The Wisconsin magazine of history: Volume 1, number 3, March 1918

              242 cordelia a p harvey lincoln before he was alone in a medium sized office-like room no elegance about him no elegance in him he was plainly clad in a suit of black that illy fited him no fault of his tailor however ; such a figure could not be fitted he was tall and lean and as he sat in a folded up sort of way in a deep arm chair one would almost have thought him de formed at his side stood a high writing desk and table com bined plain straw matting covered the floor a few stuffed chairs and sofa covered with green worsted completed the furniture of the presence chamber of the president of this great republic when i first saw him his head was bent for ward his chin resting on his breast and in his hand a letter which i had just sent in to him he raised his eyes saying mrs harvey i hastened forward and replied yes and i am glad to see you mr lincoln so much for republican presentations and ceremony the president took my hand hoped i was well but there was no smile of welcome on his face it was rather the stern look of the judge who had decided against me his face was peculiar ; bone nerve vein and muscle were all so plainly seen ; deep lines of thought and care were around his mouth and eyes the word justice came into my mind as though i could read it upon his face — i mean that extended sense of the word that comprehends the practice of every virtue which reason prescribes and society should expect the debt we owe to god to man to ourselves when paid is but a simple act of justice a duty performed this attribute seemed the source of mr lincoln's strength he motioned me to a chair i sat and silently read his face while he was reading a paper written by one of our senators introducing me and my mission when he had finished reading this he looked up ran his fingers through his hair well silvered though the brown then predominated his beard was more whitened