“I advise you always to yield to such impulses,” he said. “You did me as great a favor as the boy. It was a new experience for me--a study that was interesting, though I have had more to do with people of his class than any other. Did you know that Scott and I had a long visit? I was much interested in the boy. I am truly sorry that he is dead, for he was a good boy--too good a boy to be shot for obeying nature. I am glad I interfered.” “Mr. Lincoln, I wish your treatment of this matter could be written into history.” “Tut, tut!” he broke in; “none of that. By-the-way, do you remember what Jeanie Deans said to Queen Caroline when the Duke of Argyle procured her an opportunity to beg for her sister’s life?” “I remember the incident well, but not the language.” “I remember both. This is the paragraph in point: ‘It is not when we sleep soft and wake merrily ourselves that we think on other people’s sufferings. Our hearts are waxed light within us then, and we are for righting our ain wrangs and fighting our ain battles. But when the hour of trouble comes to the mind or to the body--and when the hour of death comes, that comes to high and low--oh, then it isna what we hae dune for oursells, but what we hae dune for others, that we think on maist pleasantly. And the thoughts that ye hae intervened to spare the puir thing’s life will be sweeter in that hour, come when it may, than if a word of your mouth could hang the whole Porteous mob at the tail of ae tow.’” X THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE “MONITOR” AND “MERRIMAC” _Told by Captain Worden and Lieutenant Greene of the “Monitor”_ Some weeks after the historic battle between the _Monitor_ and the _Merrimac_ in Hampton Roads, on March 9, 1862, the former vessel came to the Washington Navy-yard unchanged, in the same condition as when she discharged her parting shot at the _Merrimac_. There she lay until her heroic commander had so far recovered from his injuries as to be able to rejoin his vessel. All leaves of absence had been revoked, the absentees had returned, and were ready to welcome their Captain. President Lincoln, Captain Fox, and a limited number of Captain Worden’s personal friends had been invited to his informal reception. Lieutenant Greene received the President and the guests. He was a boy in years--not too young to volunteer, however, when volunteers were scarce, and to fight the _Merrimac_ during the last half of the battle, after the Captain was disabled.