Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-02-02

N@o
House an attendant entered AID hand
ed the president a card. A panied ex-
preston crossed Mr.. Lincoln's face as
he recognized the name of Julia At
water. The papers in the case of her
sons court martial had been forward
| ed to him, and his signature was neces-
sary before the death sentence could
be carried out. The visitor offered to
give way to the newcomer. but Mr..
Lincoln urged him to remain where
he was, at the same time giving an
order that the woman was to be ad-
mitted.
Presently the door vas opened, and
a pale faced woman entered.
MY son has been condemned to die"
she said, "and will be executed unless
you will save him."
what is he charged with, madam"
"Desertion."
"Was he not regularly tried by court
martial?"
Yes, but
And was he not arrested passing to-
ward the Confederate lines?"
Eyes, but there is another side to the
story"
II have heard the story, and / am
sorry to say to you that l cannot posi-
bly, interfere with the sentence of the
court"
Mr.. Lincoln turned away from the
woman, but was recalled to her by the
sound of a falling body. She had
tainted.
The president FASTENED to her, raised
her and called an attendant. Together
they worked over her till she was re-
stored to consciousness.
At the time the secretary of war, Mr..
Stanton, and the generals of the army
were complaining bitterly of MI. Lin
coins interference with their efforts to
maintain discipline by p%ardoning those
who were sentenced, especially for de-
sertion. 1t was these complaints that
had moved him to put a curb on his
sympathies and refrain from interior
ence. Papers in the case of Arthur At
water had passed through the war de-
partment, and Mr.. Stanton had fore
stalled any action on the part of MI.
Lincoln in the doomed mans favor.
When the woman had recovered b
begged so hard that the president would
hear her side of the story that he final
ly consented to do so. IF you really
come here for justice" he said, sitting
down beside her, you shall have it,
and it will make me happy. to give it,
but If you merely wish to work on my
sympathies in order to blind me to my
duty you will make me miserable with
out making yourself less miserable"
"God bless you, Mr.. President y was
the reply. Il only ask that you will
zeal what 1 have to say, and ii you
can be convinced my story is true that
you will interpose in my sons behalf"
The widow then told MI. Lincoln the
story as it has been told here. When
she had finished Mr.. Lincoln said to
her:
"You may go now, madam, with a
good heart. 1 promise you that pro-
ceedings shall be stayed and that you
shall have an opportunity to prove the
truth of your statement. If you do so
you have nothing to fear"
The president repressed the express
sions of gratitude of the m he a
made happy, interrupting her to say
that he was only doing his duty, and
she went out weeping tears of relief
and joy.
Arthur Atwater was preparing him.
self to meet his fate when a telegram
was received by him that his execu-
ton had been ordered delayed by the
president for an investigation of his
case. His mother made good her state
ment. and he was returned to duty.
His life was saved by the appeal of
his mother to one who mingled a kind
ly nature with a n of justice.
There is no record at hand of what
the secretary of war said when it was
announced to him that a stay had
been granted in the case of Private
Arthur Atwater. 1t is quite likely.
however, that he frowned and NUT
tered, Another ease of chicken heart
edness on the part of the president"
There is a sequel to the story which
gives it a fitting ending. When the
truth came III that the officer to
whom Arthur had applied for leave
had in face of the evidence at hand
accused the boy of cowardice and had
called his mother a scheming rebel.
the captain was taken to task by his
colonel, who preferred charges against
him. While the case was pending the
captain got ON a spree and while drunk
was thrown from his horse and killed.
If Mr.. Lincoln's tender h~eartedness
was a weakness it was not the Kind
of a weakness that his %lieutenants in
the big war attributed to him. 1t was
not the kind of a weakness that leads
one to do an injustice for fear of dis
pleasing some one. Mr.. Lincoln him
self said:
81 do not mind crossing or even de-
flying the whole world when | can do