Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 16 September 1869 — Page 6

6

A TRUE STORY OF PRESIDENT MXCOL.V.

During the summer of the most disastrous and doubtful year of the late American war, the Colonel of a New Hampshire regiment lay for some weeks extremely ill ot camp ieYcr, nciir Hfunptoii Rofids, in iigiu-

I-Jgjii'insf of his critical condition, his wife lefther Northern home, and, after much difficulty, made her way to his bedside. Her cheerful presence and careful nursing so for restored him that he was in a short time able to be transferred to Washington.

In the Potomac river, the steamer in- which the invalid officer, Colonel Scott, and his wife had token passage, was sunk, in a collision with a larger vessel, in the night time. The crew and nearly all the soldiers on board were rescued, or saved themselves but amid the horrible contusion of the scene, Colonel Scott became separated from his wife, and she was lost. The Colonel was picked up in the winter by the crew of the larger steamer, and under his direction every effort was made to discover his wife, or rather her body, for all hope of finding her alive was soon abandoned. The sad search was fruitless it was resumed in the morning, the people along the shore, humane Confederates, lending their aid. But the grey, sullen river refused to give up its dead, and the young oflicer, half frantic with grief, was compelled to go on to Washington. Within a week, however, he received word from below that the body of the lady had been washed on shore—that those good country people, generous foes, had secured it, cared for it, and were keeping it for him.

It happened that just at this time imperative orders were issued from the War Department, prohibiting all intercourse with the Peninsula —a necessary precaution against the premature disclosure of important military plans. So it was with some misgivings that Colonel Scott applied to Mr. Secretary Stanton for leave to return to Virginia, on his melancholy duty. "Impossible, Colonel," replied Mr. Stanton, firmly "no one can have leave to go down the river, at this time, on any private mission whatever. Our present exigencies demand the most stringent regulations, and I hope I need not say to you that no merely personal considerations should be allowed to interfere with great national interests. Your case is a sad one but this is a critical, perilous, cruel time. 'The dead must! bury the dead.'

The Colonel would have entreated, but the busy Secretary cut him short by another "impossible,from which there was absolutely no appeal. He went forth from the presence., and returned to his hotel, quite overwhelmed.

Fortunately, he was that afternoon visited by a friend, to whom he told the story of his unsuccessful application and sad perplexity, and who immediately exclaimed. "Why not ap-1 ply to the President Y"

The Colonel had but little hope, but acknowledging that the plan was .-forth trying, drove with his friend to the White house.

They were too late. It was Saturday evening, and Mr. Lincoln had gone to spend Sunday at Soldier's Rest, his summer retreat. This was but a few miles from town, and the Colonel's indomitable friend proposed that they should follow him out, and they went,

There was then a popular belief that all the wronged, the troubled, and suffering could find a refuge in "Father Abraham's" capacious bosom a belief that was not far out of the way. Yet there were times when, overburdened, wearied, tortured, the patriarch longed to clear that asylum of its forlorn inmates, to bolt, and bar and double-lock it against the "world times when life became too hard and perplexing for his genial, honest nature, too serious and tragic and rascally a thing by half.

It happened, unluckily, that the poor Colonel and his friend found the President in one of his most despondent and disgusted moods. He •svas lounging loosely in a large rock-ing-chair, jutting over it in all directions. His slippered feet were exalted, his rough head was thrown back, his long throat bare—he yras in his shirt-sleeves! Yes, dear fastidious

English reader, it was -genuine Yankee abandon,—make the most of it. He turned upon his visitors with a look of almost savage inquiry. There •was, indeed, in his usually pleasant eyes, a wild, angry gleam, a something like the glare of a worried anijmal at bay.

