The Sunday Oregonian., December 20, 1908, Section Six, Page 7, Image 61

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THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, DECE3IBER 20. 1903.
IS
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4JwTS the open season rm after-dinner
I speakers, all right." said the Hotel
" Clerk to his friend, the House De
tec: Ive.
Wot makes you think so?" said the
House Detective. f
"Iok for . yourself." said the Hotel
Ork.
Across the bo-gi;t lobby of the Hotel St.
Reckless moved a, straggling procession
of gentlemen in dinner coats, all" headed
for the elevators running to the banquet
floor. It was easy for the Hotel Clerk-
practiced eye to pick out certain familiar
types. There was the toast -master, bur
dened with responsibilities and a quantity
of typewritten manuscript. There was
one professional after-dinner humorist,
the fat. bubbly kind. wlo smiled broadly
a:id walked with waddling steps. And
there w-as another professional humorist,
the th'.n. solemn kind that thinks his stuff
goes better If he looks like an under
taker's assistant. There was a guest of
honor, evidently culled from some foreign
consulate, a medalled gentleman so en
shrined In an impenetrable morass of
whiskers as ito suggest a cloth-bound
copy of "Alone In the Jungle." There
were several of those singular gentlemen
who invariably wear an expression of in
tense unhappiness when waltxing with a
lady or going to a dinner, and there
were any number of Journeymen sllver
poilshers. glass-cleanera and table-flntsh-rs.
such as are to be found at any large
public dinner, equipped with a dress suit,
a deep-seated appetite and the car fare
home.
"I can always tell when the gladsome
Tuletlde Is at hand." resumed the Hotel
Clerk, after the elevators bad swallowed
up the last of the dinner-coated crew.
The cotton battler whiskers of the as
sistant Bible class teacher who's acting
as Santa Claua at the Sunday school
Christmas tree entertainment oatch fire
from a wax candle and are burned to the
roots. The millionaire's child is afraid he
wont get everything for Christmas and
la tinhappy. and the poor nian's child
wonders 1f he'll get anything at all and
Is happy In the hope. The economical
wife who fell for that helpful "and in
structive article by Aunt Prudence Prune
In the holiday number of the Tody's
Homely Journal (issued September 1st)
entitled 'How Anyone with a Deft Hand
nd a Weak Mind Can Make Fifteen
Tasteful Gifts Out of Fltteen Ceu'j"
Worth of German Worsted in Fifteen
Minutes.' emerees -with a scream of de
spair from a great mass of embroidered
ear muffs that look like bedroom slippers
and bedroom slippers that look like ear
muffs, and hand-worked tidies that don't
look like anything at all. and joins the
endless caravan that moves onward, at
tills season, toward that bourne lrom
which no traveler returneth with any rash
ON GOVERNMENT ORDERS:
IT Is human nature for every man to
think that Ms troubles are greater
than those of any other person, but no
one really ever known the sorrows
gnawing at another person's heart, even
though the other be one's dearest friend.
This fact was Impressed upon rne In n
manner tha: I shall never forget while I
was working on a simple proposition that
grew out of a railway tstrlke."
Captain Dickson, a former official of
the United States Secret Service, now
retired, wns in a musing frame of mlnJ.
when I called on him the other evening
and he gave expression to the fort-going
words. Something- that happened during
the day had brought to his mind one of
the vivid pxpts of his days of ac
tive service, and I had no trouble in get
ting him to relate the cin-uni(ances. I
Iut them down in his own words.
The P. O. was a little railroad that
run between two small towns in a certain
Western state, and I happene.l to become
mixed up with thi labor difficulty be
cause of the fact that the road- carried
the mails. My department was brought
into play to prevent any IntfWference with
fie Government mail service by the
strikers.
The country at large was not much af
fected by the tyhur up of this insignifi
cant part of the great network of rail
roads. Yet the Government, with the thor
oughness It displays in everything con
nected with It. took the liveliest interest
In the case. 1 was assigned to It with in
structions to see that the mall train made
Its regular daily trip without being mo
lested. I was much surprised to find an old
college mate of mine officiating as gen
eral manager or the road. I remembered
him as a studious, gawky, red-headed
joungster who was taking a course in
civil emrincering. 1 had some work with
him In the surveying clatss. which was a
part of the course of mining engineering
to which I was devoting my attention.
