Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-02-28
DID NOT KNOW LINCOLN:
CLERK IGNORES PRESIDENT

patton of the white house Lincoln Of
ten found time for an unanrounced
visit TO one of the departments, in the
discharge of some helpful task
which he did not elect To trust TO
others. II was an errand OF this sort
which. one hot afternoon IN the
early summer of 1861. caused his I'M
expected appearance AT the head
quarters of General Winfield Scott.
| He looked the picture of WEAKNESS
and disgust. and without waiting for
the general TO welcome him, sank
heavily into the first chair to which
he came.
! Keep your seat. general" said the
president. as with a huge bandana,
he wiped the dust and moisture from
his face. 1t is too hot TO stand on
ceremony. | nave only dropped in to
tell YOU that | have learned some
thing new today"
What is that. Mr.. President" ask
ed General Scott. look of surprise
still lingering on his face.
That il is Il great thing To be an
office-hOlder." Mr.. Lincoln went on.
Since o o'clock this morning | have
been trying my best TO get an audi
ence with a clerk in the pension #
flee. but without success. | have
been upstairs and downstairs. from
the ground floor to the attic. half n
dozen times and 7 nm completely
tagged out
Pardon me. Mr.. President" Cen
eral Scott broke in. but il is rather
an uncommon thing for the president
of the United States 10 become a
solicitor of pensions. When you
have any business of that kind de-
manding attention. send il 10 me.
and my secretary here will be glad
TO attend 10 it without delay"
The secretary in question was
Colonel. afterwards Major General.
Schuyler Hamilton. and it is lac who
| tells the story.
Il am quite sure the claim is a Just
one" the president continued. I'M
mindful of the generals interrupt
Ition. for have gone over the papers
in the case with care" Here he drew
bulky package from one of his
pockets. The applicant is the widow
of corporal who was killed by the
Indians. She should have had her
money long ago. but nobody seems
to have taken any interest in the case.
She has been haunting The white
house almost daily for weeks. | am
resolved to wind the matter up one
way or another today. | have prom
Used the poor woman an answer at
o'clock. and she Is waiting for me
over at the white house. How long
do YOU think Il would take you, Colo
mel" addressing Hamilton. Ito get this
case through the pension Office
1T should be done m half an
hour" replied Hamilton. as ne glanc-
ed over The papers To see If they were
i'm form.
GO ahead. my SON. said the preSi-
dent. land / will wait for you here"
Five minutes later Hamilton was
addressing the commissioner of pen
sions.
Did YOU see a tall, darl,-compleX-
toned man here today?' ne asked.
HE wore a linen duster and n SLOUGH
hat. and was interested in the pen
sion of a woman whose husband was
killed in the Seminole war
''Oh yes, remember the man." was
the reply. He said he was a lawyer
from somewhere out west"
WELL said Hamilton. you have
got yourself into pretty fix. That
man IS President Lincoln. and have
just promised him / would bring him
an answer from you inside of half
an hour
The latter announcement wrought
an instant change in the pension Of
flee. Bells were rung and heads of
divisions sent for. while clerks and
messengers ran here and there at
the seeming peril of life and limb.
Before the expiration of the prom
ised half-hOur. Hamilton placed the
final papers, duly signed and exc
cuted. i'm the hands of the president.
He looked them carefully over to
make sure that they were right. and
then. with a quiZzical smile, asked:
Can you tell me. Colonel. how it
is that | was so long and failed. and
you were so short and succeeded"
'"ro speak frankly. Mr. President"
said Hamilton. Il regret To say you
are not known by sight in the pen
sim office. ''-Philadelphia Saturday
Evening Post.