1

Colonel Scott "proceeded very modestly to tell his storybut the President interrupted him, to say brusque­

ly, "Go to Stanton this is his business. I have been to him, Mr. President, and he will do nothing for me." "You have been to him and got your answer, and still presume to come to me! Am I to have no rest no privacy Must I be dogged to my last fastnesses and worried to death by inches Mr. Stanton has done just right. He knows what he is about. Your demands are unreasonable, sir." "But, Mr. Lincoln, I thought you would feel for me." "Feel for you! Good God! I have to feel for five hundred thousand more unfortunate than you. We are at war, sir don't you know we are at war Sorrow is the lot of all: bear your share like a man and a soldier." "I trv to, Mr. President, but it seems hard. My devoted wife lost her life for coming to nurse me, in my sickness, and I cannot even take her body home to my children.' "Well, she ought not to have come down to the arm}'. She should have stayed at home. That is the placc for women. But if the}r will go tearing about the country, in such times as^these, and running into all sorts of danger, they must take the consequences. Not but that I am sorry for you, Colonel. As for your wife, she's at rest and I wish I were."

Saying this, the President leaned back wearily in his chair, and closed his eyes, not noticing, except by a slight wave of his hand, the depait-j ure of his visitors.

I am not ashamed to confess that mv hero tossed restlessly that night, upon a pillow wet with manly tears, that he was desperate and resentful, utterly unresigned to the decrees of! Provideiice and the War Department, and that he thought Abraham Lincoln as hard as he was ugly, and as inhumane as he was ungainly.

Toward morning he fell asleep, and slept late. Before he was fully dressed. there came a quick knock at the door of his chamber, and he opened I to President Lincoln.

The good man came forward, pale and eager, tears glistening in his eyes, and grasped the Colonel's hand saying, "I treated you brutally last night. I ask your pardon. I was! utterly tired out, badgered to death. I generally become about as savage I as a wildcat by Saturday night, I drained dry of the 'milk of human kindness.' I must have seemed to you the very gorilla the rebels paint me. I was sorry enough for it when you were gone. I could not sleep a moment last night, so I thought I'd drive into town in the cool of the morning, and make it all right. Fortunately I had little, difficult} in finding you.". "This is very good of you, Mr.! President," said the Colonel, deeply! moved. I "No it isn't but that was very bad of,me last night. I never should: have forgiven myself if I had let that ugly piece of worjc stand. That was a noble wife of yours, Colonel! You are a happy man to have had such a noble woman to love you: and you must be a good fellow, or such a wo man would never have risked so much lor you. And what grand women there are in these times, Colonel What angels of devotion and mercy, and how brave and plucky!—going! everywhere at the call of dot}', facing every danger. I tell you. if it werei not for the women, we should all go to the devil, and should deserve to. They are the salvation of the nation, Now, come, Colonel my carriage is at the door. I'll drive you to the War Department, and we'li sice Stanton about the matter."

Even at that early hour they found the Secretary at his post. The President pleaded the case of Colonel Scott, and not only requested that leave of absence should be given him but that a steamer should be sent down the river, expressly to bring up the body of his wife. "Humanity, Mr. Stanton," said the President, his homely face transfigured with the glow of earnest tender feeling, "humanity should overrule considerations of policy, and even military necessity, in matters like this.

The Secretary was touched, and he said something of his regret at not having felt himself at liberty to grant Colonel Scott's request in the first place. "No, no, Mr. Stanton," said the President, "you did right in adhering to yoiir own rules you are the right man for this place if we had such a soft-hearted old. fool as I here, there would be no rules or regulations that the army or the country could depend upon. But this is a peculiar case, only think of that poor woman." -Of course the impossible was accomplished.

To the surprise of the Colonel, the President insisted on driving him to

CRAWFORDSVILLE JOURNAL: SEPTEMBER 16, 1869.

the navy yard to see that the Secretary's order was carried out immediately seeming to have a nervous fear that some obstacle might be thrown in the

Avay

of the pious expe­

dition. He waited at the landing till all was ready, then charged the officers of the steamer to give every attention and assistance to his "friend Colonel Scott." With him he shook hands warmly at parting, saying, "God bless you, my dear fellow! I hope you will have no more trouble in this sad affair—and,. Colonel, try to forget last night."

Away up in a New Hampshire church-yavd there is a certain grave carefully watched and tended by faithful love. But every April time the violets on that mound speak not alone of the womanly sweetness and devotion of her who sleeps below— they are tender and tearful with the memory of the murdered President.— All the Year Round.

