Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-03-26
The Comforter
A Story Of President Lincoln
Founded on Fact
By F. A. Mitchell

northern and southern states came on
Allan Fitz Hugh, twelve years old.
was at school in Virginia. He was a
boy Of delicate physique, but was full
OF fire. and, hearing that Abraham
Lincoln was coming southwark at the
head OF an armed force, was much
troubled because he was too young to
shoulder Il muSket and repel the in
vader. lie found it difficult during
those exciting times to attend to his
studies, and had it not been for the
influence of his mother. whom he dear
ly loved, he could not have been kept
at school at all.
In those days the passion attending
war ran high ON both sides. The
songs, the gibes. the speeches and what
was written concerning the great
struggle We're very bitter and usually
far from the truth. In the north it
was Well hang jeff Davis on a sour
apple tree" and in the south President
Lincoln was called the baboon.' The
northern %schoolboy conceived the idea
that President Davis was al ogre, not
realizing that he was an educated gen
tleman, had commanded Il regiment of
United States troops in the war with
Mexico, had been Il United States sen
ator and secretary Of war. The south
ern schoolboy considered President
Lincoln a wild man from the western
woods who delighted in bloodshed.
Children whose minds are not devel-
oped must concentrate upon one head
in any movement in which they are
interested. So Allan's thoughts dwelt
upon Mr.. Lincoln. embodying in him
the whole northern army, which was
to him a terrible horde coming down
to destroy the south.
When Allan was fifteen he begged
his mother to let him so to tight for
the Confederacy. Naturally she clung
to her son. and the matter was com
promised between them in this wise:
III the war was not ovcF in another
year Allan was to enlist with his
mothers consent. Many boys Of his
age, both in the north and in the south.
broke away from parental restraint
and enlisted without permission. Food
for powder was in demand. and the
recruiting officers often winked at the
fact that the recruits were under age.
But Allan was his mothers oRly child.
and. being Of an extremely Affection
ate disposition. the pond between
them was doubly strong.
SO Allan continued at has studies,
though he read more about the battles
that were being fought than the sub
JectS treated of in his textbooks. He
lived in Richmond and at one time had
listened to the roar of cannon during
the seven days battles Ihnt had been
fought between Lee and Mcclellan.
His admiration for soldiers wore away
some of his bitterness against the Fed
eral generals, but President Lincoln
was still the embodiment of his re-
pugnance for the northern people. The
two lieads-Davis of the C~onfederacy
and Lincoln of the Fedora! Union
throughout the wal continued to repre-
sent the bitter antag0nism felt by
either side.
In the early spring of 1868 Allan
10 49," an w NC ICClI y CllS C4
age, and his mother reluctantly CON
scented to his doing biz part to fill the
gaps in the southern tanks made by
northern missiles. When the time
came for him to leave his mother he
was seized with a foreboding that he
would mot see her again. 1t is ques-
tionable which suffered the more at the
parting. mother or son.
Allan enlisted in time to take part
in II of the last battles of the war.
He saw Il dark line OF blue on the
edge of Il wood behind earthworks.
he moved toward it. Suddenly Il storm
burst III his face. He felt himself col.
lapse and sank down on the ground.
His companions in arms went on.
but were oon driven back and over
him, leaving him there with a stream
OF blood flowing from his side.
Later he was picked up by a Fed
eral ambulance corps and placed on u
stretcher. He believed himself to be
dying. and, oh, how terrible not to be
able to bid his mother goodby.
Mother he cried. "Oh. mother"
A tall, spare maj in citizens apparel
heard the wall and directed the car
riers to put down the stretcher and.
Aneeling beside it. asked tenderly.
What can | do for YOU, my poor
boy?"
You are a Yankee. You will do
nothing for me. | wish to send a
message to my mother. but it will neT-
Ell reach her"
Give me your message and l prom,-
Use you that l will send it for you"
The next morning Mrs. Fitz Hugh
heard Of the battle and knew that her
son had been in it. While she was
wondering what might have been his
fate a man rode up to her and gave
her a message. stating that it had
come by flag of truce.
Starting for the front at once, the
anxious mother succeeded in bringing
her bow home. He bOyerad for soma