Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-02-16
COATES SPEAKS ON
LIFE OF LINCOLN
Continued From Saturday,

>tCOntlnueQ from Saturday
So far I've said very little about
the man "Abe Lincoln, whom to know
is to love and admire" What of the
man?
Lincoln was the kindest and gentlest
Of men. Two little stories may be in
teresting. Once while riding through
the country he stopped his carriage to
restore a young bird to its nest with
the rernark: 81 oculd not sleep to-
night for thinking of that helpless
bird" A man able to bear the bur-
dens of mighty war moved by the
sight of helplessness. Many stories
are told of his pardons during the war.
So frequently were .hey~that Stanton.
the great War Secretary, declared that
the President was destroying the dis
cipline of the army. The pitying
heart of the man was ever on the look
out for chance to show mercy One
other story will suffice. A young
soldier stood guard for a boy friend
who he was afraid would sleep on his
post out OF WEAKNESS. But he had
stood guard the night before; and
worn out fell asleep himself. He was
detected, tried by court martial and
condemned to be shot. His mother
appealed to Stanton but was unsuc-
cessful. She sought and obtained an
interview with the President, told her
story to sympathetic ears; but was in
formed that could not be done. "The
army was in great danger, explained
! Mr.. Lincoln, "and your sons failure
might have caused its destruction"
f"Yes" the mother answered, "that is
what Bobbie says; but oh, Mr.. .Presi-
dent, Bobbie is so young, he had stood
guard the night before and he was in
the place of his friend" whats
that ?" questioned the President. Then
he heard the whole story. Taking a
pencil from his pocket, he wrote on
scrap OF paper the pardon of tt
boy, saying, ga young man that will
stand guard for his friend land then
applaud the judgment of his country
does not deserve to die. Send him to
me-"
MIR. Lincoln was witty man, and
loved joke. Once while he was a
member of the Illinois Legislature, it
fell to his lot to suppress a chronic
fobjector. Such men are found in most
legislatures. One day after the House
had been annoyed by this old "watch
dog of the treasury, Mr.. Lincoln got
up and with a merry twinkle in his
eyes said: "Mr. Speaker, did l ever
tell you and the House about squir-
rel hunting friend of mine down on
Sangamon River? No? Well, I
must tell you now. This friend of
mine was the greatest squirrel, hun
ter in all that section of the country.
He could see squirrels eye in the tall
est tree and hit it nine times out of
ten. Yes, sir, he was a great hunter.
And he was great man, too. Then
I1C WcIL Oll dllu ucSCIlUCQ tliC CilIOuIS
objector's personal appearance. Con-
tinuing, he related: "One day he said
!. to his son, Bob, bring me my rife
gun, there is a squirrel in that thai
tree. Bob brought the gun and the
/ old fellow fired at the supposed squir-
trel; but, to his amazement no squir-
rel fell. Again he fired and no squir.
rel. Then, the boy said: Dad thai
! amt no squirrel in that tree. 1t is
only louise in your eyebrows"
Fl In the saddest and most solemn oc
9 casions, Mr.. Lincoln enjoyed humor
5 It is told of him that when he me
E Stevens and other southern leaders a
i Hampton Roads not long before Leeh
surrender, on the occasion, as som'
-iwriters say, when Mr.. lincoln wrote
on sheet of paper the word "urion''