Year: 1877

of me- as they must be now God help me | it is very
hard to bear! Good-by father God seems near and
dear to me; not at all if he wished to perish for
ever, but If he felt sorry for his poor SINFUL broken
hearted child and would take me to be with him and my
Saviour in better-better life.


Adeep sigh burst from Mr. owen'slheart. Amen"
he said solemnly, "Amen.''


Tonight in the early twilight shall see the
all coming home from the pasture and precious little Bios
stand on the back stoop, waiting for but shall
never, never GOMEZ God bless you all Forgive your
poor Benne.''


Late that night the door Of the "back stoop' opened
softly, and little figure glided out and down the foot
path that led the road by the mill She seemed rather
flying than walking turning her head neither to the right
to the left looking only and then to Heaven and
folding her hands, if in prayer Two hours LATER the
coming of the night train and the conductor, he
reached down to lift her into the car wondered the
tern he held in his hand. few questions and ready
told him all and father could have cared
tendery for his only child than he for little Blossom
She her way Washington, to ask President Lin
coin for her brothers e She had stolen away, leaving
only anoe to tell her where and why she had gone. She
had brought Bennes letter with her no good kind heart


like the Presidents could refuse to be melted by it, The
next morning they reached New York aud the Conductor
hurried her on to Washington. Every minute now,
might be the means of saving her brothers life. And
incredibly short tme Blossom reached the Capital
and fastened immediately to the White House.


The President had but just seated himself to his
ing task of overlooking and signing important papers
when without word of announcement the door softly
opened and Blossom, with downcast eyes and folded
hands, stood before him.


"Wel, my child, he said, in his pleasant cheerful
tones, "what do you want, bright and early in the
morning?i


"Bennie's life please sir faltered Blossom
6 Bennie /? Who is Bennie?"


MY brother, sir. They going to shoot him for
sleeping at his post y


sOh yes;' and Mr.. Lincoln his eye the papers
before him. 8 | remember. 1t was fatal sleep. You
child it at time of special danger. Thousands
of lives might have been lest for his cupabe negligence


$50 my father sal" " replied Blossom, gravely; :" but
poor Bennie tired, sir, and jennie weak He
did the work OF two sir and it was Jemmies night not
hiss but Jennie too tired and Benne never thought
about himself that he was tired too"


"What is this you say, child? Come here / do not
understand, and the kind man caught eagerly, ever
at what seemed to be justification OF an ofense.


Blossom went to him he put his hand tenderly her
shoulder and turned up the pae anxious face towards
his How tall he seemed and he President of the
United States, too. dim thought of this kind passed
for moment through Blossoms mind but she told her
simple and straightforward story and handed Mr. Lincoln
Bennie's letter to read.


He read it carefully them taking up his pen, wrote
few hasty lines, and rang his bell.


Blossom heard this order given Send this dispatch at
once"


The President then turned to the girl and said go
home my child and tell that father of yours who could
approve his country sentence when it took the life
of child like that that Abraham Lincoln thinks the life
far too precious to be lost Go back orwait until to-
Bennie willneed change after he has so bravey
faced death he shall go with yeu.'


God bless you, sr' said Blossom; and who shall
doubt that God heard and registered the request?


Two days after this interview the young soldier
to the White House with his little sister He called
into the Presidents private room, and strap fastened
upon the shoulder. Mr. Lincoln then said " The soldier
that could carry sick comrades baggage and die for the
uncompainngly, deserves we'll of his country
Then Beune and Blossom took their way their Green
Mountain home. crowd gathered at the Mill Depot to
welcome them back and farmer Ovens hand grasped
that of his boy, tears flowed down his cheeks and he
heard to say feryently: :" The Lord be praised


nervous man, whose life made miserable by the
Gathering Of two blacksmhs prevailed each of them