He waa too self-centered and too stu
dious to be popular with the boys of his
class, and because I. appreciated his
loneliness and showed him some slight
courtesies, he formed a deep attacluuent
for me. We promised to write when we
left college, but as those promises gen
erally go. neither of ua thought of It or.
If we did. ever acted upon it. Wo quite
lost track of each other until I walked
Into his office one afternoon to confer
with him about the strike.
He waa not quite as red-headed and
gawky as in his college days, but ha had
changed so little that I readily recog
nised him. Ho knew me Instantly and
srreeted mo with a warmth and a genuine
pleasure that were most agreeable. He
wa snowed under with work, but he
brushed aside the mass of papers that lit
tered his desk and made me ail down. and
tell him something of my experiences,
ftince I had left college before he would
take up business matters with me. He
told me of the struggle lie had had in
climbing from obscurity to his present re
sponsible position, which was not in any
sense an unimportant one. H's road was
a feeder or tap-line for one of the big
transcontinental systems, and his post
put him in direct line for promotion Into
the service of the latter.
He was as frank and engaging and de
voted to hi work as when he had been
sn awkward, bashful coll.e hoy. looked
down upon, shunned and despised by Ills
classmates because of his poor circum
stances and hi lack of time to be w.iat
they considered a good fellow. He had
fought his way upward against the great
est difficulties, and 1 marveled at his
ability to cope with the adverse conditions
that I knew had confronted him In his
battle. Since then 1 have come to know
that it is only by righting that a man can
develop the best that is In him. and that
the more obstacles be encounters and
overcomes the better man he makes in
the endv.
After talking over old times for a
while we got down to business, and I
soon gathered a thorough knowledge
of the situation. The trainmen had
conceived that they were being unjustly
treated and had made certain com
plaints, coupled with certain demands.
In hand, meaning by that the shopping
district. The mail carrier gloats over the
express wagon hand, thereby getting even
with the express wsgon hsnd for laugh
ing at him last St. Valentine's day. The
souvenir poet card gives way temporarily
to a froste.i card showing a church
graveyard during a heavy snowstorm
with the words 'Compliments of the Sea
son' across the top. There's a smell In
the air of holly brrles and green spruce
and hot whisky toddies and every toy
shop window is a poor child's idea of what
heaven must bo like.
"Sum signs of Christmas, all of them,
but one of the surest Is the distressful
Majors, my friend, had duly investi
gated tlielr complaints and considered
their d'-mands and had found that there
was virtue in neither, but that both
were Inspired by labor agitators who
saw a chance to advance tlielr own sel
fish interests by bringing about a diffi
culty between the road and Its em
ployes. The demands had been refused
and the man had gone out on strike.
Majors had come tip from the ranks
himself and had every sympathy for
the men until he had convinced him
self that they were In the wrong. Once
convinced on this ppint. he had bowed
his neck and refused to treat with them
further unless they returned to work
unconditionally. The men knew his
determined character and they realized
that he meant just what he had said. I
believe they would have discontinued
the strike, so popular was Majors with
the, men and so well was his honesty
known, if It had not been for the activ
ity of a walking delegate of the train
men's union.
Another obstacle tj a settlement of
the trouble was the president of the
road. He was a wealthy mineowner,
and one of the best-paying properties
was situated at the terminus of the
road. It was a silver mine, and that
metal was quoted at a good figure just
then. Consequently. He chafed at the
forced inactivity of his mine and fa
vored granting the. concessions asked
by the men. But Majors was as firm
as a rock, his position once taken, and
he fought the president himself with
the same dogged determination he had
displayed toward the men.
Majors w-as the key to the situation,
the stumbling-block to both interests,
and ugly threats were made against
him by the strikers He had succeed
ed In operating the line after a
fashion, although schedules -were dis
arranged and the service was generally
demoralized. It was only his force
ful personality that had accomplished
even this, and as soon as I made even
a cursory examination of conditions I
aw that my frtend held a dangerous
as well as a difficult position.
