The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-07-19
TAD LIOCOLN.


his lOnu parents anu WV WIN
the tricksy little sprite who gave to thai
snd and solemn White House OF the great
war the only comic relief 1t knew. The
wears that have followed, spent IN study
and travel, produced an utterly different
nerson. The Tad Lincoln OF our histo-
~ 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
nC the circle of his mourning friends, But
"iitle Tad will be remembered MS long
AS any live who bore personal share in
the great movements whose center Tor
l0ur years WIS Mt Washington.
lie was so full OF life and vigOr-so
bubbling over with health and high spir.
lis, that he kept the house alive with his
nranks and his fantastic enterprises. He
WAS always chartered libcrtine," and
nGrr The death of his brother Willie, u
prcmnlulcly serious and studious child,
and the departure Of Robert for col
lego, he installed himself The absolute ty-
rant Of the Executive Mansion. lie was
il0i2cd by both his father aud mother,
peltcd and INDUCED by his teachers, and
hwncd upon and Caressed by that moi.
some horde Of office seekers which inlGst-
ed the antc,rnOms Of the White House
lie hal n very bad opinion of books and
no opinion Of discipline, and thought very
little Of any tutor who would not assist
him in yuking his kids TO ~ chair or in
driving his dogs tandem over the South
Lawn. lie was Hs shrGwd rs he was law.
lrss, and always knew whether he could
make tutor scrviCeable or not. II he
found one with obstinate ideas of the su-
periority of grammar to kite'ilying as an
Intellectual employment, he soon found
means Of getting rid of him. He
had so 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 resembling
through the dreary corridors oil the Exc.
cutive residence. The day passed In a
rapid succession of plots and commO-
tons, and when the President laid down
his weary pen toward midnight, he gen
eIally found his infant goblin asleep under
his table or roasting his curly head by the
open fire. place; and the tall chief would
pick up tho child and trudgc of To bed
with the drOwsy little burden on his
shoulder, STOPPING under tho doors and
lodging the chandeliers The President
took infinite comfort in the Child's rude
health, fresh iun, and uncomfortable
boistcrousnCss. lie was pleased To sec
him growing up in Ignorance of books
but with singularly accurate Ideas Of
practical matters. lie was u fearless rid
or, while yet SO small that his legs stuck
horizontally from tho saddle, llo had
that power Of tanning and attacking ami
mails To himself, which seems the especia
girt OF kindly and unlCttered natures
"Let him run" tho Gasy.gOing President
would say; "hc has time enough left L
learn his letters and get pokey. Bol
was Just such little rascal, and now hi
Is very decent boy"
1t was evident TINT with oil his insubOr
dinaiOn and reckless mischief the spoiled
child was al heart of II truthful and gen
erOus nature. lie treated ilatlercrs ant
office seekers with II curious GOODNESS ant
contempt, hut he often espoused the cauis'
, Of some poor widow or tatterCd soldier
I whom he found waiting in the ante
rooms, and 1t was most amusing to sec TIL
, hearty littlG fellow dragging his shabb.
\ prOlrges into the Executive presence, or
; dcring the usher out Of the way, and de
handing immediate action from head
! quarters. The President rarely refused
grace III this kind, and the demands wCru
] not ~ frequent M In lose the charm o
novelty.
One Of the tricks into which his idle
ness and his enterprise together drove
him, was the occasion of much laughter
to the judiCi0us, md much horror To tn
respectable In Washington. lie invested
one morning, NIL his pocket money II
buying the stock In trade of m old wO
mGn who sold gingerbread near the Treas
ury. lie made the Government CArpen
ters give him u. board and some trcsLleS
I which he set up IN the imposing porte
' COchCre NJ the White House, aud IN hi
rude counter displayed his wares. Ever.
OillccscCk who entered the house tia
j morning Dough tOOtllsOmC luncheon {
;, the keen little merchant, and when a
D hour after the opening OF the booth
: member OF the household discovered tli
' young pastryman the admired center Of
D group Of gfinning servants and tOadle!
!, lie had filled his pockets and his hat wit
! currency, the spoil Of the American pub
y lie. The juvenile operator made llvel
! work OF his ill.gotten gains, however
y and before night was ponniless again.
u Although stilfa mere child Mt the deaf
: Oi his father, this terrible shock great
= sobcrcd and stcadied him. Ills brOthC
! Robert ut once took charge Of his eduCa
u ton, and le made rapid progress up I
the time of his sailing for Europe wit
! his mother. lie has ever since rename
: with her, displaying thoughtful devC
ton and tenderness beyond his years, an
i strangely at variance with the misChov
+ Gus thOlghtlcssnCss OF his childhood. II
, came buck q short while ago, great
y improved by his residence abroad, but n
ways the same cordial, frank, warn
!; hearted boy. In his lOss the already fear
! fully bGreaved family will suffer ne'
u and deep allliCiiOn, and the world, wllC
never did and never will know him, wi
r not withhold tribute Ol regret for III
child whose gayGty and affection Cheere
! more than anything else tho worn an
!. weary heart of the great Presidet
J through the tollsome years of tho war.
/ A FEW nights since, at n late hour, Ii
K speaking tube at the oillCe.dOOr Of one