Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

the station, however, that official prompt
ly and firmly declined. First, he de-
clared Bender was too young. BESIDES.
he declared the engine could never make
the trip for the very good reason that IL
would be wrecked by rebels before 1t was
two miles out of Washington. 1t was
finally necessary for Bender to return to
the War Department and get a formally
signed by Secretary of War Stanton him
self.
But the wires were finally laid and
Bender got down to business: He re-
abandoned as no longer needed, and
during that time he met and came to
know intimately almost every ohcer
of high rank In the Union on, army, f for
conferences, and always When tney
came to the capital they either quar-
tered at Fort Lincoln or made many
visits there.
'I remember one night / was sitting
sending messages to the Army or the
Potomac" said Bender, when huge
weight seemed to fall on my shoulders.
The next second l realized that IT was
a long pair Of arms which yere closed
intentionally tight about my neck.
My first thought was that the rebels
had taken the fort; that one of them
had broken into the office and INTENDED
to choke me into insensibility to Keep
me from sending warning to the war
Department 1 was trying to think
what to do when the owner of those
long arms spoke.
Son. he said have you anything
for me not for the Department. doh
mean the regular dispatches, mean
ANYTHING new-anything that ! ought 10
know now. 1t takes too long to wait for
the messages to come to me throuen .he
department | can't bear the waiting.
THE voice gave the paradoxical impress
sion Of being at once hard and SOFT Win
1t all though, it was unutteraply saU
But 1t was mighty reassuring to me. AS
soon as he spoke knew my idea ABOUT
rebels was all wrong. The whole thing.
the fear and the reaction, was quite
shock to me- but it wasn't half the shock
that l got when / looked up to see VINO
had hold of me. 1t was President Lincoln.
"I'n never forget Lincoln's face as 1t
looked that night 1t was absolutely world
weary I'm tired, son, tired, on, so
tired he said, as l looked up. and ne
seemed to lean on my shoulders still more
heavily.
There were no messages of any i'm
portance that evening. and told him So
His expression seemed to grow still more
weary. He hesitated a minute then
Strengthened and started for the door
Before he got there, though, he stopped
and came back. Maybe something Will
come in pretty soon.' he said II ought
to get something. IL you don't mind
I'll sit down with You and wait
+ x
"IIe drew up chair, sat down. rested
his elbows on his knees, and sunk his
face in his hands. Every few minutes he
would raise his face and ask. Nothing
yet, son? Then. when i would answer
No he would sink his face in his hands
again He sat there for perhaps three
quarters of an hour Then ne got up.
II guess there's not much use in wait
ing any longer. he said I guess l might
as we'll go on back to Washington. Thank
you for letting me rest. son. / needed it.
"A few minutes later l heard the clat-
ter of the company Of cavalry that was
his escort. conveying him back to the
White House..
Lincoln came back to the fort often
after that. Sometimes he rode out in a
carriage. Again he would come on horse
back Always he came at night, usually
about 10 O'Clock. and on several occasions
he came out in a driving rain and would
enter my office. wet to the skin and mud
despatched. He always visited my Office.
That was one of the chief reasons for his
visits. He couldn't stand the suspense of
waiting for messages to come to him
through the regular procedure. ] never