The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-02-12
hawthorne's Pen Pictures
of Abraham Lincoln.

Inc tone OF the dispatches gave
rise to an apprehension that he might
not cooperate fully in the enterprise
At hand. The Secretary OF War, in
anger, laid the dispatches before
President for advisory instruct.
They did not disturb Mr.. Lincoln in
the least. In fact. they rather amused
him. After reading all the papers
be said. In a cheerful and reassurine
q MT. Secretary, never mind
these dispatches; they don't mean
anything; just go right ahead. Gov.
Curtin is like a boy l once saw at
the launching of a ship. When every
thing was ready they picked out his
boy and set him on the ship to knock
away the trigger and let her go. At
the critical moment everything de-
pended on that boy. He had to do the
job well, by a direct, vigorous blow.
and then lie fiat and keep still while
the ship moved over him. The bow
did everything right; but he yelled
as II he were being murdered from
the time he got under the keel until
he got out. / thought the skin was
all scraped of his back, but his hide
was not touched"
The master OF the yard told me
that this boy was always chosen for
that job; that he did his work we'll:
that ne mad been hurt, but that
he always squealed In that way.
That's Just the way" continued Mr..
Lincoln. that Gov. Andy Curtin does.
Make up your mind that he Ia not
hurt, that he Is doing tho work right
and pay no attention to his souealing.
He only wants to mako you under
stand how hare his task is"
sometimes the President yielded to
Secretary S%tanton's judgment. Rev.
Charles w. Heisler, a Methodist min
lister, who still survives, had rather a
o snap" as chaplain OF a hospital
IN Philadelphia. His wife was very
Ill. and the Secretary of War had Just
ordered him to his post Of duty at the
Dry lortugas, or some place equally
unsatisfactory. HeiSler wanted the
order rescinded. He saw Mr.. Lin
coin, explained the whole matter to
the president, who said: 81 think this
1CI\hS odShL " ne dIOW60 fO re-
main where he Is"
Lincoln reached to a pigeon hole in
his desk and took out q card. on
which he wrote:
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary OF
War: II the exigencies of the service
Will permit, let up or Mr.. Heisler and
leave him where he is. A. Lincoln"
Rev. Heisler went over to the War
ONCE In high spirits. Stanton was in
n OF his uproarious humors. For
the modern Carnot, in spite of his
many virtues and his solid Presbyter.
ianism. could, when angered, swear
ike a. moss trooper. He read Mr..
L1ncoins card and said to the minis
ter, Go back and tell Mr.. Lincoln |
will be ID Ii l will do what he re.
quests" After the President had lis
tened patiently to Stanton's message
he said with a twinkle in his eye.
We'll, l never did have much infu-
ence with this administration"
Rev. Mr.. Heisler resigned next day
as chaplain in the United States sery.
ice.
The next time the writer saw the
President the first thing he said was:
Il did something this morning which
has aroused the ire of Secretary Stan
ton. Congressman Dennison, Of Penn
s~ylvania, came to me with the mother
OF John Russell. a soldier who was to
be shot within forty-eight hours for
characterization, and I gave a peremp-
tory order %pardoning the soldier and
restoring him to his regiment. At 4
recent battle in the face Of the enemy
John Russell's captain ran away.
When the battle was over. in which
nall OF the company was lost, thi,
soldier met his captain, and walking
up 10 him, rife in hand, he said:
Saptaln -. you are . id COW
ara. and ought to be shot for coward.
ice.'
The captain pulled out his revolver
ana attempted to kill Russell. They
were separated. The captain pre-
1erred charges Of INSTRUMENTATION
against the soldier. and 4 subservieut
court-martial sentenced Russell tn he
shot. and did not even ceus,,r. thu
cowardly officer. Congressman Don.
nison has just given me all the facts
OF mis- case, and ! have just made tho
poor mother happy by saving the bow.
q did more. dismissed the COW.
ardly captain from tho army"
John Russell still lives to tell thi.
story how the great head Of the army
and n0uW had $500