the
statement. He read it, and said:

"'I will at once see if any papers in this case have been forwarded.'

"During all this time imagine the suspense and fears of Mary Anderson.

"The Secretary sent to the Judge-Advocate-General, and found that the
papers had just arrived.

"The President said:

"'Let them be brought to me immediately.'

"When they were placed before him he read them over carefully,
remarking, when he had finished, that they were exactly as stated by
Capt. Lyon. He handed them to the Secretary and asked him to read them,
which he did, and laid them down without a word of comment.

"After some conversation between the two men, the President turned to
her and said:

"'Mrs. Anderson, cheer up, weep no more; your friend shall not be hurt!
Instead of showing himself unworthy of clemency he has proven himself a
noble boy. The kindness which he showed to his messmate and neighbor
boy was enough to have commended him to mercy. He should have been
complimented for his kindness and excused from duty, instead of having
it imposed upon him. You can go home and bear the glad tidings to his
father and mother that their boy shall be saved for a better fate.'

"Mary Anderson, trembling with emotion, said:

"'Mr. President, you are so very kind, sir. But, if you will pardon me,
his father and mother know nothing of their boy's trouble. We kept it
from them, believing it would have caused them great distress. We desire
to keep it from them.'

"'Do you say that his father and mother do not know of this, nor that
you are here?'

"'Mr. President, they are not aware of the case.'

"'Mrs. Anderson, that was very considerate in your friends and yourself,
to keep this from them for the present at least.'

"The President then wrote, with his own hand, a telegram, ordering the
suspension of sentence against James Whitcomb--that he had been fully
pardoned--signed it and sent it to the office with directions that
the dispatch be sent at once. Mary Anderson on her knees thanked the
President from the fullness of her heart. He bade her rise; said he had
done nothing that she should thank him for; that if he had permitted
such a sentence to be carried out he never could have forgiven himself.
He bade her go home and carry the good tidings to her friends. He told
her to give me and my family his kindest regards. She then left with a
light heart.

"She went directly to the train, forgetting that she had eaten nothi