Evening journal., 1901-07-26
FORBES OF LINCOLN.
G TINY SOLDIER WHO ASSISTED
AT THE PUBLIC LEVEE.


N le Ohio River.
n one occasion a little drummer
securing leave Of absence, accom-
lied a sergeant to a public leyee that
s. Id Abe" was holding at the White
use. They went early, and when
& asident Lincoln appeared and the
S ldshaking began they were not long
Y reaching him.
& he tall man, almost a giant in phys
3 l proportions, looked down with an
used smile at the tiny drummer boy,
10 appeared hardly 10 years of age.
asping the little fellows right hand,
q president suddenly reached out his
t, swung the boy Off his feet and
him gently down on a small table
side him.
4 Aha, my little soldier" he said,
< ighing, you shall help Uncle Abe
3 view this line today, and If your su-
81 rior officer objects, why, I'll prolong
S ur leave Of absenceT
Lincoln asked the boy his age, place
y residence, regiment and where he
is on duty. Then, as some of the
pre- important officers Of the army or
IVY, members Of congress or of the
ecutive departments chanced to pass
the line, the president would gravely
roduce his young assistant. with
hom they were required to shake
. nds as well as with himself.
When the reception was over, Presi-
mt Lincoln took the boy into his pri-
ite apartments and introduced him to
rs. Lincoln. After entertaining him
luncheon he dismissed him with a
+ ief note to the commanding officer of
e hospital where he was then sta
oned telling why the boys leave of
Dsence had been extended.
Lincoln's geniality and willingness at
Il times to hear or to tell a good story
ere conspicuous traits, not always
greeable to some Of his able but wor-
ed and irritable advisers.
On one occasion a sergeant had a
luad of men at work unloading sup
lies from an Ohio river steamboat
nat in some mysterious manner had
lade its way from the interior to the
oast waters Of Virginia. 1t was a fat
ottomed boat, drawing not more than
hree feet Of water when loaded and
ardly dampening its plank bottom
ghen light. 1t was propelled by a
horizontal stern wheel, driven by a
mall upright engine. Boats of that
ype were common on the Ohio, which
uns almost dry at some seasons. They
yere known as 'Pittsburgers" and
Mere tabled to navigate freely In a
heavy dew.
The sergeant's men were hard at
work carrying rations ashore from this
raft when suddenly they stopped and
sent up a lusty cheer. A little tuglike
steamer had pulled up alongside, and
rom it stepped a tall, awkward man
dressed in rusty black and wearing a
napless silk hat. The sergeant recog-
nized the president and saluted.
"Your boat is well named, sergeant" "
said the latter gravely.
The soldier was puzzled. He did not
know that the steamer had a name and
said so.
The president took him by the arm
and led him back on the tug. There
the stern of the "Pittsburger" loomec
above them. and on its dirty white sur
face in tarnished gilt letters YARD
long appeared the single word, Mist.
EYES," said Lincoln, '1ts very wei
named indeed, sergeant. All those
boats need is a mist, and they'll rur
anywhere.
''Years ago." he continued, Il was at
tending court in Cairo, Ills, when th'
Ohio was so low that all the waite
there was between its banks was wha
had spilled over from the Mississippi
Those 'Pittsburgers' were passing ant
repassing all the time. One night Their
came up a little shower that raised tn
level maybe a half inch. One Of zen
got out Of the channel, slid ashor
and grounded in the mud right besid
the courthouse.
1T was there the next morning, an
I remarked to a brother attorney tina
that boat was aground to stay. II
was from Egypt and knew NOR
about 'Pittsburgers' than / did. II
merely smiled and said, You wait an
see.'
''rhere came on another shower tina
afternoon. 1 heard an engine putin
and looked out of the courthouse wiz
dow. Maybe you'll think I'm exaggel
ating, but there was that boat steam
ing down the road toward the rive
and in two minutes she was back
the Ohio, just as the shower was over
Il expressed my surprise to tt
judge, but he said that was nothing
If the shower hadn't come up in tim
the captain would simply have hired
boy with a sprinkling pot to go ahea'
They're great boats, sergeant. Like
as not this one got here by comm
across country"
President Lincoln repeated this e
travagant story without the ghost of
smile. During its recital Secretai
Stanton and Generals Halleck al
. Sherman-tAe last named having II
up the day pr7ozs from his mare
through the Carollnas-who were wi
the party, had approached the pres
dent. General Sherman smiled broadl
o. I Il 4