Well,I went in and sat down on the edge of a chair,and wished I were in Europe,and the man at the table did not look up.He was one of the world's greatest men,and was made great by one single rule.Oh,that all the young people of Philadelphia were before me now and I could say just this one thing,and that they would remember it.I would give a lifetime for the effect it would have on our city and on civilization.Abraham Lincoln's principle for greatness can be adopted by nearly all.This was his rule：Whatsoever he had to do at all,he put his whole mind into it and held it all there until that was all done.That makes men great almost anywhere.He stuck to those papers at that table and did not look up at me,and I sat there trembling.Finally,when he had put the string around his papers,he pushed them over to one side and looked over to me,and a smile came over his worn face.He said："I am a very busy man and have only a few minutes to spare.Now tell me in the fewest words what it is you want."I began to tell him,and mentioned the case,and he said："I have heard all about it and you do not need to say any more.Mr.Stanton was talking to me only a few days ago about that.You can go to the hotel and rest assured that the President never did sign an order to shoot a boy under twenty years of age,and never will.You can say that to his mother anyhow."
Then he said to me,"How is it going in the field?"I said,"We sometimes get discouraged."And he said："It is all right.We are going to win out now.We are getting very near the light.No man ought to wish to be President of the United States,and I will be glad.