Lincoln's Friend

During the worst days of the Civil War, an old friend of Abraham Lincoln’s, a Springfield, Illinois, shopkeeper named Billy Brown, decided he’d travel to Washington to see his old friend, the President of the United States. An aide to the president asked him if he had an appointment. “No, sir,” replied Billy. “I ain’t, and it ain’t necessary.

Maybe it’s all right and fitting ... to have appointments, but I reckon Mr. Lincoln’s old friends don’t need them., so you just trot along ... and tell him Billy Brown’s here, and see what he says.” The aide frowned, but went.

In about two minutes, the door popped open and out came Mr. Lincoln, face aglow. “Billy,” he said, pumping his friend’s hand, “now I am glad to see you.

Come right in. You’re going to stay to supper with Mary and me.” As soon as Mr. Lincoln could discharge his immediate responsibilities, the two men went to the back of the house and sat down on the stoop and, as Billy later put it, “talked and talked.

He asked me about pretty nigh everybody in Springfield. I just let loose and told him about the weddings and the births and funerals and the buildings, and I guess there wasn’t a yarn I’d heard in the three and a half years he’d been away that I didn’t spin for him. Laugh-you’d ought to hear him laugh-j ust did my heart good, for I could see what they’d been doing to him. Always was a thin man, but Lardy, he was thinner than ever now, and his face was kind of drawn and gray-enough to make you cry.’’ Late that evening, Billy said goodbye.

The President tried to get him to stay the night, but Billy, not wanting to impose, declined. As they parted, Lincoln said, “Billy, what did you come down here for?” “I came to see you, Mr. Lincoln.”

“But you ain’t asked me for anything, Billy. What is it? Out with it.’’ “No, Mr. Lincoln,just wanted to see you-felt kind of lonesome-been so long since I’d seen you, and I was afraid I’d forget some of them yams if I didn’t unload them soon.”

Lincoln gazed into his friend’s eyes. “Do you mean to tell me you came all the way from Springfield, Illinois, just to have a visit with me; that you ain’t got no complaints in your pockets or advice up your sleeve?” “Yes, sir. That’s about it.”

Tears came into Lincoln’s eyes and ran down his cheeks. “I’m homesick, Billy, just plumb homesick, and it seems as if this war would never be over. Many a night I can see the boys dying of the fields and can hear their mothers crying for them at home, and I can’t help it, Billy .... You’ll never know just what good you’ve done e “I m.