Thaddeus Stevens accompanied a lady of his constituents to beg a pardon
of the President, her son being under death sentence of a
court-martial. The senator backing up the petition, it was granted. The
grateful woman was choking, and was led away by her escort, without
speaking in thankfulness. But at the exit she found her voice, and
burst forth feelingly:
"Mr. Stevens, they told me that the President was homely looking! It is
a lie! He is the handsomest man I ever saw!"
* * * * *
"IT WAS THE BABY THAT DID IT."
A young mother came to Washington to sue for the life of her husband, a
deserter, condemned to die. Such was the crowd of besiegers for grace,
offices, and simple greeting by the host of the White House that she
was kept out in the hall. But one day, the master passing through the
corridor "to hold the show," heard a baby's pitiful wail. He halted,
listened again to make sure, and on entering his reception-parlor asked
his favorite usher if he had not heard that odd thing--there--an
infant's cry.
The attendant promptly related that a woman with a babe was without,
who had been losing her time three days.
"Go at once, and send her to me," he ordered, expressing regret that
she should have been overlooked.
As there were several extenuating points in her plea, or the benign
official leaned that way, he wrote his pardon and gave it to the woman,
whose still plaintive smile shone through tears of gratitude.
"Take that, my poor woman, and it will bring you back your husband," he
said, going so far as to direct her to what authority to apply for the
action.
In showing her forth, the old usher, who knew his employer's tender
heart where children were concerned, whispered:
"It was the baby that did it!"--(Told by "Old Dan'el," the good-natured
Irish usher.)
* * * * *
"IT RESTS ME TO SAVE A LIFE!"
Schuyler Colfax, then Speaker of the House, pleaded with Lincoln for
the life of an elector's son, sentenced to be shot. Though he intruded
on the arbiter very late after a long spell of official duties, Lincoln
accorded the boon.
"Colfax," explained he, "it makes me rested after a hard day's work, if
I can find some good excuse for saving a man's life, and I go to bed
happy as I think how joyous the signing of my name will make him, and
his family, and his friends."
* * * * *
"A FAMILY MAN WANTS TO SEE HIS FAMILY."
Superintendent Tinker, of the Western Union Telegraph Company, vouches
for the following:
A woman came to the Honorable Francis Kernan, member of Congress, with
a pitiful tale, with which he went to the President. Her husband was a
soldier who had been away from home a year. He deserted in order to
have a glance at the family, and was captured on his way back to the
front. But the rules of war are imperative, and without compassion. The
President was interested, as in all such cases where a deserving life
and a sorrowing woman were at stake. He said:
"Of course, this man wanted to see his family! They ought not to shoot
him for that!" He telegraphed for action in the matter to cease, and
finally pardoned the deserter.
"A fellow-feeling"--for all his thoughts reverted to _his_ family life
at Springfield.
* * * * *