"I'm all right, then.”
"Why so?" said he.

"Because we are all friends,” said I; "I am rebel too-I want to go down to New Orleans to see my mother."

Then he asked me how our pickets were stationed. I told him two of our companies which had been out went in that day toward the camps. He asked if I thought he could capture any of them, and I told him I did not think he could. He asked why, and I replied that there were a number of mounted riflemen around. The head scout asked me what kind of arms the Lincoln men received, and at the same time said,

"Let me see your pistol."

I handed him my revolver. Colonel Taylor took it, and cocking it, said to me, "Dismount, or I will blow your brains

out."

Melancholy End of Johnson, the Deserter. was so scared that I did not know what to The execution of poor Johnson, for the say. However, I asked him who they crime of desertion, constituted a melan- were, and he said they were the enemy. choly page in the history of the army in Said I to him, Virginia. Of this crime, the unfortunate culprit said: I had not the slightest intention of deserting, up to a few minutes before I started in the direction of the enemy's lines. The way I came to leave our army was this: I was on the outposts, and after dinner, when watering my horse, I thought I would go to the first house on the Braddock road and get a drink of milk. When I rode up to the house I saw a man and a boy. I asked the man for some milk, and he said he had none; and to my enquiry as to where I could get some, he said he did not know except I should go some distance further on. I said I thought it would be dangerous to go far, and he remarked that none of the rebels had been seen in that vicinity for some time. It was then that I conceived the idea of deserting. I thought I could ride right up to the rebel pickets and inside the enemy's line, go and see my mother in New Orleans, stay for a few weeks in the South, and then be able to dismounted, delivered up my belt and saget back to our regiment again, perhaps with some valuable information. I never had any idea of going over to the rebels, and as it is I would rather be hung on a tree than go and join the rebel army. I don't see what under heaven put it into my head to go away. I acted upon the impulse of the moment. When the man at Johnson was duly tried by court-martial the house said none of the enemy had and found guilty. The place chosen for been seen lately in that vicinity, I asked his execution was a spacious field near the where it was that the five rebels I had Fairfax Seminary. The Provost-Marheard of had been seen some time ago, shal, mounted and wearing a crimson and he said it was at the round house on scarf across his breast, led the mournful the left hand side of the road. I asked cortege. He was immediately followed him where the road led to. He said to by the buglers of the regiment, four Centreville, and so I went that way. abreast, dismounted. Then came the Riding along on the Braddock road, some twelve men-one from each company in miles beyond our pickets, I suddenly came the regiment, selected by ballot,-who across Colonel Taylor, of the Third New constituted the firing party. The arms, Jersey regiment, with his scouting party. Sharps' breech-loading rifle, had been preI thought they were the rebels, but at first viously loaded under the direction of the

I was so much frightened I thought my brains had been blown out already. I

bre, while at the same time they searched my pockets, but there was nothing in them except a piece of an old New York Ledger, I believe. Then he tied my hands before me, and sent me back to camp in charge of three men, besides another who took my horse.

Marshal. One was loaded with a blank again. The troops were witnessing the cartridge, according to the usual custom, whole of these proceedings with the intensso that neither of the men could positively est interest. Then the Marshal and the state that the shot from his rifle killed the chaplains began to prepare the culprit for unfortunate man. The coffin, which was his death. He was too weak to stand. of pine wood stained, and without any in- He sat down on the foot of the coffin. scription, came next, in a one-horse wagon. Captain Boyd then bandaged his eyes with Immediately behind followed the doomed a white handkerchief. A few minutes of man, in an open wagon. About five feet painful suspense intervened while the six inches in height, with light hair and Catholic clergymen were having their final whiskers, his eyebrows joining each other, interview with the unfortunate man. Johnson indeed presented a most forlorn being ready, the Marshal waved his handappearance. He was dressed in cavalry kerchief as the signal, and the firing party uniform, with the regulation overcoat and discharged the volley. Johnson did not black gloves. He was supported by move, remaining in a sitting posture for Father McAtee, who was in constant con- several seconds after the rifles were disversation with him, while Father Willett charged. Then he quivered a little, and rode behind on horseback. The rear was brought up by Company C, of the Lincoln Cavalry, forming the escort.

Arriving on the ground at half-past three o'clock, the musicians and the escort took a position a little to the left, while the criminal descended from the wagon. The coffin was placed on the ground, and he took his position beside it. The firing party was marched up to within six paces of the prisoner, who stood between the clergymen. The final order of execution was then read to the condemned.

