The National tribune., 1902-02-06

sleep being light and capricious. He was
often at his desk at & O'Clock in the morn
ing, and. during his first days in the
White House, he found delight in sunrise
visits to the camps and hospitals in and
around the city. He was generally I'M
attended in these rambles, probably from
choice. as he was thus enabled to mingle
freely with the soldiers, and to make hi.l
self familiar with their needs and cOndi-
ton. Now and aga in those first days,
he would find time for an unannounced
visit TO one of the Departments. in the
discharge of some helpful task which he
did not elect to entrust to others. 1t was
an errand OF this sort which, one hot nf-
ternoOn in the early Summer of 1861.
caused his unexpected appearance at the
headquarters of Gen. Winfield Scott. He
looked the picture of WEAKNESS and dis
gust, and, without waiting for the Gen
eral to welcome him. sank heavily into
the first chair to which he came.
Keep your seat, General" said tn"
President. as, with huge bsndanns, h
wiped the dust and moisture from h
face.
1T is too hot to stand on ceremony.
have only dropped in to tell you that
have learned something new today"
What is that, Mr. PRESIDENT nskc
Gen. Scott, look of surprise still liz
gering on his face.
THAT it is a great thing to be an ofiic
holder" Mr.. Lincoln went on. Since
clock this morning | have been Irylu
my best to get an audience with a cleT
in the Pension Office, but without success.
have been upstuirs and downstairs, froI
the ground floor to the attic, half dozc
times, and | am completely tagged out.
Pardon me, Mr.. President" Gen. Scot
broke in-"but it is rather an uncommo
thing for the President of the Unite,
States to become a solicitor of pensions
When you have any business of that kin
demanding attention, send it to me. an
my secretary will be glad to attend to it
without delay"
The secretary in question was Col (af
towards Maj.-Gen.) Schuyler Hamilton
and it is he who tells the story.
Il am sure the claim is a just one" tn,
President continued, unmindfu of tn,
Generals interruption, "for | have gOn,
over the papers in the case with care.
Here he drew bulky package from on,
If his pockets. "The applicant is tn,
widow of a Corporal who was killed b!
the Indians. She should have had hel
money long ago, but nobody seems to have
taken any interest in the case. She has
been haunting the White House almos
taily for weeks. | am resolved to winC
he matter up one way or another today
| have promised the poor woman an an
Swer at O'Clock, and she is waiting fOI
10 you think it would take you, Colonel
addressing Hamilton-.'to get this case
through the Pension Ofice?'
1T should be done in half an hour re
Dlied Hamilton, as he glanced over the
papers to see il they were i'll proper form.
''Go ahead, my son." said the Presi
dent. 'and | will wait for you here
Five minutes later Hamilton was ad-
dressing the Commissioner of Pensions
Did YOU see q tall daTk-cOmule xiOnpd
man here tOdayT' he asked. He wore
linen duster and slouch hat, and was
Interested in the pension of 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 a pretty fix. That man is
President Lincoln. and | have just prom
ised him / would bring him an answer
from you inside Of half an hour"
This brief announcement wrought an
instant change in the Pension Office. Bells
were rung and heads of divisions sent
for, while clerks and messengers ran lere
and there at the seeming peril of life and
limb. Before the expiration of the prom
ised half-h0ur, Hamilton placed the final
apers, duly signed and executed, in the
hands Of the President. He looked them
over carefully, to make sure that they
were right, and then, with quizzical
smile, asked:
"Can YOU tell me. Colonel, how it is
that | was so long and failed, and you
were 50 short and succeeded?"
80 speak frankly, Mf. President" :"
said Hamilton, 81 regret to say that you
are not known by sight in the Pension
Office"