The day after my arrival I was pres
ent when he recolved R delegation of
the strikers, and I waa more than ever
Impressed with ls lndomltablo will by
this Interview. There were four of the
strikers, headed by a man named Hal
Ilday, the walking delegate to whom I
have referred. He waa pompous, over
bearing, pudgy, unscrupulous, and a
man of most malignant countenance.
He was the speaker for the strikers,
and 1 thought that I detected some
thing more dangerous than ardor for
his cause In the insolent manner he
displayed during the interview.
Majors heard the impassioned ad
dress of the delegate without lute.
ruptlng him and. when he had finished,
turned to the others, whom he called
by name, and whom he addressed as
fellows:
"Boys T have looked into your "rase
as carefully as If It were my own. You
arc In the wrong; there Is no virtue In
your contentions and I cannot consider
them further. Yon have been receiv
ing better wages and better and fairer
treatment than the employes of any
other road In this state. You haven't
a legitimate cause of complaint and you
are wasting your own time and mine as
well to seek a further conference with
mo until you come to your senses and
are willing to return to work on the old
terms. Any of you who wish to return
to the service may do so without preju
dice. You are being deluded by a sel
fish agitator who is profiting by the
misfortunes which his counsel has
brought upon you. If you prefer to fol
low him rather than me, I have nothing
farther to say to you. I am going to run'
the P. & O. in spite of you or anything
that you do. If you resort to violence I
will have the guilty run down and pun
ished if It takes a thousand years. I
have nothing farther to say to you."
Iialllday, the agitator,' glared dan
gerously at Majors during the Inter
view, and as he sulkily slunk out of
the room I overheard hlra breathing
sight w hioh we witnessed here Just a min
ute so. There are some men thst go
to a dinner every chance they get. They're
the hopeless incurables, who are divided
Into two classes speakers who want to
let something out of their systems, but
can't afford to hire a hall, and eaters,
who want to put something in. Then
there are these chronic sufferers who
bolong to several Oreek letter societies
and staV clubs ano" college fraternities
and associations of wholesale paint deal
ers and the Hkes of that, and only go
1o dinners twelve or fifteen times a
Winter. And finally there are the large
and growing class that are only over-
threats against my friend to one of his
companions. The climax, of the strike came the fol
lowing day when one of the trains was
derailed and the fireman and engineer,
who were strikebreakers, were killed.
Majors went In person to the scene of
the wreck to Investigate. It didn't take
a prolonged examination to determine
that the wreck was the result of direct
and premeditated design. This aroused
every drop of fighting blood in my friend,
and he et . about tracking down the
guilty persons with the utmeet vigor. He
employed the best detective talent ob
tainable, and It was not many days be
fore two of the strikers, tools of Halli
day, had been arrested and there was
every chance that both of them would
hang for the Job. Suspicion pointed
strongly towards Halllday as the insti
gator of the plot, but we were satisfied
that he had not had any direct part In
carrying it out. He was too. wise for
that, but Majors gathered evidence against
him that promised to put him in tne
same boat with his confederates.
He told me about this one afternoon
when I visited him at his office. One of
the office boys hung around as we talked
in a way that I did not like, and I cau
tioned Majors lest he be overheard and
HiUliday warned, but he scoffed at my
fears and said he trusted the boy. Nev-erthelee-fl.
I didn't like the gleam that
came into the boy's eyes when he heard
what Majors had to say about Halliday.
Things looked threatening for the dele
gate. I knew that he was a dangerous
character and I feared that he might try
to escape froni tho net that Majors was
weaving about him by trying to silence
Majors in the only way that was possi
ble. That night Majors had prom teed to call
on me at my hotel to sample a bottle of
30-year-old liquor that a friend In the
revenue service had sent me from Ken
tucky. I had Invited Majors more to get
him away from his work than with any
Idea that ho would care especially for
the liquor, as I knew that he was tem
perate In all his tastes and habits. I
knew that he needed the rest, that he
was overtaxing himself with the war he
was waging with the strikers, and I had
not liked the haunted, worried expression
that he had assumed lately. It was Sat
urday night and, as the road did not op
erate a Sunday train. Majors could af
ford to take the night off and enjoy the
rest he needed so badly. I think he ap
preciated tills, .for he accepted xny invi
tation with alacrity.
