Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-08-31
The Tomb of Lincoln he old Lin
coin llOmestend-'Ehe Where.
abOuts Of the Lincoln Family.

Two years ago the place inherited sad
and peculiar glory in becoming the burial
place of Abraham Lincoln and ever since
his tomb has been the resort of thousands
of his countrymen and countrywomen. No
stranger thinks of passing through Spring
field without visiting the sepulchre, and
many come to Springfield for that express
purpose.
Oak Ridge Cemetery, where the honored
remains repose, is scarce mile from the
State House. Horse cars convey visitors
thither every half hour, the route following
II leading street until the latter turns into a
country road and then fades into an unde-
ve!oped. ungraded avenue and at this point
.he railroad deity switches aside, passing
through a grove of shady oaks into the
public park. Just beyond this is the ceme-
terry, an outrageous, undulatng tract which
already contains a number of graves. The
Lincoln tomb is in prominent position on
| the brow of a rounded knoll. 1t is a vault
with simple front of plain brick, faced
with unpublished white marble, the wings at
each side bearing empty marble vases, the
only feature of adornment that this unpre-
tending mortuary structure possesses. The
doorway consists of two large slabs of mar
BILE cemented together and to the wall of
! the sepulchre and the only inscription is the
| one word LINCOLN"
The grass is growing luxurantly over the
| roof of the vault, and young oak tree has
| found place to take root amid this grass,
while larger trees shade the spot in the rear.
In its quiet, old-fashioned simplicity, the
tomb of Lincoln reminds one strongly of
that of Washington, at Mount Vernon, and
! there seems to be u beautiful Qhough pro-
badly an accidentally consistency in the fact
that the two Presidents who most thorough
ly won the affections of the people and Sc
cured the most prominent pages of history
should be similarly entombed. The toni
on the prairie and the tomb by the Potomac
| What u vast procession of human being:
will for ages to come pause before their un
pretending portals
At the foot of the Lincoln tomb there j:
a notice announcing five dollars fine Il
write upon or deface this tomb, or to pluch
wild flowers in these grounds" Yet, re
gardless of this well meaning if ungramma
tical injunction, and in defiance of all rule'
of decency divers shabby wretches have
already scrawled their names upon the brick
work, and even upon the marble floor of thu
tomb. The miserable egotists hail chief,
from the West, though Philadelphia is dis
graced by one of them. Were there an.
from New York, their names would appea
here in full.
At first Mr.. Lincoln's remains were placed
in q receiving vault, where the coffin, visible
through the iron grating, was always GOV
cred with fragrant flowers. For year thi
place of interment was under the charge o
military guard, which was dispensed witt
after the removal of the body to its presen
resting place. A plot of ground eight acre
in extent has been secured in the inmediat
vicinity of the tomb, as site for suitabl
Lincoln monument but many years may pas
before it is built.
The Lincoln house is, next to the toni
; the object of greatest interest to stranger:
1t is still owned 10y the Lincolns and is &C
! cupied by Mr.. Tilton, who, with his family
preserves with reverent care the homestea
of the fallen chieftain, and kindly permit
visitors to examine the interior. When tn
trouble and inevitable annoyance of thu
receiving any one who may choose to ca
, are considered, the csrdiality of the permi'
] sion given renders the public real debto
| to the Tiltons. On tue day of the funer'
) in Sring6eld no less than fifteen hundre
, persons an hour pessed through the hous
| and visirs are now of daily occurrence.
f At the sale of Mr.. Lincolns furniture, I'll
3 T;ltons purchased several important piece
4 among them his book case and writing desl
e whereon is now a hook for visitors to regi
D ter their names. The paper on the walls
e the same as when Mr.. Lincoln lived there
! but the furniture is of course differen
: Among the many interesting souvenirs
Q the late President is a preserved wreath an
shield of flowers laid upon his coffin by Il
r ladies OF New York and Pennsylvania, an
r a fac simile of the emancipation proclaim
i tion.
8 Some time ago Laura Keene, the actres
G who, it will be remembered, ran to the Pre-
Q ident's box Immediately after Booths fat
d shot, and supported Lincoln's head, came
y Springfield and visited the homestead. 81
brought with her the very dress she wore {
b that eventful night. with the stains of Il
= Presidents blood upon it, and cutting out
piece, presented it to Mrs. Tilton. There
q is now in the Lincoln House, in its lit
glass frame, with Laura Keene's autograI
r beneath it. and the words. "The blood of d
e martyred President" above, a fragment