Gushing: Sentimentality.

A sentimental young man, now sojourning in the mountains, writes thusly to a friend in ^his city. "I called on a charming young lady the other night, when the sweet moonlight slept upon the bosom of heaven, shedding copiously down upon the ground a cylindrical illuminary of nocturnal excrescence.— Gazing in the bright eye of the fair and lovely maiden whose life was gentleness, love and virtue, the melancholy tones of my gentle voice, from which flowed language like water from a fountain, caused a cloud to darken her bright spirit. For a moment her momentary grief was bitter, but the tears washed away its taste and left the air of her soul as pure and sweet as a summer day after a shower. "But oh, sweet innocence! Tears rained down upon her tender cheeks, scalding and burning like streams of molten lava upon the. tropical gardens in the fair valle}rs far below.— They flowed from her opula optics as bright jewels, diamond crystals of her heart's choicest treasures.

Yet, even such tears have their mission. They taught me what might and could have been, and to look deeper than the surface to find the soul of nature.'' That fellow's in danger.—Nashville Banner.

Gov. Bnker on the Sew Election Lnw.

In answer to many letters questioning the constitutionality of the law, passed by the last Legislature, carrying over all county and township elections until next fall, Gov. Baker has addressed a letter explaining its provisions and defending it. It is claimed by the Democracy that the law changes the tenure of office, and is therefore unconstitutional. The Governor shows that the Constitution creates no office the tenure of which is less than two years, and that if the law providing for biennial elections is unconstitutional now, it must be so per se, and such a law could never have been passed, a position which is absurd in view of the fact before stated. Besides, the new law makes the tenure of office uniform. As it now stands, a man elected to fill a vacancy does not onlj* hold for the unexpired terra, but holds over for the full term. Hence, all over the State there are counties whose officers lap over and interlace eacli other. This evil the new law remedies. The letter is quite lengthy, and is an able and conclusive argument. It was called forth by the fact that one or two Democratic counties had put tickets in the field, and proposed to hold elections this fall, whether or no.— Cincinnati Chronicle.

"THE Philadelphia Commercial Exchange has voted $2,000, and George W. Childs has given $1,000, for the relief of the Avondale sufferers.

J.ECAL NOTICES.

LAND

FOR SALE.—The undersigned, Executors of the last will of Courtney Talbot, deceased, pursuant to said will, offer for sale all that part of the farm of said decedent lying between the Crawl'ordsville & Alamo Turnpike and the Greencastle State road, containing about 180 acres. It will be sold in parcels to suit purchasers, at private sale. The land is good, well timbered, and only about one mile from the corporate limits of the City of Crawfordsville. Thetract contains several beautiful building sites. Persons desiring to purchase will call on either one of the undersigned. Terms will be made easy.

HENRY H. TALBOT,' P.S.KENNEDY,

janl4tf Executors.

NOTICE

is hereby given that I will sell

at public auction on Friday, .the 17th day of September next, at the late residence of James Knox, deceased, in the city of Crawfordsvillc, all his personal property, not taken by the widow, consisting of- one light wagon, one buggy, one cow, four hogs, two setts of harness, farming implements, household furniture, &c.

TERMS OF SALE:—A credit of six monshs will be given on ail sums over three dollars, the purchaser giving his note with approved security, waving valuation and appraisement laws.

BOOTS AWp SHOES.

TV 10 W I Tt M!

WAUiil'E A COMPANY'S

NEW

BOOT and SHOE STORE

On Washington Street,

Opposite the Court House,

IS NOW KECEIVING A

NEW AND COMPLETE STOCK

BOOTS AND SHOES

KOK TIIE

FALL TRADE

THEY ARE ALL

FIRST CLASS GOODS

AND WII.L BE

SOLD CHEAP!

Try Them See.

augl2yl

WALLACE & CO.

STOVES AND TINWARE.

