OCR Text |
Show X Sj v u - I ,. I V - y i,y 1 fa :h&jf 9TS ejjrPr: j J him down. They consolidated their congregations and determined to take turns addressing them. When It came to the turn of the Methodist preacher he began by telling them how happily situated they were, both In temporal and spiritual things, and then remarked that "there now comes among us a stranger to preach a new doctrine, to establish a new church In which the doctrine will be taught that all men will be saved. But, my brethren," he concluded fervently, "let us all hope for better things." I went down on the same train with Lincoln when the battlefield of Gettysburg Get-tysburg was dedicated. The day, November 10, 1803, was overcast and dreary. The morning was spent in Inspecting the late battle ground. In the afternoon a comparatively compara-tively small crowd gnthered around a plank platform thirty or forty feet square, about three or four feet above the ground. There were seats on this for the delegations and speakers. Edward Everett was chosen orator of the day, and he held forth for over an hour In a most masterful oration. I remember that he had a little high table before him on which were cards containing notes, and he referred to The Lincoln IKneiu As told by an Aged Westerner to , MA1.BEL SHERMAN in Collier 't I FIRST saw Abraham Lincoln In March, 1803, when I made a trip to the East from California via the Isthmus of Panama. It was nt the President's levee, and, of course, I wrote to my family In the West, telling tell-ing them my Impressions. This letter proves that I, like many others of the time, misjudged the man and surely underrated his abilities: Last night I was at the President's Presi-dent's levee and saw many of the dignitaries. A few moments ago I saw Burnside and at first view was satisfied of his Incompetency to command the army. It Is strange that our President and others hsve so little perception of character. Lincoln Is a good-natured good-natured Westerner. Later at one of the White House receptions re-ceptions Mrs. Cole and I waited In the long line to be received. She somehow some-how dropped one of her white gloves and was not conscious of It until we hnd moved tip and It was our turn to greet the President and Mrs. Lincoln. Lin-coln. She stood looking ubout her In dismay for the missing glove, and the President, seeing what had happened, watched her with an aroused smile. In a moment he said: "Never mind, Mrs. Cole, I shall have a search made for It tomorrow, and shall preserve It as a souvenir." This remark, coining from a man to whom book etiquette was a thing unknown, un-known, proved him to be an Inborn gentleman. His deportment never missed, liecause It was the expression of his friendly feeling for all. He did not ofTend because In his heart be felt no unltnoslty for anyone. Always !n consultation he was argumentative, argu-mentative, but not dictatorial. He was one of the best of listeners and was always open to conviction, yet If his own reasons were well founded, and no one had a better reason to offer, he could not be moved. But he was never offensively opinionated. His (Jsa of Anecdotes. His profuse use of anecdotes Is, of course, a mutter of history. I remember remem-ber one day that Mr. Shannon and I went to see Mr. Lincoln regarding some legislation that concerned California, Cali-fornia, lie could not comply with our wishes In the matter, and in order to let us know that conversatlmi on the subject had terminated, he told us this story : In the early times In Springfield, there were three churches, all orthodox, ortho-dox, a Methodist, u Baptist, and n Presbyterian. A oung fellow came there very unexpectedly to preach the l'ni ersallsf doctrine and to cs'iihllsh a church of il.at faith. Th.it particular I-, ( d w as ei y in. opi.dar at that time, lei ll'e-e three iitlicdo preachers leteniiined to p.-t to-rilier and preach these from time to time with no Interruption In-terruption or pause In his speech. When he had concluded the band played and then, without announcement, announce-ment, Lincoln arose. He laid his coat off, but retained the familiar shawl about his shoulders. I sat but a few feet away, on his right. He begun by stating well-known facts facts with which we were all familiar. Ills sentences were short, and I had the impression that sometimes some-times their briefness was due to the fact thut emotion choked his utterances. utter-ances. It was one of those times when he seemed weighed down by his responsibilities, re-sponsibilities, and his voice was fairly pathetic In Its Intonations. Everyone listened attentively, but It then did not seem a remarkable speech, and we were ull fairly surprised when he sat down. The audience broke up without expression or demonstration, but I was conscious that Lincoln's remarks hud made a tremendous Impression. Discussed Possible Danger. During the last two years of the war I went In and out of the White House at will. I usually found Lincoln In his own room on the second floor in the southeast corner of the building. build-ing. In worm weather the door stood open nnd anyone could go In unannounced. unan-nounced. I was accustomed to doing so. Seated at his desk In the farther end of the room, but not facing the door, more with his back to it, I generally gen-erally found him. He always arose and gave me a cordial welcome. On one of those days when I went unannounced I saw a look of distress on his fuce such as I had never seen on any human countenance. I stood still, not wishing to disturb him. Suddenly Sud-denly he saw me and swiftly the look of pain pussed as he greeted me with his usuul smile. I stayed with him a long time thut day and we went over the wur ninps. It was then I took occasion oc-casion to mention my fears for him. I hud gained access to his room so easily nnd anyone else might have done the same. He listened silently, as he always did, but did not seem to be Impressed with my plea. When I had finished he said : "When I first came here, I made up my mind that I would not be dying all the while." He was thoughtful for a moment, then continued : "I have observed ob-served that one man's life Is as dear to him as another's, and he could not expect to take my life without losing his own." Then, as an afterthought: "Besides, if anyone wanted to, he could shoot me from some window as I ride by dally to the Soldiers' home. But I do uot believe It Is my fate to die In this way." This conversation took place Just about a year before he was ossns-slaute!. ossns-slaute!. I was one of the Inst to see President Presi-dent Lincoln ullve. It was In the afternoon of the fatal April 14th that Schuyler Colfax and I went together to Wlllard's hotel to see Il m to protest against un order Issued by s general the day before. Mr. Colfax hud hardly launched Into the subject when Mr. Lincoln Interrupted Inter-rupted him with: "I have already changed the order." We departed, nnd that night I went to New York. While I was on the train I was awakened and learned that the beloved President had been shot. I t I |