He came in late, and I saw at once that
something was preying upon his mind. I
was far from guessing the real nature of
his trouble for I attributed It to the
strike. Wo made a sorry endeavor to re
new our old college gaiety, but it
wouldn't work. Majors was abstracted
and let me do most of the talking. I told
him what I knew of the old boys, and
recalled many amusing Incidents of our
school life, but I could not rouse him
from the fit of despondence Into which
he was sunk. And through It all. Majors
sat with a far-away look on his face,
and I saw that he was not following my
rambling talk, for once or twice when I
paused for him to answer some question,
he was so deeply involved in his own
gloomy thoughts that ha didn't know I
had stopped speaking.
Nevertheless, I am convinced that he
enjoyed the evening, poor fellow, for
towards the end of It he rallied a bit, and
we had a lively half hour of it before he
had to take his departure. I wanted to
walk with him to his rooms, which were
over his office, but he would not permit
me to accompany him farther than the
nearest corner to my own lodgings.
When we came to shake hands, he held
on to mine like a drowning man to a
plank and seemed half inclined to con
fide something to me. He opened his
mouth several times as If he were going
to speak, but each time he seemed to
think better of it and merely wished me
a hearty "good night."
As we stood talking I noticed Halli
day passing down the opposite side of
tho street, and he scowled across at us
malignantly. I asked Majors if he were
armed, and hinted to him the suspicions
that I had formed concerning Halliday;
for I waa certain that the agitator knew
SO-.?.? ..il
taken with the disease in its most serious
form around Christmas time and spend
"THE P. &
that if Majors was out of the way the
strikers would carry tneir point and he
and his confederates who had wrecked
the train would probably escape punish
ment. Majors laughed my fears- away and
said he had never carried a weapon in
his life, and that he had never seen the
time when he needed one. As I walked
back to my hotel. I saw Halliday skulk
ing along in the shadows on the- far
side of the street. I didn't like the looks
of it and decided to follow him and if
he Intended harm to my friend to pre
vent him from accomplishing it.
He dodged into a side street a short
distance farther on and I plunged in af
ter him. as I. fancied that he Intended
Intercepting Majors on the way to his
rooms. Nor was I wrong. Halliday cut
through alleys and unfrequented streets
until he came out upon ti)e main thor
oughfare where the railroad offices were
located and less than a block distant
from them. He took up a position in the
mouth of a dark alley, behind a tele
graph pole and I was now convinced
that he meant harm to my friend.
The streets were deserted. It was
about midnight and people in small
towns retire early. Before long I could
hear footsteps approaching and I read
ily recognized the athletic tread of Ma
jors. I slipped up behind Halliday with
great caution, so that I might pinion his
arms if he attempted to fire the big re
volver that I now detected in his hand.
Majors had almost reached the mouth
of the alley when I saw Halliday's hand
being slowly raised. I knew it would be
dangerous to wait longer, so I sprang
upon him from behind and. clasped him
in a hug that made his ribs pop like a
pack of firecrackers.
He was taken so completely by sur
prise that he waa at my mercy, and al
though he struggled like a demon, I dis
armed him and handcuffed him In a very
short space of time. Just as I accom
plished this Majors came rushing up.
The mouth of the alley was in complete
darkness but out on the street there was
a faint light from the arc light at the
corner. I called to Majors so that he
might know of my presence. At this
he stopped stock still and peered Into
the gloom of the alleyway.
"Great heavens, Dickson." he ejac
ulated; "what are you doing in there?"
I blurted out a' few words of expla
nation, and Majors was In the act of
stepping into the darkness to Join me
when there was a loud report and I
saw him stagger and pitch forward
on his face. He fell half In the light
and half in the' gloom of the alley's
mouth.
I ran forward and gathered him into
my arms, lifting his face out into the
light of the street. I saw that he was
fatally wounded, the clammy sweat of
death being upon his brow. Halliday
had not tried to escape, but had ran
forward with me, and as I looked up
at hira from the face- of my prostrate
friend I saw that he was almost as
white as a corpse. A moment before
he had been intent upon taking the
life of my friend, but now the enor
mity of his contemplated act waa full
upon him and he trembled like a leaf
in a gale.
