Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-08-08

THE TINY SOLDIER WHO ASSISTED
AT THE PUBLIC LEVEE.


I Old Abe'A Narrative About How the
Flat Bottomed Boat Went Aground
and How She Got snfeIy Back Int
the Ohio River.
On one occasion a little drummer
boy, securing leave Of absence, accom-
panied q sergeant to public levee thai
"Old Abe" was holding at the White
House. They went early, and wher
President Lincoln appeared and the
handshaking began they were not long
in reaching him.
The tall man, almost giant in phys
| ical proportions, looked down with an
amused smile at the tiny drummer boy
who appeared hardly 10 years of age
| Grasping the little fellows right hand
the president suddenly reached out his
left, swung the boy off his feet and
set him gently down on n small table
beside him.
"Aha, my little soldier" he said
laughing. ''you shall help Uncle Abe
review this line today, and if your SUI
perior officer objects, why, I'll prolons
| your leave of absence"
| Lincoln asked the boy his age, place
/ of residence, regiment and where he
was on duty. Then, as some Of the
more important officers Of the army or
| navy, members of congress or Of the
executive departments Glanced to pass
| in the line, the president would gravely
Introduce his young assistant, with
whom they were required to shake
hands as we'll as with himself.
When the reception was over, Presl-
| dent Lincoln took the boy into his pri-
vate apartments and introduced him TO
Mrs. Lincoln. After entertaining him
| at luncheon he dismissed him with a
brief note to the commanding officer of
the hospital where he was then sta
toned telling why the boys leave of
| absence had been extended.
Lincoln's geniality and Willingness at
| all times to hear or to tell good story
were conspicuous traits, not always
agreeable to some Of his able but wor-
ried and irritable advisers.
On one occasion q sergeant had a
squad of men at work unloading sup
plies from an Ohio river steamboat
| that in some mysterious manner had
made its way from the interior to the
coast waters of Virginia. 1t was fat
bottomed boat, drawing not more than
three feet of water when loaded and
| hardly dampening its plank bottom
when light. 1t was propelled by a
horizontal stern wheel, driven by q
small upright engine. Boats Of that
type were common on the Ohio, which
runs almost dry at some seasons. They
were known as "Pittsburgers" and
were tabled to navigate freely in a
heavy dew.
The SergeantS men were hard at
work carrying rations ashore from this
craft when suddenly they stopped and
sent up q lusty cheer. A little tugllke
steamer had pulled up alongside, and
from 1t stepped tall, awkward man
dressed in rusty black and wearing a
napless silk hat. The sergeant recog-
| nized the president and saluted.
"YoUr boat Is we'll named, sergeant" I"
said the latter gravely.
The soldier was puzzled. He did not
know that the steamer had name and
said so.
The president took him by the arm
and led him back on the tug. There
| the stern Of the "Pittsburger" loomed
above them, and on its dirty white sur
Co In, 20 rrf1f 1aff rd
long appeared the single word, Mist.
"Yes," said Lincoln, 'it's very well
named indeed, sergeant All those
boats need Is q mist, and they'll run
anywhere.
"Years ago." he continued, Il was at
tending court in Cairo, Ills, when the
Ohio was so low that all the water
there was between its banks was what
had spilled over from the Mississippi.
Those 'Pittsburgers' were passing and
repassing all the time. One night there
came up little shower that raised the
level maybe a half inch. One of 'em
got out of the channel, slid ashore
and grounded in the mud right beside
the courthouse.
L
/ remarked to a brother attorney that
that boat was aground to stay. He
was from Egypt and knew more
about 'Pittsburgers' than / did. He
merely smiled and said, You wait and
see.'
''There came on another shower that
afternoon. / heard an engine putting
Il nd ro1 ntr% af ~ wi.
dow. Maybe you'll think I'm exagger-
| ating, but there was that boat steam
| ing down the road toward the river.
| and In two minutes she was back In
the Ohio. just as the shower was over.
| 81 expressed my surprise to the
| judge, but he said that was nothing.
| If the shower hadn't come up In time,
boy with sprinkling pot to go ahead.
| They're great boats, sergeant. Likely
| as not this one got here by coming
across country"
| President Lincoln repeated this ex-
travagant story without the ghost of a
smile. During its recital Secretary
| Stanton and Generals Halleck and
Sherman-the last named having run
up the day before from his march
through the Carolinas-who were with
the party. had approached the presl-
| dent. General Sherman smiled broadly,
but Stanton looked annoyed. The pres
ident caught his glance and, with n
wink at the others, said. But maybe
| you've heard this before, Stanton"
VERY likely / have" the secretary
grimly responded, but | would sug-
gest. Mr.. President. that General Grant
is awaiting us"
The CLEAN of amusement left the
kindly mans eyes. He gravely turned
and shook hands with the sergeant and
then strobe after his companions as
| thev mnde their wny oshorp Roe L.