All

fell over beside his coffin. He was still alive, however, and the four reserves were called to complete the work. It was found that two of the firing party, Germans, had not discharged their pieces, and they were immediately put in irons. Johnson was shot several times in the heart by the first volley. Each of the four shots fired by the reserves took effect in his head, and he died instantly. One penetrated his chin, another his left cheek, while two entered the brain just above the left eyebrow.

The troops then all marched round, and each man looked on the bloody corpse of his misguided comrade.

While the order was being read, Johnson stood with his hat on, his head a little inclined to the left, and his eyes fixed in a steady gaze on the ground. Near the close of the reading, one of his spiritual Maternal Love and Patriotic Duty. attendants whispered something in his ear. An old lady residing in Johnstown, Johnson had expressed a desire to say a Cambria county, Penn., had an only son, few final words before he should leave this a strapping minor, to whom she was most world to appear before his Maker. He warmly attached. This lad, however, was conducted close to the firing party, having some of the war fever in him, was and in an almost inaudible voice, spoke as induced to join a corps from the mountains, follows: and, hoping to deceive the old lady, he invented a very plausible tale, and came away. The love of the mother was, however, too great to be deceived, and after a week had elapsed, the true story was revealed to her. She started upon the railroad with a bundle and a small sum

"Boys, I ask forgiveness from Almighty God and from my fellow-men for what I have done. I did not know what I was doing. May God forgive me, and may the Almighty keep all of you from all such sin."

He was then placed beside the coffin of money, and walked to Harrisburg alone,

-a distance of more than one hundred looked unutterable griefs, and clung all and fifty miles. At Harrisburg she took the closer to her babe. The money was the train, and her money carried her to all right; he held it in his hand-more Downington, where she again resumed her than he had owned at once, perhaps, dur tramp, and turned up, much to the lad's ing all his lifetime. Said heastonishment, at Camp Coleman, near Frankford. There the old lady, utterly wearied out, fell sick, and the men, hearing of the case, made up a collection, and provided her a bed and attendance in the neighborhood. But her strength revived with her anxiety, and she proceeded to the railroad with her boy, and kissed him a good-bye at the cars, with the tears falling free and warm upon her cheeks.

"God bless you, wife and children; we must now part, perhaps forever. This money, wife, is yours-but let me give some to each; it will gratify me, and will go to you whenever you are in want of it. Here, wife, is one hundred dollars for you; may heaven bless it and you! Here, Billy, is one hundred dollars for you; be good and true to your mother, and, as you are the oldest, watch faithfully over your brothers and sisters. James, here is one Distribution of his Bounty. hundred dollars for you; give it to your The better part of man's nature as well mother whenever she wants it. Mary, as its worst features, could be seen very take this one hundred dollars, be a good palpably in the volunteering room, as the girl, and in your prayers remember following among many kindred instances your father. Come here, my pet Alice, will show. A whole family, mother and here is one hundred dollars for you to keep five children, led by their stalwart head, until good mamma requires it. And now, the husband and father, presented them- my little toad without a name-yes, let us selves one day to Supervisor Blunt, in call him Hope; do you say so, wife?" It New York city, for the six hundred dol- was assented to. "Then here, you little lars bounty, he, the husband, having just crowing cock,-bless the little fellow! I been examined and mustered in as a recruit. may never see him again. Kiss me, boy. It was a large family and a sorrowful Here, put this hundred dollars in your one-all except the little tow-headed fel- little hand, and don't eat it, but pass it low in its mother's arms, who was leaping over to your mother as soon as possible." and crowing as though he really thought The noble-hearted fellow's heavy frame it was excellent fun, a capital joke. The seemed to quiver all over as he finished family appeared like a respectable one, his distribution and knew that his time had though the hand of poverty evidently rested heavily upon it, and this, most likely, was the last resort, the last hope, the throwing of one overboard to save the rest. As Mr. Blunt counted the money-one, two, three, four, five, six hundred dollars, and presented it, a kind of sickly, faint smile was visible through the unbidden tears which were coursing down the volunteer's cheeks; for his time, he knew, with his family-its joys and hopes-was "Bless me, is it so? Wife, put that now about up. His children were cling- one hundred dollars into the savings bank ing to his legs, begging him not to for Hope, and never touch it if you can leave them; his wife, too full to speak, help it-if you can help it, mind--until

come. He embraced each and all separately, and declared himself ready to go.