"My God!" he moaned. "I might
have been his murderer. Thank God
I am not!"
The seal of death was upon the
blanched face of my friend, his breath
came in long, rasping gasps, and his
eyes were rapidly setting In that glassy
stare which comes but once In the
life of a human being. He looked up
at me, an expression of contentment
upon his marbled features, and made
an effort to speak.
I bent my ear close to his Hps.
"Old man," he breathed, so low that
I could scarcely tear him, "you don't
know what your friendship has been
to me these last few days. I have
..avac inA anv other whom T consid
ered my friend. I knew this was com
ing. There was no way to escape it
and I am glad your hands will be the
ones to close my eyes."
He paused a moment for breath. The
Y THE
it
I
t
I the festal' season sitting up awake at
I nights, when they ought to be asleep
O. STRIKE"
candle of his life was burning low, and I
knew that the tiny flame could not last
for long. I saw that he was making a
desperate effort to live until he could tPll
me something, for a look of his old-time
determination came Into his face and he
half lifted himself upon his elbows. I
knew enough of his character to believe
that he would conquer even death until
his Iron will, had accomplished his pur
pose. I gathered him into a closer embrace
against my throbbing heart.
"Ion't try to find my slayer." he re
sumed after a time. "It's no use. The
strikers didn't do it. They are innocent.
The key on my watch chain " A pause
while he panted for breath, and then he
continued, brokenly: "Secret drawer
desk explains all. Good-by." '
His strength had spent itself with this
exertion and he nestled down in my aims
like a tired child going to sleep. A
scarcely audible sigh escaped from his
white lips and my friend Majors had
gone upon that lonely journey from
which no traveler has ever returned. A
peaceful smile was upon his lips. I felt
then and I have known since ihat death
was a welcome visitor, that he was weary
of all the cares and worries and heart
aches that tortured his poor, lonely soul,
and the leaving of them behind was a
relief.
I searched his desk for the secret draw
er, supposing it was the big roller-top one
at his office to which his laborious duties
held him so constant a slave.'' But It con
tained no secret drawer, so I turned my
attention to his room. It was my first
visit to his apartments, and I was
amazed at the barrenness of them. The
back room was fitted up as a sleeping
apartment. It was not carpeted and it
contained only a bed. dresser and wash
stand of the cheapest kind. Everything
about it suggested direst poverty. It was
as barren as a priest's cell.
I could not account for this, as I knew
that Majors made an excellent salary and
his appearance had always been pros
perous. Sorely troubled by this discov
ery, I turned my attention to. the front
room. It was almost as bleak as his
sleeping quarters, except for an pa6y
chair, several cases of books, and a rich
ly carved mahogany desk, which would
have set a collector's heart beating at a
dangerous rate. I saw at a glance that
this was the desk that Majors had re
ferred to. One 'of his keys opened it, and
I looked about for the secret drawer.
It didn't take long to locate It, but I ex
perienced some difficulty In opening it.
Within I found a tin bond-box which the
tiny key from his wacth chain unlocked.
It contained two packets, one addressed
to me.
Opening the latter packet I found a
letter with my name upon it and I set
about reading it at once.
"Dear Friend I am within the shadow
of death as I write. A danger which has
hovered over my unfortunate head since
the hour of my birth is closing in upon
me. There is no escaping it. If it were
my secret alone. I would confide In you,
but It Is not mine, and f must let It die
with me. I am writing this so that sus
picion will not attach' to the strikers
should I be found dead, for they will
have nothing to do with rav assassina
tion. I do not know when or how It will
come, but I do know that the end is not
far off, and I thank God for it. I have
no relatives and none will come to claim
my body or the little property that I
leave. I want you to take my desk, that
I have had In life, for It is right that
they should go to you who have been my
only friend.
. "Since my earliest recollection I have
nursed my secret sorrow and endeavored
to wait with patience for the blow that
shall fall upon ma when it is least ex
pected. You came Into my life at one of
its darkest periods, and you have come
Into it again at a time when I needed a
friend more than even in my college
days, and yet I could not then nor can I
now confide to you the trouble that is
gnawing at my vitals and keeping my
soul tortured as no poor spirit was ever
punished in the mystic hell of the blind
est bigot.
