Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/37

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Part Taken by Women in American History

has since passed to join his valiant soldier grandfather in the Great Beyond. The Chicago statue of General Logan is by St. Gaudens, and it is considered by many that the great sculptor, who was, like the great soldier he modeled, of humble origin, put the greatest vitality of his great art into that spirited figure. It was Mrs. Logan who suggested for the pose that psychological moment in the General's career when, having seized a flag from a color bearer, he waved it aloft as he dashed forward to meet the foe, on the 22nd of July, 1864, in the memorable battle in which the gallant McPherson lost his life. One of the greatest memorials to General Logan and his brave son, is the priceless collection of mementos now in the Logan Memorial Room in the Capitol Building, at Springfield, Illinois. The collection comprises General Logan's battle flags, swords, sashes, badges, engraved testimonials, autograph pictures of fellow-statesmen, of historic scenes, and many hundreds of other personal belongings and souvenirs of the great soldier. This collection of wonderful interest to the nation filled, for years, the private Memorial Hall in Mrs. Logan's Washington home. A few years ago, with beautiful generosity, she donated the bulk of this collection to the State of Illinois, and it is now sacredly housed in a memorial room in the Capitol at Springfield.

Mrs. Logan's own monument is the abiding affection and veneration in which she is held by those who have known her friendship in Illinois and Washington. No one who has ever come a stranger to Washington and at once felt Mrs. Logan's right hand of fellowship bidding them enter the enchanting circle of her home and friendship, but has gone forth feeling that the world was perhaps a kindlier place than they had imagined, and that if America can turn out women like Mrs. John A. Logan, American republicanism is a success whatever may be its material future. I know, because I was once one of the many so befriended.