NANCY And love your sister---- [ABE _nods._] If dark hours come, my spirit will be watching, my son--and I'll help you if I can---- ABE Yes, I know it! NANCY And remember that you can be a great man in this free country if you only say--I will---- [NANCY'S _body sinks in death as the boy lifts his face illumined by the light of a great purpose._] ABE Yes, Ma,--I will! CURTAIN PERSONS OF THE PLAY ABRAHAM LINCOLN _The President._ MRS. LINCOLN _His Wife._ COLONEL NICOLAY _His Secretary._ EDWARD _The Doorman._ EDWIN M. STANTON _Secretary of War._ GEN. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN _Lincoln's Rival._ CAPTAIN VAUGHAN _Of the U. S. Army._ BETTY WINTER _His Sweetheart._ THADDEUS STEVENS _Leader of Congress._ HENRY RAYMOND _Editor of the New York Times._ JOHN R. GILMORE _Of the New York Tribune._ COLONEL JACQUESS _A Methodist Clergyman._ JEFFERSON DAVIS _President of the Confederacy._ JUDAH P. BENJAMIN _His Secretary of State._ JUDGE ROBERT OULD _Commissioner of Exchange._ ROBERT E. LEE _Commanding General._ A SISTER _Who begs for her brother's life._ A CONGRESSMAN _Who demands a hearing._ A LITTLE GIRL _From Virginia._ A MOTHER _With a baby._ A WOMAN _Who has lost two sons._ A TELEGRAPH OPERATOR _In the White House._ A DOORMAN _At Richmond._ COMMITTEEMEN, SOLDIERS AND GUARDS. ACT I SET SCENE: _The President's room in the White House, August 23, 1864. A flat desk left center. At right a long table and chairs. Doors open right and left. Large windows open center. Beside the center window stands an upright desk. In one corner a rack with map rollers and folios of maps on the floor and leaning against the wall._ AT RISE: _Colonel Nicolay, the President's Secretary, is seen writing before an enormous pile of mail. He reads a letter and throws it down in disgust. Reads another and hurls it into the waste basket. He rises--turns back to the desk and hurls an armful of the letters into the corner on the floor and removes enough letters to clear a space for his Chief to write._ [EDWARD _enters dragging a mail bag._] NICOLAY [_Calling to the Doorman._] Edward! EDWARD Yes, sir---- NICOLAY Hold that door tight this morning---- EDWARD Tight as a drum, sir---- NICOLAY If any men of importance try to crowd in before their time----