The Lightning Wood Stove

E

WITH

new and valuable improvements, including the double front lire doors, patent convex top oven plate, ventilated oven and hot air chamber, which gives it a large advantage as a .baker over any other stove in the market. This is the

Largest Stove in the Market,

Having an

Oven 22 by 23 inches

"With a

Tvreuty-slx Incli Fire-Box.

Those Stoves are guaranteed to bake quick and even, and not to crack.

My Stock of Tin-Ware

Is large, and will be

JS3T Sold Low for Cash.^f

Country merchants will find it to their interests "to examine my stock and prices before purchasing.

A W A E

As for Hardware, we will offer such inducements as will satisfy you that we are decidedly the cheapest house in the Wabash Valley. Do not fail to call and examine my stock. ,'t"

V. Q. IRWIN,

No. 3, Empire Block.

apiy

FOR SALE.

F255

ALEXANDER THOMSON,

au26wS Administrator.

SPECTACLES.

IMPROVED

Pantascopic Spectacles,

THE BEST IN USE.

COMBINING

advantages, mechanical

and philosophical, to be found in no others offered in the "West These Celebrated Spectacles, now so generally used and approved, are the most perfect assistance to defective vision now before the public. The Lenses are ground in accordance with the philosophy of nature. Their perfectly polished surfaces, purity and transparency of material, and exact spherical figure, admirably adapt them to the organ of sight, rendering them perfectly natural to the eye, and producing a clear and distinct image of the object as in the natural healthy sight, avoiding the glimmering, wavering dizziness of the head, and other unpleasant sensations often experienced in the use of ordinary glasses, and enabling the wearer to prosecute minute and critical eye-labor, either by day or candle-light, with ease, comfort and satisfaction. CJIEAP JOHN, mayCtf Agent.

MABBLE WORK.

Phoenix Marble Works.

OINCE, Phoenix-like, we have arisen litO erally from the ashes, we have moved the remnant of our stock to the east side of "Washington street, next to Miller's new buiiding, north of the court house, where we have now a nice assortment of

Grave-Yard Work,

Such as Monuments, Tablets, Slabs, &c., which we will sell cheap. JgiTAs the late fire did us much damage, we must work hard and sell cheap, to make money to meet our liabilities.

I. F. WADE & SON.

N.B.—If any of our friends want to give us a little "material aid" on account of our loss, thev can do so by if they owe^us, call and pay if they want any work in our line, either Grave-Yard or Building "Work, give us a call. "We will do you NICE WORK at LOW PRICES, and be much obliged.

BUILDING WORK done to order. Crawfordsville, Dec. 30,1868.

WAGONS, PLOWS, AC.

E.& J.HENDKIX,

Manufacturers of

Wagons, Plows, Fanning Implements, &c.,

BRAZIL, INDIANA. OSfRepairing and Jobbing of all kindsin our line promptly executed.

Wagons furnished on very short notice, and Plows kept constantly on hand. All work warranted. Agents for Well PUMPS of the best make. augli

AGUE CURE.

SGETABLE

Iii Pills, Convenient for Use. Contains no Quinine. Produces no Dizziness. No Ringing in the Ears. One Dose in a day sufficient. Cures Agne in all its forms. No Unpleasant Taste. Safe for the Youngest Children. No change of Diet required. Exposure or unusual exercise will not destroy its Efficiency.

MEYER BROS. «fc CO.,

GENERAL AGENTS,

Fort Wayne, Intl., anl St. L,onis, Mo. ffgtTFor Sale by all Druggists, and at wholesale and retail bv july22m6 E. J. EINFORD & BRO.

WATCHMAKER.

P. FITZPATRICTC,

WATCHMAKER,

At Binford's Drug Store,

Washington St., Crawfordsville, Ind.

HASconstantly

on hundawell select

stock of

OR SALE—FARM.—a farm containing acres, 1 miles south of Crawfords•ille* on the Greencastle road, 126 acres plow land. For particulars call at the premises. WM. SWINDLER, warranted to give

FIIVE WATCHES,

CLOCKS,

Jewelry and Spectacles#

UgTAll Watch work, and other Repairs, arranted to give satisfaction. decltyi.