Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 295, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1915 — A Tender Moment [ARTICLE]

A Tender Moment

Of the many anecdotes that appear in Mr. Anthony Gross* collection, the following account of Lincoln’s interview with the wife of one of Mosby's guerillas will appeal to the host of admirers of the great president One day a woman, accompanied by a Senator, called on the president The woman was the wife of one of Mosby's men. Her husband had been captured, tried, and condemned to be shot She came to ask for his pardon. The president heard her story, and then asked what kind of a man her husband was. "Is he intemperate? Does he abuse the children and beat you?”

“No, no," said ths wife; "he is a good man. a good husband; he loves me, and he loves the children, and we cannot live without him. The only trouble is that he is a fool about politics. I live in the north, was born there, and if I get him home, he will do no more fighting for the south." "Well," said Mr. Lincoln, after examining the papers, 'T will pardon your husband and turn him over to you for safekeeping.” The poor woman, overcome with joy, wept as if her heart would break. “My dear woman,” said Lincoln. “If I had known how badly it was going to make you feel I .never would have pardoned him." -You do not understand ma" ebe cried, sobbing, “you do not understand me!"

"Yes, yes, I do," answered the president; “and if you do not go away at once I shall be crying with you."