During a brief absence of the President, Judge Holt told me that the atrocities of some of the criminals condemned, surpassed belief. “A guerilla leader in Missouri,” said he, “by the name of Nichols, was in the habit of filling the ears of wounded Unionists who fell into his hands with gunpowder, setting fire to it, and blowing their heads to pieces. When captured, a number of human ears were found upon his person.” Referring to Mr. Lincoln’s disposition to pardon or commute the majority of the death sentences, he remarked, “The President is without exception the most tender-hearted man I ever knew.” Judge Holt, it will be remembered, was called into Mr. Buchanan’s cabinet towards the close of his administration. Glancing around the room,--incidentally referring to my errand there,--he said, “This room was the theatre of some very exciting scenes during the last months of Mr. Buchanan’s term.” He spoke warmly of the courage and fearlessness of Stanton, on those occasions, who did not hesitate to call _traitors_ and _treason_ their right names. When the clock struck twelve, Mr. Lincoln drew back from the table, and with a stretch of his long arms, remarked, “I guess we will go no farther with these cases to-day; I am a little tired and the Cabinet will be coming in soon.” “I believe, by the by,” he added, “that I have not yet had my breakfast,--this business has been so absorbing that it has crowded everything else out of my mind.” And so ended the work of one morning; simple in its detail, but pregnant with hope and joy, darkness and death, to many human beings. XII. As the different members of the Cabinet came in, the President introduced me, adding in several instances,--“He has an idea of painting a picture of us all together.” This, of course, started conversation on the topic of art. Presently a reference was made by some one to Jones, the sculptor, whose bust of Mr. Lincoln was in the crimson parlor below. The President, I think, was writing at this instant. Looking up, he said, “Jones tells a good story of General Scott, of whom he once made a bust. Having a fine subject to start with, he succeeded in giving great satisfaction. At the closing sitting he attempted to define and elaborate the lines and markings of the face. The General sat patiently; but when he came to see the result, his countenance indicated decided displeasure. ‘Why, Jones, what have you been doing?’ he asked. ‘Oh,’ rejoined the sculptor, ‘not much, I confess, General; I have been working out the details of the face a little more, this morning.’ ‘Details?’ exclaimed the General, warmly; ‘---- the details! Why, my man, you are spoiling the bust!’”