Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1918-03-06


letter, the nonprofessional reader
should remember that after 1917 the
position OF every officer who had No.
Ian In charge was one Of the greatest
delicacy. The government had failed
TO renew the order of 1907 regarding
him. What was man to do? Should
ne let him 60? What, then, If he
were called to account by the depart
ment for violating the order of 1907?
Should he keep him? What, then, If
Nolan should be liberated some day,
and should bring an action for false
Imprisonment or kidnapping against ev-
cry man who had had him in charge?
l urged and pressed this upon South
ard, and l have reason to think that
other officers did the same thing. But
the secretary always said, as they so
often do at Washington, that there
were no special orders to give, and
that we must act on our own judy
ment. That means, If you succeed,
you will be sustained; If you fail, you
will be disavowed." Well, as Danforth
says, all that is over now, though l
do not know but I expose myself to a
criminal prosecution on the evidence
OF the very revelation am making.
Here is the letter:
"Levant, q 2" S. @ 1871 w.
Dear Fred-1 try to find heart and
life to tell you that it is all over with
dear old Nolan. have been with him
on this voyage more than l ever was,
and can understand wholly now the
way in which you used to speak of the
dear old fellow. l could see that he
was not strong, but had no idea that
the end was so near. The doctor had
been watching him very carefully, and
yesterday morning came to me and
told me that Nolan was not so we'll,
and had not left his stateroom-a
thing l never remember before. He
had let the doctor come and see him as
ne lay there, the first time the doctor
had been in the stateroom, and he said
he should like to see me. Oh, dear!
do you remember the mysteries we
boys used to invent about his room. in
the old Intrepid days? Well, 1 went
in, and there, to be sure, the poor fel-
low lay in his berth. smiling pleasant
~ as he gave me his hand, but look
ing very frail. I could not help a
glance round, which showed me what
a little shrine he had made of the box
he was lying in. The stars and stripes
were triced up above and around a
picture of Washington, and he had
painted majestic eagle, with light
nings blazing from his beak and his
foot just clasping the whole globe,
which his wings overshadowed. The
dear old boy saw my glance, and said,
with sad smile, Here. you see, have
country! And then he pointed to
the foot Of his bed, where had not
seen before a great map of the United
States, as he had drawn it from men,
DRY, and which he had there to look
upon as he lay. Quaint, queer old
names were on it, in large letters:
Indiana Territory Mississippi Ter
ritory,' and louisiana as supposed
our fathers learned such things; but
the old fellow had patched in Texas,
too; he had carried his western boun-
Diary all the way to the Pacific, but on
that shore he had defined nothing.
"'Oh, Danfortn.' he said, 4 know ]
am dying. l cannot get home Sure.
~ you will tell me something now?
Stop! stop! Do not speak till I say
what am sure you know, that there
is not in this ship, that there is not
in America-God bless her "a more
loyal man than I. There cannot be
man who loves the old flag as l do, or
prays for it as do, or hopes for it as
do. There are thirty-four stars in I
it now, Danforth. I thank God for
that, though l do not know what their
names are. There has never been one
taken away; thank God for that. ]
know by that, that there has never
been any successful Burr. Oh, Dan
forth, Danforth,' he sighed out, how
like wretched nights dream a boys
idea of personal fame or of separate
sovereignty seems. when one looks
back on it after such life as mine! |
But tell me-tell me something-tel] |
me everything, Danforth, before die!
"Ingham swear to you that I felt !
like monster that I had not told him
before. Danger or no dan