"Do not search for my slayer. It will
profit you nothing. Your search will be
HOTEL CLEQK- tos.cobb
and sitting UP asleep in the daytime when
they ought to be awake.
"Why do they do it, Larry? You can
search me. I haven't a clew concealed
about me anvwherei Some day somebody
that's wiser "than I am will arise and ex
plain why a grown man will pay $5 for
a 60-cent table d'hote feed, with tho
added privilege of sticking around until
3:45 A. M.. and hearing eight or ten
discourses by a lot of detached fossils
and escaped human stalagmites from the
Cave of the Winds.
"Anyway, the things that we call amuse
ments are mainly painful in the extreme.
Take picnics, for example. Did you ever
see anybody over the age of nine that
really enjoyed a picnic? You. did not.
and neither did anyone else. Take an
excursion, especially In midsummer when
there hasn't, b?en any rain in weeks and
the landscaps pours into the car windows
In a molecular form accompanied by hay
fever germs and sand flies. On second
thought, don't take an excursion. I
wouldn't have you punished so. The
greatest amusement I could conceive of
would be taking the rest cure, but If I
took that I'd call It a privation and if I
wanted pleasure I'd go to a musical com
edy and be Intensely miserable. It's the
same wav with a dinner.
"A man starts home of a night and
drops into Joe's place, or Mike's place, or
some other of those places and has a
cocktail, with or without a clove, dp
pending on whether he has that kind of a
wife, and .then gets home and shucks his
coat and his shoes and sits down to a
nutritious repast of corned beef and cab
bage and similar delicacies of the season,
and after dinner he unreefs his sus
penders and smokes a cigar and reads a
book for . couple of hours and goes to
bed and sleeps like a baby-not like a
baby, either. Babies don't sleep at night
except at rare intervals, so I've been told
by -married friends. ...
"But, anyway, he puts In his eight
good hours In the hay and wakes up next
morning feeling as fit as a tit. But it
you'd ask him what kind of a time he
had last night, he'd say 'bum.'
"But let him go to a dinner and en
nine or ten courses of hardly anything
at all garnished with parsley, and then
listen to Mr. O. Vkiddo. the Japanese
Consul, break the English language up
into animal crackers for an hour and a
quarter, while responding to a five min
utes' toast: followed by Judge Dope, who
has for m subject 'The I.adies'-C.od
bless 'em. and so talks about the tariff,
and bv Colonel Iffan Oass, the nolcd
wit. who pulls a few that cause Joe
Miller lo turn over in the marble maus
oleum and utter low moaning sounds,
and by Professor Chloroform, tho emi
nent geologist, who discourses learnedly
and at great length on the mineral for
mations of Pincla County. Arizona, and
by Dr. Ether, who explains how to treat
shingles without the use of a hammer,
and bv Congressman Coma and Mamr
Morphine and General Stupor and other
distinguished speakors too numerous to
mention.
"Let hirn do all that, as f say, and
True Tales of the Secret
EDITED BY
in vain. My only apprehension is that
some of the strikers may be suspected of
my murder. I have one more favor to
ask of you: I abjure you. by the friend
ship for me and your hope of happiness
bevond the grave, to burn every vestige
of paper within the desk where you will
find this letter, especially being careful
to destroy the packet In the secret draw
er If you care to examine these papers
you are at liberty to do so. but I would
prefer, for your own sake, that you avoid
this.
"Oood-by. my friend."
This was the letter. I read It over
again and again, endeavoring to form
some Idea of the danger which had
threatened my friend. Failing in this,
I turned to the desk and gathered tho
papers and letters from it and piled them
in the grate. I touched a match to thern
and watched the flames devour them un
til they were only a charred and black
ened mass through which tiny sparks
chased about in fantastic curves. Lastly
I picked up the packet to throw it with
in the grate. So far. I had not examined
any of the papers, but here my curiosity
Lincoln Soldiers'
.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE THREE
sapped the courage until men forgot
everything but home, and fled. Lin
coln could not condemn such a boy to
death.
