Presi- dent Lincoln by Congressman from Iowa where my grandfather then lived. that Bernard Butter, an eX-Slave owner, but now a strong Union man, had lived all his life among those mountains and knew every pass, and suggesting that ne might be used to guide the Union troops. He was summoned to Washington and had many conferences with the President. MT. Lincoln laid down to him as his duty as a Union man that he make the su- preme sacrifice and guide the troops through the passes. He revolted at the thought of taking an enemy into the heart of his native country and among his own people. Oh. sir, l wish you could read the lctters he wrote Granny during those fearful days-now full of sympathy with Lincoln in the fearful task before him. and again wild with protestations that he would never lead hostile army into his native country. Finally. Lincoln conquered and Grandpa agreed to sacri- flee every sentiment upon the altar of what he esteemed to be patriotism. His only condition was that his name should apear upon no records and that he should not receive a cent for his work. The President insisted upon issuing him some sort of a commission and in giving him letter certifying to the work he was do- ing. Here 1t is
 As the Senator scanned the letter sign ed in the undeniable hand writing of the martyred President. the girl went on:
 He did the work the President laid out for him and went back to his Iowa home heart-broken man. Three times after the President wrote him telling him the incalculable service he had rendered the Government. Here are the letters (handins them to the Senator), but it broke Grandpa's heart and he died soon after the war glad that the Union was preserved but broken-hearted over the ruin in the South and particularly over the part he had been compelled to take in 1t. He died poor because he never would claim any part of the family es- tates he had been an instrument in lay ing waste. And papa was killed in the grandma have struggled through all the weary years to keep soul and body to- gether. Some good friends who knew the circumstances have tried at times to get a pension, but failed, as you know. Last month the mortgage was foreclosed and we lost the little home. Then I learned all the story and I took all the money we could raise and came here. l was conn- pension for old Granny who had brought to Grandpa dozens of slaves and hundreds of acres. which all had been given up for loyalty to the Union, and for
 
 not know, sir, what pensions are for, but 1t does seem to me that if there is any reason to grant pension, it Is in this sort of a case.
 And so do l." replied the Senator with glistening eyes. Why was not this story told on the floor of the Congress?" "Oh. sir, that is impossible. Granny would starve before she would let 1t he made public that Grandpa did what he did.''
 That afternoon g. aator Wilmot gave the Senate, the press and the galleries a severe shock by rising when the pension bills came up and withdra wing his obiec- | ton to the Butler case. which. he said. he had investigated thoroughly since the previous day and was convinced was the most me ritorous claim of the kind ever presented to Congress.
 Of course, there ia a sequel and Sena- tor Wilmot is no longer a bachelor Many an evening after hard day fin commit tee or on the floor of the Sanate his young wife throws her arm about his | neck and asks him if he Is still offended at the way sho broke into his bachelor apartment In answer he points to Sam, who still reigns as the lord of the estab- lishment.
 ' by Matte Chlds