Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-07-28
From the New York Tribune, July n.
Tad Lincoln.
BY JOHN HAY.


BY JOHN HAY.
Most OF those who read the dis.
patch announcing the death of
Inomas Todd Lincoln will never
think Of the well-grown young gen.
tleman who died on Saturday at Chi
cago. The name of s'Tadn-a net
name given by himself with his first
stammering utterances aud adopted
by his fond parents and the world
recalls the tricksy little sprlte who
gave to that sad and solemn White
Mouse of the great war the only
comic relief 1t knew, The years that
nave followed, spent In study and
travel, produced an entirely different
person. The Tad Lincoln of our
history ceased to exist long ago. The
modest and cordial young fellow who
passed through New York few
weeks ago with his mother will never
be known outside of the circle Of his
mourning friends. But "little Tadn
Will be remembered as long as any
live who bore personal share In the
great movements whose centre for
TOUR years was at Washington.
He was 80 full of life and yigor-so
bubbling over with health and high
spirits. that he kept the house alive
with his pranks and his fantastic en-.
terprises. He was always "charter.
ed libertine,n and after the death OF
bis brother Willie, prematurely se-
rious and studious child, aud the de-
parture OF Robert for college, he la.
stalled himself as the absolute tyrant
OF the Executive Mansion. He was
idolized by both his father and moth
er, petted and INDUCED by his teach
ers, and fawned upon and caressed
by that noisOme horde of office.seek-
ers which infested the anteSroom of
the White House. He had very
bad opinion Of books and no opinion
OF discipline, and thought very little
of any tutor who would not assist
him In yoking his kids to chair, or
In driving his dogs tandem over the
south lawn. He was as shrewd as
he was lawless, and always knew
whether he could make a tutor ser.
viceable or not, Tf he found one
with obstinate ideas of the superiori-
ty Of grammar to kite.fiying as an
intellectual employment, he soon
found means of getting rid of him
He had 30 much to do that he felt he
could not waste time In learning to
spell. Early In the morning you
could hear his shrill pipe resounding
through the dreary corridors of the
Executive residence. The day passed
In rapid succession Of plots and
and when the President
laid down his weary pen toward midi
night, he generally found his infant
goblin asleep under his table or roast
ing his curly head by the open fire.
place and the tall chief would pick
up the child and trudge off to bed
with the drowsy little burden on..his
shoulder, STOPPING under the doors
and dodging the chandeliers. The
President took infinite comfort In
the child's rude health, fresh fun,
and uncomfortable boisterousness. -
He was pleased to see him growing |
up In ignorance Of books, but with |
accurate ideas of practical
matters. He was a fearless rider,
while yet 80 small that his legs stuck |
out horizontally from the saddle
He had that power of tanning and
attaching animals to himself, which |
seems the especial gift of kindly aud |
natures. "Let him run, -
the easy. going President would say,
''he has time enough yet to learn his |
letters aud get poky, Bob was JUST
such little rascal, and now he is |
very decent boy"
IL was evident that, with all his |
and mischief, the |
spoiled child was at heart of a truth. |
ful and generous nature. He treated |
fiatterers and office-seakers with n |
curious coolness and contempt, but |
he often espoused the cause OF some |
poor widow or tattered soldior, whom
he found waiting In the ante rooms,
and IL was most amusing to see the
hearty little fellow dragging hHs
shabby protegea into the Executive
presence, ordering the ushers out or
the way, and demanding immediate
action from headquarters. une Pres
ident rarely refused q 8 race OF this
kind, and the dep~ads were not so |
freauent as to Icse the charm Of nov
3ne or the tricks into which his
and his enterprise together |
,Irove him, was the occasion of much |
laughter to the judicious, aud much |
horror to the respectable In Washing |
ton. He invested, one morning, all |
bis pocket money in buying the !
stock In trade of an old woman who
sold gingerbread near the Treasury.
He made the government carpenters
give him board and some trestles,
which he set up I'm the imposing
porte-cociere of the White House,
and on this rude counter displayed
his wares. Every Office. seeker who
entered the house that morning
bought toothsome luncheon of the
keen little merchant, aud when an
hour after the opening OF the booth
o member OF the household discover
cd the young pastryman the admired
centre or q group OF grinning SER
wants and toadies. he had filled his
pockets and his hat with currency,
the spoil Of tho American public
The Juvenile operator made lively
work OF his ill.gotten gains. however,
and before night was penniless again.
Although still mere child at the
death OF his father. this terrible shock
greatly sobered and steadied him.
His brother Robert at once took
charge of his education, and he made
rapid progress up to the time OF bis
sailing for Europe with his mother.
He has ever since remained with her,
displaying thong devotion and
tenderness beyond his years, and
strangely at variance with the mis-
chievous thoughtlessness Of his child.
hood. He came back short while
ago. greatly improved by his resi-
dence abroad, but always the same
cordial, frank, warm.hearted boy
In his loss the already fearfully be-
reaved family will suffer new and
deep affiiction, and the world, which
never did and never will know him,
will not withhold tribute Of regret