"'What,' said he, 'a private soldier go up and see the President? Would he notice me?'
"'Yes,' I replied, 'and I will go with you.'
"The next morning we secured a pass, and went to see the President. The young man was very nervous. After waiting a few minutes, we were admitted to the President's room. Mr. Lincoln, after dropping his feet from a table, said, 'Well, soldiers, what can I do for you?'
"Before entering, I told the young man he must do his own talking, but I answered, 'This soldier wants to see you about getting pay for his service.'
"Mr. Lincoln, after a short conversation, wrote the name of the soldier, his regiment, when he enlisted, that he had received but one payment, that he had tried more than once, and had failed. Then Mr. Lincoln said, 'I will see to it.'
"The next day, about noon, the young soldier was ordered to go to the paymaster and draw his money. He received all his pay, and a bounty beside, for he had been without pay for two years. After receiving his money he joyfully took off his cap, threw it up in the air, and exclaimed, 'Boys, if they don't treat you right, go to Old Abe, and he will make it right.'"
In the Farm and Fireside, published at Springfield, Ohio, of March 7, 1906, appeared an article written by J. L. Graff, concerning a set of triplets, yet living, who were named by President Lincoln. The family name is Haskins. The picture of the triplets appeared in connection with the article. The names given by Mr. Lincoln were Simon Cameron, Secretary of War; Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, and Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States. Recently I wrote a letter addressed to the triplets, in care of Abraham Lincoln Haskins, enclosing the article and their picture, asking for the verification of the facts stated and for other information. In due time I received the following letter:
"Baraboo, Wisconsin, January 17, 1909.
"Rev. J. T. Hobson, Dear Sir:—I received a letter from you asking if I was one of the Haskins triplets. Yes, sir; I am. We were born May 24, 1861, and named by Abraham Lincoln. We are all alive and well. I am sorry to say that I have no picture of us three, and never had them taken but once in our lives, and the one that I had I sent to Mr. J. L. Graff, of Chicago. One brother is here in Baraboo, the other is in Coleman, Michigan, whose name is Simon. That picture you sent is an exact picture of us. A Mr. Cole, editor of the Baraboo News, tried to find the letter that Mr. Lincoln wrote to my folks. All that he could find out was that it was in some museum in Washington. I wish we could get it, for I would highly prize it. We boys never saw it. He wrote to my father and asked him if it was true that he was the father of three boys of the same age. He wrote and told him it was so; then Mr. Lincoln wrote again, saying that he would be pleased to name us. Father wrote and told him that he would be pleased to have him name us. He said the first should be named Abraham Lincoln, the second Gideon Welles, and the third Simon Cameron. We were born in Starksboro, Addison County, Vermont. My mother's name, before she was married, was Louisa E. Grace, and if there ever was a Christian she was the very best one. If there is anything more I can do for you I will be very glad to do so. I feel proud of my name, and try hard to honor it in every respect.
"Yours, with respect,