Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-02-24
PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND MRS.
HARVEY.

HARVEY.
! have been reading with great in
terest chapter in DR.. j. g. Hoi
lands biography of Abraham Lin
coln,-with so much interest that
desire to put it where others can
read it, too II was written just al
the close of the war. 1t should be
DIR. Holland here speaks was none
other than our own Mrs. Governor
Harvey; and that the hospital thus
established stood on the bank OF
Lake MOnona in the 900 block in the
6th ward, Madison. The story shows
that like the most of us the great
war president had his faults,--thau
at times, under great trial, he was
irritable, petulant. The average
woman in Mrs. HarVey's place would
not have stuck to her task so heroic
ally as she did,-with such logical
persistence. She would have cried
and gone home. Neither would the
average man, once opposed to her
plan, have yielded to mere woman.
But Mrs. Harvey and President LIN
coin were not like the most of us.
DR. Hollands Recital
Let US look deeper into the life in
the whitehouse. The writer has be-
fore him private letter written by a
lady of great intelligence and the
kecnest powers of observation, from
which he has the liberty to draw
some most interesting materials, H.
Illustrative of Mr.. Lincoln's mode OF
dealing with men and women. ana
with the questions which were pre-
scented to him for decision They
VIII Illustrate as well his weakness as
hls strength; and show, better than
any direct statement, how the duties
OF his position had worn upon his
nerves and his temper. The lady
was the widow of one who had died
while serving the soldiers of the
state of which he was the governor:
and she had taken up his work for
charity, and pursued it from the time
Of his death.
The lady said she was received by
Mr.. Lincoln after brief delay. He
was alone, in medium-sized. office.
Ike room, with no elegance around
him. and no eloquence in him. He
was plainly clad in suit of black.
mat htted him poorly; and was sit
ing IN folded-up sort of way, in his
armchair At his side stood a. huge
wrlting-desk and table combined:
under his feet was a simple straw
mattlng; and around him were sofas
and chairs, covered with green
worsted. Nothing more unpretending
could be imagined. AS she entered
MS head was bent forward, his chin
resting on his breast, and his hand
holding the letter she had sent in
he made feint of rising. ann
looking out from under his eyebrows
said inquiringly; Mrs. -" Has.
tening forward, she replied: Eyes,
and L am very glad to see YOU. Mr..
Lincoln.' He took her hand. ana
hoped she was WE'LL" but gave M
smile OF welcome. She had come on
business which interfered with his
poilcy and plans: and she anxiousIv
read his face. full of its lines of care
End thought, and almost stern in its
expression. He motioned her tn a
chalr; and, while he was reading her
letter, she continued the perusal of
MS features. After he had finished
ne looked up, ran his fingers throupn
ms slightly silvered brown hair and
WIN an air of sad severity said.
Madam, this matter of northern
hospitals has been talked of q orao,
zeal, and / thought it was SETTLED.
put IT seems this is not the case.
what have you got to say about it2"
Simply this" she replied, that MANY
SICK In our western army on tho
Mississippi, must have northern DIR
or die. There are thousands or
graves along the Mississippi and Va.
zoo, for whoich the government Is re.
Sponsible-ignorantly, undoubted,v.
nut this ignorance must not continne
IL you will permit these men to como
NORTH you, will have ten men in one
year where you have got one now"
Mr.. Lincoln could not see the Iop,c
OF this. Struggling his shoulders and
smiling in his peculiar, quizzical wav
ne said: If your reasoning were
correct, your argument would he a
good one. I don't see how sending
one sick man north is going to give
us ten we'll ones" The lady replied.
You understand me, l think" Yes.
yes, said he, Il understand YOU: bur
II they go north they will desert. ana
where Is the differencee" Her renIv
was; Dead men cannot fight. and
they may not desert" "A fine way
10 decimate the army,' exclaimed
the president. I'VE should never GER
man back-not one-not ono ;,
Pardon me- responded the lady
but | believe you are mistaken
You do not understand our people
lhey are as true and as loval tn the
government as yourself. The LOYALTY
IS among the common soldiers. and
eney are the chief sufferers Almosr
eontemptuously Mr.. Lincoln replied.
This is your opinion.''
Inc reader will see in the exhibl-
aon OF petulance. evidence that the
president was conscious of being
undermined in his predeterminations.
MRS. -, said he. earnestly, How
many men of the army of the Po-