Lincoln's Kindness

An anecdote showing' Lincoln's merciful nature in a ligilt, and related by Mr. L. E. Chittenden in his "Recollections of President Lincoln and His Administration," f rom authentie sources, is the one of the sleeping sentinel, WUliam Soott, the Vermont boy, whose lifc Lincoln gaved after he had been condemned to be shot. Lincoln personally saw Scott and talkcd with him a time. Scott would not talk to his comrades of the interview ward until one nig-ht, when he had received a letter from home, he finally opened his hcart to a friend in this wise: "The president was the kindest man I had ever seen. I was scared at first, for I had r.ever before talked with a great man. But Mr. Lincoln was so easy with me, so gentle, that I soon forgot my fright. He stood up and he says to me: 'My boy, stand up here and look me in the face.' 1 did as he bade me. 'My boy,' he said, 'you are not going to be shot to-morrow'. I am going to trust you and send you back to your regiment. I have come up here from Washington, where I have got a great deal to do, and what I want to know is how you are going to pay my bill.' There was a big lump in my throat. I could scarcely speak: But I got it er&wded down and managed to say: 'There is some way to pay you and I will find it after a little. There is the bounty in the savings bank. I guess we could borrrow some money on a mortgage on the farm.' I was sure the boys would help, so I thought we could make it up if it wasn't more than five or six hundred dollars. 'But it is a great deal more than five or six hundred dollars,' he said. Then I said I didn't.see how, but I was sure I would flnd some way - if I lived. "Then Mr. Lincoln put his hands on my shoulders and looked into my face as if he was sorry, and said: 'My boy, my bill is a very large one. Your iriends cannot pay it, nor your bounty, nor your farm, nor all your comrades. There is only one man in all the world who can pay it, and his name is William Scott. If from this day William Scott does his duty, so that if I was there when he comes to die, he can look me in the face as he does now and say I have kept my promise, and I have done my duty as a soldier, then ay debt will be paid. Will you make that promise and try to keep it?' I said I would make the promise, and, with God's help, I would keep it. He went away out of my sight forever. I know I shall never see him again, but may God forget me if ever I forget his kind words or my promise."