Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-07

| Dut cOuld not pay the neaVy nne In
money imposed.
The president had taken his seat
again, and read the eloquent appeal
for mercy. He looked up over his
spectacles, fixed his eyes piercingly on
| the congressman and said:
| This Is a moving appeal, sir, ex-
pressed with great eloquence. ! might
pardon a murder under the spell Of
such words, but man who can make
business of going to Africa and rob-
bing her Of her helpless children and
selling them into bondage-no, sir-he
may rot in jail before he shall have
liberty by any act Of mine!"
Again the mothers heart sank.
| Her hour had come. She must put
the issue of life or death to the test,
and, as Elsie rose and stepped quickly
| forward, she followed, nerying herself
for the ordeal.
The president took Elsie's hand ia
mi,iarly and smiled without rising.
Evidently she was well-known to him.
"Will you hear the prayer Of a
broken-hearted mother Of the south,
who has lost four sons In General
! Lees army" she asked.
Looking quietly past the girl, he
| caught sight for the first time, OF the
faded dress and the sorrow -shadowed
face.
He was on his feet in a moment, ex-
Take this seat, Madam, and T. n
tell me in your own way what 1 can 10
for you"
In simple words, mighty with the
eloquence Of a mothers heart, she told
her story and asked for the pardon OF
her boy, promising his word OF honor
and her own that he would never again
take up arms against the Union.
THE war Is over now, Mr.. Lincoln
she said, land we have lost all. Can
you conceive the desolation Of my
heart? My four boys were noble men.
They may have been wrong, but they
fought for what they believed to be
right. You, too have lost boy
The presidents eyes grew dim.
Yes, a beautiful boy" he said,
simply.
"Well, mine are all gone but this
baby. One Of them sleeps In an un-
marked grave at Gettysburg. One died
In northern prison. One fell at Chan
cellorsville, one In the Wilderness. and
this, my baby. before Petersburg.
Perhaps I've loved him too much. this
last one-he's only child yet"
You shall have your boy, my dear
Madam the president said, simply,
der to the secretary of war.
The mother drew near his desk,
softly crying. Through her tears she
said:
my heart is heavy, Mr.. Lincoln,
when think of all the hard and bit
ter things we have heard Of you."
well give my love to the people Of
South Carolina, when you go home,
and tell them. that I am their presi-
dent, and that l have never forgotten
this fact in the darkest hours Of this
awful war; and am going to do ev-
erything in my power to help them"
You will never regret this generous
act" the mother cried with gratitude.
"I reckon not" he answered. I'll
toll you something. Madam, If you
won't tell anybody. It's a secret OF my
admi "istration. I'm only too glad OF
an excuse to save life when can.
Every drop Of blood shed in this war
north and south has been as II 1t were
wrung out Of my heart. A strange fate
decreed that the bloodiest war In hu-
man history should be fought under
my direction. And I, to whom the
sight of blood is sickening horror.
have been compelled to look on In ST.
lent anguish because / could not stop
It! Now that the Union Is saved, not
ano: her drop Of blood shall be spilled
IL can prevent It,"
May God bless you!" the mother
cried, as she received from him the
order. -
She held his hand an instant as she
took her leave, laughing and sobbing
in her great JOY. -, :,
II must tell you, Mr.. President. !"
she said, "how surprised and how
pleased I am to find you are a south
ern man."
"Why, didn't you know that my pa
rents were Virginians, and that I was
born in Kentucky?"
VERY few people In the south know
it. l am ashamed to say I did not
"Then, how did you know I am
southerner"
"By your looks, your manner Of
speech, your easy, kindly ways, your
tenderness and humor, your firmness
In the right as you see 1t, and, above
all, the way you rose and bowed to a
woman in an old, faded black dress,
whom you knew to be an enemy" -.
mo, Madam, not an enemy now,
he said, softly. THAT word Is out OF
date"
IF we had only known you in
time"
The president accompanied her to
the door with a deferer ce Of manner
that showed he had been deeply touch
ed.
Take this letter to Mr. Stanton at
once" he said, "Some folks complain
of my pardoas, but 1t rests me after
hard days work II can save some
poor boys life go 10 bed happy,
thinking of the JOY 1 have given to
those who love him."
AS the last words were spoken,
peculiar dreaminess Of expression
stole over his care-worl face, as II
throng Of gracious memories had lift
ed for a moment the burden OF his
life.
TO BE CONTINUED.