| Show ac little tad Fath fathers eTs pet whatever b became came of little tad 71 Is the question I 1 have been asked oft enest in my work vork of bringing forth new stories about the greatest of all americans even those whose memories cover the two generations from the time tie abraham lincoln was living in the white house seem confused cont used about the identity of the child of the nation in tada day he was waa more widely known know n than robert tad on account of the strange pet name his father had given him has ha been confused with willie who died in the white house in F february 1862 or with robert who survived his father more than sixty years to be secretary of war ani and united states ambassador to the court of great britain as well as als highly prominent in big business as president of the pullman palace car company but bat the youngest son aon always will remain little tad in the minds of the american people though he grew to be a stalwart youth and lived a while in germany where as has been related he won the childish devotion of the little girl who was afterward married to the last of the czars azars of russia and who heroically met the tragic fate of the romanoff dynasty there in preparing this series of new lights it has been necessary to review the many sources of light on abraham lincoln and his family in this process of research for things new and old I 1 have been surprised to find how many odthe best lincoln stories were started on their cheering way by the artist frank B R carpenter who wrote six months in the white house after spending the first half year of 1864 there for the purpose of painting the now famous picture of abraham lincoln reading the emancipation proclamation to his cabinet near the president carpenter wished to live near the president in order to catch hla his natural expression as well as to be at hand to arrange a sitting for the picture whenever possible in that half year the painter saw and heard the best stories about lincoln which tat fact shows there were many times more stories which might have been related from and about lincoln if some one had only heen been on hand to jot them down as frank carpenter was waa in inspired tred to do for abraham lincoln was himself a master story teller an A one story suggests another once I 1 have heen been relating the new stories picked up in the course of twenty years writing for newspapers books magazines and moving pictures I 1 hime have received letters with stories from eye and ear witnesses from all parts of the country even dating back as far as Lincol ns young manhood since the appearance of this series of new lights I 1 have rec received elved word from michigan wisconsin illinois washington state oregon and california of oner ferit ln fresh fr e sh anecdotes which have never been published about lincoln who became the source of more stories than any other human being in history naturally carpenters Cary entera little old book could not have been true to the life if he had not related a number of tales about little tad to the first of which I 1 pow now refer in order to mate 0 brot e ig ible to the alic present day reader here is the great portrait painters introduction of tad lincoln some photographers from bradys gallery came up to the white house to n make alc some stereoscopic studies for me or of the presidents office they re 7 t the rutledge tavern where when lincoln car canu k know ann rutledge df quested a dark closet in which to develop the pictures and without a thought that I 1 was infringing upon rights I 1 took them to an unoccupied room of which little tad had taken possession a few days before and with the aid of a couple ot of servants had it fitted up its as a miniature theater with stage curtains orchestra stalls parquet and all knowing that the use required would not with his arrangements I 1 led the way to this apartment tad asserts rights everything went on well and one ortho or two of the pictures had been taken when suddenly there was an uproar I 1 the operator came back to the office and said that tad had taken great offense at the occupation of his room without his consent and had locked the door refusing all admission the chemicals had been taken inside and there was no way to get at them he having carried off the key in the midst of this conversation tad burst in in a earful passion I 1 ile he laid all the blame upon me sald said that I 1 had no right to use his room and that the men should not go in even to get their things for they had no business la in his room I 1 mr air lincoln had been sitting for a photograph aad was still in the chair lie ile said very mildly tad go and unlock the door tad went off muttering into his mothers room refusing to obey I 1 followed him but no coaxing would pacify him on my return to the president I 1 found him sitting bitting patiently in the chair from which he had not risen he sald said the boy opened that door I 1 replied that I 1 could no nothing with him he had bad gone off in a great pet mr air Lincol ns lips came together firmly suddenly rising he strode across the passage with the air of one bent on punishment and disappeared in the domestic apartments directly the president returned with the key to the theater which he unlocked himself there he said go ahead it Is all right now he then went back bach to hla his office followed by myself and aad resumed tun his sent eat tod tad said he be halt half apologetically Is a peculiar child he was violently excited when I 1 went to him I 1 said bald haq tad do you vou know you are arc mahln your tour rather father a great deal of trouble he burst into tears instantly giving me the key wayne to in the new york world |
