The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-05-23
L..|NCOLN'S ORDER.
BY F. A. mitchell.
lcopyright. 1910. by American Press Asso-
eiaticni~


lcopyright 1910. by American Press Asso-
ciarien.i~
During the summer of 1862 while
serving In the Army Of the Potomac I
was sent to Washington by my captain
to purchase some supplies for his mess.
Walking on Pennsylvania avenue, in
uniform. was stopped by an old lady,
who said to me:
II see that you are one Of the noble
boys who are flghtin' for your coun-
the Potomac. He was wounded in the
fight the other day. I'm tryin' to get
down there to take care Of him. I
tried this mornin' TO cross Long bridge,
but a man with gun stopped me-"
While l sympathized with the old
lady, was very much amused at her
simplicity. l was but twenty years
old and more full OF Old Nick than
common sense, 50 | concluded to chat
her a bit.
"If you wish that man with a gun
to let you 90 down to see your boy
you'n have to get a pass" | said to
| her.
"Who gives out passes?" she asked
''rhe president
'eWhere can ! find himT' asked the
old iady.
AT the White House. You follow
this avenue along TIL YOU pass a jog
In the street turn TO your right. then
10 your left. and you can't miss it.
Tell him | sent you"
whats your name?"
THEODORE Farnsworth, -th PennsyL
Fania."
or course | gave her an assumed
name.
'What kind OF a lookin' man is the
PRESIDENT" she asked. There's sich
crowd o people pushln' their way In
everywhere here that I'd like TO know
somepln about the man I'm lookin' for
before so to see him."
"Mr Lincoln is a little bit Of fell
low"
81 though that was Senator Doug
las"
mo; it's Mr.. Lincoln He's the
smallest man In the United States"
"Oh. I got It the other way. I'm
much obliged to you for glvin' me
all this information. l 'spect your
mothers worritin' about you. II l
knew her address I'd write her and
tell her how kind you've been to me-
This gave me a twlnge OF conscience.
certainly didn't propose that she
should write my mother what / had
told her and didn't furnish her with
the address. The old lady went to-
ward the White House, and went
about my business.
The same afternoon while ON the
street / heard voice behind me:
General Farnsworthv
did not suspect that the voice
called me, but II was so close 10 me
that turned. There was the old lady
who had stopped me In the morning.
General" she said Being a high
private. | wllted at being called gen
eral" Il want to thank you over aud
over again for the favor you done me
this mornin'."
! Did you see the PRESIDENT"
asked.
mo; | didn't see Mr. Lincoln, but ]
saw some one that done all wanted
How was thatY'
well, went TO the White House
as you told me to do, but the man at the
door said Mr.. Lincoln was busy just
then. But he must "a told me an un,
truth, for a couple o. men came down
stairs just then, and heard one OF
'cm say TO the other, The president
has just gone over to the war depart
ment' So thinks ! I'll just step over
70 the war department and see him
there. inquired the way, and as ]
went In l met a tall, thin man with q
stovepipe hat and an umbrella comm
out. l said 10 him;
al heard the president Is In here
/ want TO see him Kin you tell me
where TO flnd himT
"'what do you want TO see hin
aboutr asked the man. bendin' dow
10 hear my answer
Il told him that my son had beer
wounded down In Virginia and | haI
started across the bridge TO 20 dowr
and take care OF him. but the mar
with the gun was tellin' you abou
had stopped me. said wanted Mr.
Lincoln to tell that man with the gur