The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-02-19

| ture asserted her rights and William
Scott was found asleep at his post Of
duty within gunshot of the enemy. He
was tried by court martial and senten-
ced to be shot. Lincoln by accident
CHANGED to visit him in prison, learned
his story, inquired about his mother,
particularly how she looked The boy
showed him her picture which he had
with him and expressed deep hurnilia-
ton over the fact that he was to die an
ignoble death on the morrow. Lincoln
was deeply touched. Il believe you my
boy" he said, when You say that YOU
promise me today that you will from now
on do your duty as a soldier you will
not be shot tomorrow The promise
was gratefully given. In one of the bat
| ties of the Peninsular campaign. William
Scott was MORALLY wounded His com
rades found him lying on his couch of
earth, mangled and bleeding near I'M
! to death. He expressed as his last
wish that they convey to President Lin
coin this message: William Scott was
happy in that you permitted him to
live: He has fulfilled the promise he
made you at Chain Bridge and died "a
soldiers death fighting for his country"
| once heard Henry Watterson say:
| God bless the legislature of the state of
Minnesota for making the birthday OF
Abraham Lincoln legal holiday. That
remark made of me Lincoln. student
and Lincoln admirer. And l am
glad that | have added to my heroes the
fdll-SplltIer from In6 west, the emanCi-
pator of down trodden man who struck
slavery's chains from three MILAN sable
hands and went up to the gates of heav-
EN- carrying with him for passport and
| reward humanity's ample benediction.
Hard to Account for Gifted Great.
1t is hard to account for the gifted
great. They rise up here and there like
solitary mountain peaks and tower above
their fellows with grandeur of their
| own. Nature is capricious in her moods,
10 md
have philosophy. Now she sings and
there come the poets Now she dreams
and there are opened before us the SUI
| pernal vstas of music. Now she sweeps
the heavens, now she scourS seas I'M
known. now she works in clay or mar
| bic, now she makes the canvass glow
with beauty and seem with life alive
and now she turns to thoughts of state
craft and Lincoln stands before us
| IN all his simple truth and massive
strength.
Lincoln was not without fault for
he was human. He was heroic and
great, but that is not to be faultless.
1t is to dare. to suffer. to achieve to
serve. The world will never forget what
service he rendered man. For. in strilz.
ing down the old and barbarous order of
things, he preserved it's best, and created
a new one possessing a dignity more
glorious than the old
1t was on the eve of war The old
ueScfepil Buchanan was out and the I'M
tried Lincoln was in. Grave misgivjngs
were in the hearts of many. For mems
passions were afiame with anger and
civil discord was brooding her worst Is
our president really able to cope with
this critical crisis? Was the question
often asked and timidly answered nv
friends of the union everywhere.
1t was at the midnight of war. and the
question had been answered. The world
then knew that a master of men and
master of events held the reins of
government in his hands wisely and
firmly as befitted the best ruler of men
that ever lived
His Blood the Healing Potion.
1t was in the morning of peace
peace long prayed for and long delayed
Strong men ran about in the streets
and embraced each other and women
Wept tears of rejoicing. The Captain
OF the victorious host sat gazing over
into the promised land-but why was
1t not for him to enter it who had