Mrs. Bixby, of Boston, who had lost five sons in the
war.

Over and over she read its sentences until they echoed as solemn music in
her soul:

"I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should
attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I
cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the
thanks of the republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father
may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the
cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be
yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

"Yours very sincerely and respectfully,

"ABRAHAM LINCOLN."

"And the President paused amid a thousand cares to write that letter to a
broken-hearted woman?" the mother asked.

"Yes."

"Then he is good down to the last secret depths of a great heart! Only a
Christian father could have written that letter. I shall not be afraid to
speak to him. And they told me he was an infidel!"

Elsie led her by a private way past the crowd and into the office of Major
Hay, the President's private secretary. A word from the Great Commoner's
daughter admitted them at once to the President's room.

"Just take a seat on one side, Miss Elsie," said Major Hay; "watch your
first opportunity and introduce your friend."

On entering the room, Mrs. Cameron could not see the President, who was
seated at his desk surrounded by three men in deep consultation over a
mass of official documents.

She looked about the room nervously and felt reassured by its plain
aspect. It was a medium-sized, officelike place, with no signs of elegance
or ceremony. Mr. Lincoln was seated in an armchair beside a high
writing-desk and table combined. She noticed that his feet were large and
that they rested on a piece of simple straw matting. Around the room were
sofas and chairs covered with green worsted.

When the group about the chair parted a moment, she caught the first
glimpse of the man who held her life in the hollow of his hand. She
studied him with breathless interest. His back was still turned. Even
while seated, she saw that he was a man of enormous stature, fully six
feet four inches tall, legs and arms abnormally long, and huge broad
shoulders slightly stooped. His head was powerful and crowned with a mass
of heavy brown hair, tinged with silver.

He turned his head slightly and she saw his profile set i