The Calumet news., 1912-08-29
LINcolN's KINDNESS.
How a Woman Wept Her Way Into
His Sympathies.

TVS 0lFUNdtNloos
1T is extremely difhcult." said NJ.
Speed. to portray adequately the eX-
uusite pathos of Mr. Linccln's charac-
ter as manifested in his action from
time To time. There was. for instance,
the incident of granting discharge
To the woman's sons
is that all" he asked If Edwaid d.
the usher. after the usual multitude
of daily visitors had entered and pre-
sented their requests petitions or
grievances.
There is one poor woman there yet
MI President" replied Edward. "Shc
has been here fer several days, and
has been crying and taking on, ana
hasn't got a chance to come in yet"
Let her iu." said Mr. Lincoln.
The woman came in ard told her
story. II was Just after the battle OF
Gettysburg. She had a husband and
three sons in the army and she was
left alone 10 fight the hard battle Of
life At first her husband had regu-
larly sent her part Of his pay, ara
she had MANAGED to Eve. But grad
ually he had Welded to the tempta-
tions Of camp-lfe. and no more re-
mittances came. Her boys had become
scattered among the various armies,
and she was without help. Would moi
the president discharge one Of them,
that lie might come II her?
Willie the pathetic recital was going
ON. the president stood before the nre-
place, his hands crossed behind his
back and his head bent in earnest
thought. When the woman ended ano
waited moment for his reply, his lips
opened. and he spoke. not indeed as
IL he were replying to what she had
said. out rather as IL he were In Jb"
stracted and unconscious self-eom-
munion.
II have two. and YOU have none.
That was al he said Then he w1lk-
cd across to his writing table at which
he habitually sat. and taking a blank
card. wrote upon IL IN order for the
sons discharge; and upon another pa
per he wrote out in great detail where
she should present II, to what depart
ment. at what Office. and to what OIL
cial, giving her such direction that she
might personally follow the red-tape
labyrinth.
A few DAYS later, at similar close
of the general reception for the day
Edward said That woman. Mr..
President. is here again. and still cry
ing"
Let her in" said Lincoln. What
can ne the matter now"
Once more he stood i'm the sam
place before the fireplace. and for the
second time heard her story The pres
ident's card had been like magic
passport TO her. BY its help she had
found headquarters. camp. regiment
and company But instead of SiVinG
mothers embrace to a lost son re-
stored. she had arrived only in tlmt
to follow him to the grave. And now
would not the president give her tue
next one cf her boys
Oacc more Nj Lincoln responded
with gente ntious cartness, as " talRinS
10 himself. II have two. and YOU have
none" sharp and rather stern, Inc
compression of his lips marking the
struggle between official duty and hu
man sympathy Then he again walk
ed to his little writing table end toon
up his pen TO write for the second
time an order which would give tie
rieading woman one of her remaining
bovs. And the woman, as II moved
by n fiiial impulse she could not re-
strain. moved after him and stood oy
him ut the table rs he wrote, and with
The fond familiarity of mother. placed
her hand upon the presidents hoad
and smoothcd his wandering and tan-
gled hair.-Helen Nicolsy In Century
Maxn zine