The time Lincoln gave to listening to
the intercessions of friends in behalf
of condemned deserters, tne extent of
his clemency, is graphically shown in
the manuscript records of the War De
partment which refer to prisoners of
war. Scores of telegrams are tiled there
written out by' Lincoln himself, inquir
ing Into the reasons for an execution
or suspending it entirely. These tele
grams furnish the documentary proof,
if any is wanted, of the man's great
heart, his entire willingness to give
himself Infinite trouble to prevent an
injustice or to soften a sorrow. "Sus
pend execution and forward record for
examination." was his usual formula
for telegrams of this nature. The rec
ord would be sent, but after it was in
his hands xhe would defer Its exami
nation from week to week. Often he
telegraphed. "Suspend execution of
death sentence until further orders."
"But that does not pardon my boy,"
said a father to him once.
"My dear man," said the President,
laying his hand on his shoulder, "do
you suppose I will ever give orders for
your boy's execution?"
In sending these orders for suspen
sion of execution, the President fre
quently went himself personally to the
telegraph offico and watched the opera
tor send them, so afraid was he that
they might not be forwarded in time.
To dozens of the orders sent over from
the White House by a messenger was at
tached a little note signed by Mr. Lin
coln, or by one of his secretaries, and
directed to Major Eckert. the chief of
the office: "Major Eckert, please fend
above dispatch." or "Will you please
hurry off the above? Tomorrow is the
day of execution." Not infrequently ho
repeated a telegram or sent a trailer
after it inquiring, "Did you receive my
dispatch suspending sentence of ?"
Some of the deserters came very close
to his own life. The son of more than
one old friend was condemned for a
military offense in the war, and in the
telegrams is recorded Lincoln's treat
ment of these trying cases. In one of
thero the boy had enlisted in the South
ern Army and had been taken a pris
oner. "Please send him to me by an
officer," the President telegraphed the
military commander having him In
charge. Four days later he telegraphed
to the boy's father:
"Your son has Just left me with
my orders to the Secretary of War to
administer to him the oath of allegi
ance, discharge him and send him to
you."
And yet, in spite of the evident re
smoke one of those blasting fuzes with
a gilt bund around it that they furnish
as cigars, and drink a quantity of the,
nonbini- -hfrrv that KOCS Witll SUCll a
function, and come home in a senil-con-srious
state, about a quarter to four,
and next day catch him as ho sits prop
ping one eye open with his forefinger
so he can see to do his work, and ask
him what sort of a time he had and he
will auy 'crand.' He'll think lie means
it, too. which is worse.
"That bunch we seen going up tonight
was some state society or oilier, wasn't
It?" asked llic House Detective.
"I jmlqed so from thrlr badges. " said
the Hotel clerk. "You know about
Mate societies. I suppose. The main ob
jects of r stale .society are a piiid secre
tary, a stock of engraved stationery and
a dinner onee a year.
"It's a brilliant scene that is presented
when the dinner takes place. The fit
of the dinner coats beggars description.
Tho toastmastcr. releasing his strangle
hold on an expensive entree done in
Freneh. arises to prnlsi' the simple
homely fare of the old home. There
are appropriate toasts, stieli ap:
" 'Historic Kansas, from the Bender '
Family to1 Carrie Nation." Or possibly.
'Old Kentucky Iind of Fair Women
and Fast Night Riders." At parting
many tears of homesickness for the old
st-.ite" are shed by s-ueh as have remained
awake. But you couldn't take any of
them back to the old state with any
thing short of a requisition. There's
often great suffering during a dinner,
Larry, and frequently afterwards. I suf
fered greatly myself, once."
"How wuz that?" asked the House De
tective. "I was asked to make a toast." said
the Hotel Clerk. "No one knows what
I endured as the evening passed. I
couldn't cut anything because my throqt
was occupied by my heart and other
vital organs that had moved up there.