"But," says Mr. Blunt, "there is another hundred dollars coming to you-the hand money. Who brought you here!"

"That wee bit of a babe, your honor; I'd never come in the world had it not been for that dear babe."

"Well, then, the hand money or premium belongs to him!"

he comes of age. God bless the little fellow! He starts well in the world, after all, and may yet be President.

The man stepped upon the platform of the turnstile, and was whirled in out of sight of the world and all he loved.

Tenderness of the President toward the

Lowly.

A woman in a faded shawl and hood, somewhat advanced in life, was admitted one day, in her turn, to see President Lincoln, in his office.

much affected by her appearance and story, and said,

66

"I know what you wish me to do now, and I shall do it without your asking; I shall release to you your second son."

Upon this he took up his pen and commenced writing the order. While he was writing the poor woman stood by his side, the tears running down her face, and passed her hand softly over his head, stroking tenderly his rough hair-as a fond mother will do to a son. By the Her husband and three sons, all she had time he had finished writing, his own heart in the world, had enlisted in the war. and eyes were full. He handed her the But her husband having lost his life in the paper, saying, "Now you have one and I service, she had come to ask the President one of the other two left; that is no more to release to her the oldest son. Being than right." She took the paper, and satisfied of the truthfulness of her story, reverently placing her hand again upon he said, " Certainly, if her prop was taken his head, the tears still upon her cheeks, away she was justly entitled to one of her said, boys." He immediately wrote an order for the discharge of the young man. The May you live a thousand years, and may poor woman thanked him very gratefully, you always be the head of this great naand went away. On reaching the army she found that this son had been in a recent engagement, was wounded and taken to a hospital. She found the hospital, but

"The Lord bless you, Mr. President.

tion."

It was the Baby that did It. A touching incident of President Lincoln's kindness of heart is the following, as told by one of the servants attached to the presidential mansion. A poor woman from Philadelphia had been waiting, with a baby in her arms, for three days, to see the President. Her husband had furnished a substitute for the army, but some time afterward was one day made intoxicated by some companions, and in this state induced to enlist. Soon after he reached the army he deserted, thinking that as he had provided a substitute, the Government was not entitled to his services. Returning home, he was, of course, arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to be shot. The sentence was to be executed on a the boy was dead, or died while she was Saturday. On Monday, preceding, his there. The surgeon in charge made a wife left her home with her baby to enmemorandum of the facts upon the back deavor to see the President. Said old of the President's order, and, almost bro- Daniel: "She had been waiting here three ken-hearted, the poor woman found her days, and there was no chance for her to way again into his presence. He was get in. Late in the afternoon of the third

manner in which a substitute broker could be victimized-done for!--by his intended victim. It seems that broker became ac

day the President was going through the back passage to his private rooms, to get a cup of tea or take some rest. On his way through this passage-way, (which quainted with a countryman who had some shuts the person passing entirely out of notion about enlistment. "Oh, you're my view of the occupants of the ante-room,) man-I can pocket two or three hundred he heard the little baby cry. He instantly dollars on you," muttered the joyous browent back to the office and rang the bell. ker, at the same time inviting Greeny to 'Daniel,' said he, 'is there a woman with "take a walk and see the town." Greeny a baby in the ante-room?' I said there accepted, and off the two started. They was, and, if he would allow me to say it, not long after imbibed freely—in fact, very I thought it a case he ought to see; for it freely. Broker was anxious to have was a matter of life and death. Said he, Greeny drink often, while his plan was to 'Send her to me at once.' She went in, keep sober. Broker had plenty of money, told her story, and the President pardoned and would not permit "his friend from the her husband. As the woman came out country" to spend a single dime. Finally, from his presence, her eyes were lifted Broker-contrary altogether to his original and her lips moving in prayer, the tears plan-became weak in the knees, while streaming down her cheeks." Daniel ad- Greeny was growing sober. Result: ded: "I went up to her and pulling her shawl Greeny marched Mr. Broker to the Marsaid, 'Madam, it was the baby that did it!"" shal's office, had him examined, was accepted and sworn in as a substitute. Greeny pocketed the profits, and started for the country. Mr. Broker became a sojourner on Hart's Island, in company with several of his victims. Verdictserved him right.

Sold by his intended Victim.

The employes and habitues of the Provost-Marshal's office in the city of Troy, New York, were one day considerably amused by a little episode, showing the