The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-27

spect forbid you ask chow cold the Wea-
ther was up there" lie is 50 tall, that
a friend who had an interview with him
in his private Office made use Of the ex-
preston that when he rose there did not
seem the slightest Likelihood of getting up
ever coming to an end. He seemed to
be drawing himself out like a tclescoPe'
There are two, particulars, however,
in which you must needs have seen MIR.
Lincoln to gain an accurate idea OF his
appearance. He is excessively dark.
Again, this dark face, strongly marked,
livid and footed, and fringcd with
coarse and tangled hair, is so uncouth
and so rugosc that it narrowly escapes
being either terrible or gro'esqac' a
touch of the chisel one way or the other
and you would have either Qulasiendo
or . Richard III. But the possible
crotcsouc is obyiated, the imminent ter
riblc is slnoothcd away by apcculiar soft
almost feminine, expression Of mclan-
choly Which to me at least seemed to
peryadc the countenancc Of this rcmarka-
Lle man. The melancholy look struck
me most forcilk when remembered
that was iu the presence of the great
Joker ofjokcs-thc Sancho Panza made
governor of this Trans. Atlantic Barata-
ria but there the look was-thc regard
Of thoughtful, weary, saddencd, ever
worked man of one who was desperate
! ly striving to do his best, but who woke
up every morning to find the wheat that
he had sown growing up as tarcs ; OF ono
who was continually rcgFct!!ng that he
did not know morc-that he had began
his work too late, and must lay down his
ccptrc too early. My interview with
him was of very brief duration, and
mainly made up of commonplaccs. Of
course, he said that he was g'aa to sec
me, that he hoped liked my stay, that
I had come in very critical period, and
that the country presented a very differ
cnt aspect to that which it once had.
Mr.. Sumner Informed him that | pur-
: posed "iilustra,iug' in public what [ had
seen in America. "Ah,' said the Prcsi,
dent, "indccd, with the pencil or pen?
There is good deal to illustrate just
know" limited that the pen was my
vocation. Neither more or less took
place. saw that Mr.. Lincsln had no
wish to tell me any stories, or to talk
politics; and, after another tremendous
squeeze of the hand from him, retired
from his presence.
My presentations were not, however,
at an end. l was taken to the centre Of
} the apartment, where standing in cir
clio of ladies, was enc short, plump and
well!savorcd, and attircd in velvet dress
Of royal purple, profuscly trimmed with
pearls and lace. This was Mrs. Lincoln.
I had the honor to shake her hand but
it was a little hand, and my crushed dig.
its were spared another painful ordeal.
| shink | can give almost short hand
writer's report of my conversation with
Mrs. Lincoln. After the first salutation
she said: "Do you keep yonr health,
sirw I replied that I was happy and
thankful to say that I enjoyed tolcrablc
health. elbow long have you been in
this country, sir?" she asked. | said
that l had been seven weeks on the
American continent "IIow long do you
conclude to remain, sir !" she went on.
! I replied that 1 hoped to remain .about
seven months longer. The Presidents
wife was good. enough to ask Chow |
liked the country" Ircplicd diplomati-
cally, that it was large and very Won
derful.
Now cnsucd deep, and to me, en-
barrassing silence. didn't know what
was to come next, and I didn't think Mrs.
Lincoln did. At last she spoke again,
and once more in the intcrrogatory form:
"Apd you keep your health, sir ?' an
swered.this very kind inquiry as best [
might, when, fortuitously, it occurred to
me that some years ago, in Russia having
to 60 in much better society than [ am
in the habit of frcquentirg at home, l
had sought the assistance of a dancing
mistress, and at the outlay Of about fifty
rubles, learnt a.serics of bows, Or "revcr-
ences," for grand occasions. I gave Mrs.
Lincoln the lowest of these rcverences.
I moved slowly away, but could hear the
Prcsidentcss asking the next gentleman,
who was presented to hsk whether he
,"kept his health" "Do You keep your
health 2" evidently serves Mrs. Lin-