Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-11-24

- the White House, and when he saw
the President he would explain the
circumstances and open the way for
The presentation. The next morninc
coates ana Sexton went to the White
House In the same carriage, taking the
framed resolutions with them.
Scores were waiting to see the Pres
ident. but Coates was shown in, and
Sexton waited In the carriage. After
Coates had made his repor, to the Pres
ldent and answered many questions as
TO Colonel Ellsworth and the funeral
services, he spoke Of Sexton and his
mission. Mr.. Lincoln was Interested
az once. aud asked where Sexton was
Coates explained that he was waiting
in carriage. and MI Lincoln ordered
him shown up ut once.
He received Sexton verv cordially
and expressed his regret that there had
been any delay in the presentation "a
the Chicago resolutions. lie read them.
holding the frame up before him. and
showing much feeling. Then he walked;
about, carrying the frame and holding
1t at different places ON the wall. ask,
ing the two men where II would ap.
pear to best advantage. Neither OF
these men ever forgot that picture of
the President holding the Ellsworth
resolutions on the wall and his absorb
ton In the question OF Ellsworth's
death, and II was recalled thirty seven
years later by another incident.
In 1898 | was again In Washington
with Colonel Sexton. We we're stand
ing In the hotel lobby one evening when
regular army officer came up 10 us
and asked for Colonel Sexton. When
Sexton turned toward him expectantly.
the officer said he would not introduce
himself, hut would relate an incident
which would determine whether he
needed an Introduction or not There
upon he proceeded to tell the story of
the presentation of the Ellsworth reso.
lutions in 1861, He was Identified at
once as General Coates. and as the two
talked other stories came out.
"On one occasion Coates called nj the
White House. and found Nicolay tHq
Presidents secretary. having a time
of It with an elderly lady In rusty
black mourning She explained To the
secretary that she must see the Prcsj
dent Her two sons had been killed NJ
Big Bethel, and as she was left alone
IN the world she wanted the President
TO advise her or help her. As she Ind
come to the White House that morn
ing from the old farm she had noticed
thousands of horses and mules branded
I. y. and had been told that all these
belonged 10 the President If that was
the case, he could afford to give her
one mule or horse, and she could make
living peddlng garden truck.
In fact she had some vegetables in
her basket, which she was sure Mr..
Lincoln would take If he only under.
stood the circumstances. Mr.. Nicolay
explained again and again that the
horses and mules did not belong to the
President, but to the government. The
old lady couteuded that President and
government were the same thing. She
had been told that the horses and mules
belonged to the President, and she be
lieved It. and she would continue ia
believe 1t until the President himself
told her 1t wasn't true. Mr.. Nicolay
Incoming
thought Of those two dead boys NJ
Bethel held him to the line OF courtesy
while the waiting Congressman and
Others smiled AZ his evident embarrass
ment
FINALLY. the Secretary said 'Au
these distinguished gentlemen are wait.
ing TO see the President You don't
suppose that, with all these men here
on urgent and important business. that
the President can give time to YOU?
He would said the woman, If he
knew ! lost two boys In one battle
The Secretary said Wait minute
went quickly 70 the Presidents room
and. coming back. said, The President
will see you.' In went the woman past
the waiting officers and others and IN
five minutes came ont triumphant.
THE President had told her that she
had been boaxed about the horses that
he owned no horses as the only ones
ne had owned were burned In the fire
at the White House stables few DAYS
before; that II he dld own MI the
horses marked L S he would give
every woman who lost SONS In battle
a dozen or more but as he bad no.
horses, he could only sympalhiz2 with
her IN her loss and thank her in tho
name Of the country for The eorrifrc
she had made. The old lady said ,h.
believed every word the President said.
and she was perfectly satisfied about
the mules. Chicago Inter Ocean
Obcyed the Generals order.
Gen. sherman once possessed ar
Irish servant whose forte was askin.