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Show ALL His Xjl While a great battle raged, three tiny, mewing cats helped ease the war-weaPresident's ry anguished mind ' By MARYA SAUNDERS Abe Lincoln life, was irresistibly attract-- " ed by the beauty and' the in- dependent spirit of cats. Many atones are told about this, but one of the best is the tale of iLiacoln's three battlefield kittens. This is what happened : In the spring of 1865, the Civil ' War was drawing to a close. The Confederate army was preparing for the final battle near Richmond, and General Grant relentlessly was pressing the attack. Heavyhearted over the blood yet to be spilled, President Lincoln decided to visit Grant near the battle-- , son field, bringing his Tad along for company, At the, Jtfnion camp, Lincoln talked with the generals and then ''visited the wounded. In the tele graph hutJie battle was-study- ing dispatches when he heard a plaintive cry. He and Tad looked about,, and then Tad dropped to his" knees. Peering under a cot, .he pulled out d kittens. three small, mud-cake- J ' Aft Jjw--- .' tffiul ZJ' 'y V: : ""-" v-- - ' "V f r- inis fluff , frolic The officer of the hut explained stovepipe hat. Lincoln dead. was mother their that Later, as the kittens purred in his lap, his tired face would relax. ' picked up one of the mewing kittens 11 j ?i - rni and "wiped its eyes with his" hand- .ine trresiaent completed nis tour of the battlefields, and he, Tad, and kerchief. "Poor kittens," he said. the kittens 'boarded the steamboat "But thank God you're, onlycats River Queen-fo- r and cannot understand the terrible the trip back to battle going on nearby." Washington. The atmosphere on the ' The President and Tad left, but boat was now charged with excite- " ment. Rumors of General Lee's sur- they often would stop at' th? tele--, " render were graph hut and play with the kiteverywhere A gooddeal of the, trip, Lincoln tens. When the Presidential party moved on, Tad begged his father to sat in the sunlight at the bow of let him take the kittens. Lincoln the boat,, resting while Tad and the found-i- t hard to refuse the boy's kittens frisked on the deck. Shortrequest, and so the kittens were ly before their arrival,' the Presi- bundled into thecarriage- xdenrgently explained to the boy In the days-tha- t that .the busylWhite House"would followed, he" not be a proper place for kittens. President visited the battlefields 'around Richmond ,and watched He would make arrangements for them to stay aboard. through field glasses as Conf eder-- , ate and Union armies fought each otheron the wet spring fields. In IAD SEEMED DELIGHTED, but when -tto- he and the Presi- wouldreturn heevening, his dark went deep-swith to . his cabin to pick dent camp, eyes exhaustion and sorrow. he the boy in his found up papers, Alone in his tent with TadVhe tears. Between sobs, Tad explained would watch the three "white kit-- , he had heard two soldiers say that balls of cats on 'a boat are bad luck and the tens, now frisky, well-fekittens should -- be drowned. "We can't let that happen," cried Tad. The President frowned. Perhaps he was thinking of the battlefields he had seen, the dead soldiers; Young Tad Lincoln reached beneath "You're right, Tftd," he said. the bunk in the telegraph hut and "There's been enough of killing. This is what jve'll do. Well give the kittens an official . title so no " one can hurt them."-he scriba for card, Reaching bled an executive order. The three kittens were designated "Official Mouse Catchers of the Steamboat River Queen." Clutching the note, Tad flew out of the cabin to present it to the captain of the boat. President Lincoln stood at the door, of his cabin with one of the kittens cupped in his large hand, and it is said he whispered softly, "Let there be an end to dying, let there be an end to pain." There was;- That day. Palm Sun day, April 9, 1865, the news reached Washington as the River Queen was docking: Lee had surrendered his army in Virginia. The terrible War between the States was over. W a. :"T . . - - 3 et d, - V .7 IllUSTRATION Y WIllARD sCOVER: ' - - READER , ' . 'n Icy winds nay whistle across the frozen lakes and streams, but that V.;- ,2J; won't stop an ice fisherman when he can pull in a wiggling fish. The photograph is by Frank Klune. " ' . . ' " Family Weekly Pruiimt February 7, 1965 and PubUihr WAlTtR C tHPmitAuocUUPubUMkel PATRICK I. OtOUCKE EzeatUv Vu Pnmdtnt mni Ai&rtmng Dirtetor WIUIAM V. HUSSET AdvtrtUing iltnmgtr MORTON RANK Vic4 Praidtnt, PuUMur RfimtionM UONAtO S. DAVIOOW . Advarliiing officM 179 N. tUtMgmt AvM CMcogo, III. 6D60 Editorial oHict: 405 fori Av., Ntw York, N.Y. 10022 wtinra eHkm 1727 $. Imfim Av, Chicoge. III. 60614 ROftERT HnOIMON Eiitor-in-Ck- EfcutitM Editor AROEN ElOEll VMm Editor PHIUIP DYKSTRA Art Dirtetor MELANIE DE rtOfT Food Editor UN KARTMAN . IHS, PROCESSING AND ROOKS. INC, Chkogo, Rotolyit Jock Ryanj 111. All right, tab GalnM. Hal London. J. Oppwiiwiawr, Hodfwood. nmrvd. 1 |