I drank, but tho drink turned cold on
rry stomach. My tongue thickened so
that If it had ever escaped from my
mouth vou wouldn't have been ahlo
to put it in a hut. I developed many
goose pimples which turned to hard
lumps and nettled in my chest. When
the toastnmster called on me. I arose,
gracefully, turning over my neighbor's
deml tasse 'Into his lap. and forgot my
opening remarks. The scene swam bc
foro nie, and I micht have swam too.
but T.had the cramps in both legs. I
found mv voice where I had mislaid It
somewhere in the remote recesses of my
self and besan. 1 told eight jokes, nil of
them very humorous, and the ice didn't
even eiaik around the e,1?es. Then 1
told the ninth one and ns 1 sat down In
my oilier neighbor's lap. I saw a. fat
man at the middle tablo suddenly double
up and gurgle loud and lone."
Vou ouchter been sn;.sfjcd. '"'I
mad one man laugh." said the House
Detective.
'lie wasn't laiieliinst." said the Hotel
Clerk. "He clinked on a chicken leg."
Service, by an Ex-Operative
WM. J. BACON
got the better of me and I consoled my
self with the thoueht that 1 might find
some elew to the mystery that sur
rounded mv poor, dead friend. I opened
the packet. It contained two photo
graphs and a lock of hair.
One of the pictures was of a biicht
eved. laughing cherub of S or fi years.
The other was the girl, blossomed into
the radiant beauty of a perfect woman
hood. I hHve never seen a prettier iac
nor a more kindly and loving one. t
know that my friend had loved liar and
that there was nothing strange about
this, but whether she was sister, mother
o- sweetheart only the cold heart of my
friend knew, and his secret was saie for
ever more.
I followed his body to a quiet little
graveyard, where wild flowers swayed
in the soft evening breeze and lofty,
suow-clnd mountains, stood perpetual
sentinels to suard its dead.
Somehow I have always fancied that
my friend slept sweeter and more con
tented because of the two photographs
and the lock of hair which his folded
hands held pressed upon his lifeless
breast.
"Father Abraham"
, - . ,i r rrtl r ' IV
luctance which every telegram shows
to allowing the- execution of a death
sentence, there are many which prove
that, unless he had what he consid
ered a good reason for suspending a
sentence, he would not do it.
It is curious to note how the Presi
dent found time to attend to these cases
even on the most anxious days of his
Administration. on the very day on
which he telegraphed to James G. Blaine
In response to the hitter's announcement
that Main had gone for the I'nion. he
sent two telegram? suspending sen
tences.. Such telegrams were sent on
,lavs of great hattles. in tho midst of
victory. In the despair of defeat. What
ever he was doing, the fato of the sen
tenced soldier was on his heart. On
Friday, which was usually chosen as
execution day. he often was heard to
Wiv. "They are shooting a boy at
today.. I hope. I have not done wrong
to allow it."
Incidents like those already given,
showing the care and the sympathy
President Lincoln felt for the common
soldier, might be multiplied Indefinitely.
Nothing that concerned tho life of the
man in the line was foreign to him.
The man might have shown cowardice.
The President only said. "I never felt
sure but I might drop my gun and run
away if I found msi-lf in line of battle.
The man might be poor and friendless.
"If he has no friends. I'll be his friend '
Lincoln said. The man might have de
serted "Suspend execution, send me his
record." way the President's order. He
was not only the Commander-in-Chief
of all the armies of the I'nlted States, he
was the father of the army, and never
did a man belter deserve a title, than
did he the one the soldiers gave him
-Fattier Abraham."
(Copyright. IMS. by the MrClure Co.)
A Rebel.
Cleveland Leader
In pieces played by plionoErapli"
M pleaoure is intense;
I always get loins hearty laughs
From Sunday supplements
I'm fond of G. M. Cohan'i shows,
I dote on --Cheer-up" bard?.
And oh! I love tlio wit that goes
With picture postal cards:
My neighbor's pianola is
A wondrous treat to me.
At Harper's Weekly's Jokcu. gee wh!!
I nearly die with glee.
When Ella Wilcox htt a bunt
Of ions ah. that's divine!
In politics, the viewt of Hearst
Quite coincide with mine.
In art, I'm fondest of these things
That ladles burn on wood;
And everything l"ra Hubbard springs
In print, to me seems good.
On Threefer fin I Joy to ride
These pleas'irs 1 desire.
And similar delights beside.
P. s. I am a liar.
, "
x ; "