Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-07-28


The following touching tribute 60 tae Hlaao.y
Of 3. Tad Lincoln. which We 6nl Ia the New
York Tribune. is doubtless from the pea Of one
Of the uartyrsd Presidents houscA3l., That
clever poet, John Hay
Most Of those who read tie despatch ar
nouncing the death Of Thomas Todd Lincoln
will never think Of the well grown young gen
tleman who died OF Saturday az Chicago. The
name Of '' Isd'--a pet name given by himself
with his frs, stammeriug utterauces and aiop'-
el by bis fond parents and the world recalls
the tricksy little sp-ie who gave 20 thzt sa1 and
solemn " hite House Of the great war the only
comic relief il knew The years that have fol-
Lowell, spent in study sn1 travel, produced an
utterly different person. The TAI Lincoln Of
our history ceased 10 exist long ago The mod
est Snd cordial young fellow who passed through
New York few weeks sgo with his mother will
never be knoVn outside Of the circle % lis
mourning friends But " little Tad will be re-
memberei as long IS any live who bore per
soma. share in the great movements whose cen
ire for four yeas was al Washington.
lie WAS so full Of life oni viCor-so bubbliug
over with health and high spirits. that he KEEP;
the house alive with his pranks and fantastic ex-
tAAAHtH AAE Nfr n NtA tNAAN+ HANHNA AfAlNa
snl afier the death Of his brother Willie, a PIE
maturoly serious snl siuiioas child. AMI the de-
parture Of R5tert for college, he installed him
self as the ABSOLUTE tyraut Of the executive man
sion. lie was iielizel hy both his fa;h6r aud
mother. ps,tei and INDUCED by his teachers,
and ftWnel upon and c2,essel by that uois5mc
horde Of 0lice-se-ke1s which infested the sute-
looms Of the White House. lie had a very bal
opinion Of booss and 10 opinion OF discipline,
ami thought very little Of any tutor who would
not assist him 10 y0kiug his kids to q chair or ia
driving his dogs tandem over the South Lawn.
lie Was As shrewd Is he was lawiess, ami always
kuew whether he could make a tutor seryiceahle
or not. Ii he found one with obstinate iess of
the superiority Of grammar to kte-Ayiug as an
intellectual employment. he soon found means Of
getting rid Of nim. lie had Sd much TO DO that
be felt he could not waste time in learning 60
spell Early in the morning you could hear bis
shrill pipe resouudiug through the dreary corri-
dors OF the executive residence. The day passed.
in rapid succession Of plots and comm0fiols
and when the President laid down bis weary pen
toward midnight. be generally found his infant
goblin asleep under his table or roasting his
curly head by the opel fire place and the tan
chief would pick up the child sud truige OF to
bed with the droWsy little burden on bic shoul-
der, STOPPING under the doors and lodging the
chandeliers The President took Infinite CON-
fort in the child's rude health fresh fun and IN
controllsble boisterousness. He was pleased 70
see him growing up in Ignorance Of books, but
with singulsrly accurate ideas OF practical mat
ters lie wss fearless rider, while yer 50
small that his legs stuck out horizontally fom
the saddle. lie had that power of tanning AMI
attaching animals 10 himself which seems the
especial gif, Of kindly and unletterel ua,ures
- Let him run, the easy-going President would
say d" he has time enough left to learn bis .et-
tiers and get pokey. Bob was just such little
rascal and now be Is a very decent boy
1t was evident that with all his insuhordus-
tion and reckless mischief the spoiled child wss
at heart Of a truthful and generous nature. He
treated fiatterers and office seekers with cur
Gus coolness and contempt, but he often espoused
the cause Of some poor widow or tatterei sol
der whom he found waiting in the ante rooms,
sud it was most amusing to see the hearty little
fellow dragging his shabby proteges into the
Executive presence. ordering the ushers out of
the way, and demanding immediate action from
headquarters. The President rarely refused a
grace Of this kind. and the demands were not 20
frequent as to lose the charm of novelty
One Of the tricks into which his idleness snd
his en- lerprise together drove him vas tie occs-
sion of much laughter TO the judicious, and
much horror to the respectable in Washington.
He invested, one morning. all his pocke;-moaey
in buying the stock in trade Of au old woman
who sold gingerbread near the Treasury. He
made the government carpenters give him a
board and some trestles, which he set IN in the
imposing porte-cochere Of the White House, ard
on this rude counter displayed his wares Every
offce-seeker who entered the house thst morning
bought tOothsOme luncheon Of the keen little
merchant, and when an hour after the opening
of the booth member Of the household tiscov-
cred the young psstryman the admired centre
of group Of grinning servants and toadies he
had filed his pockets and his hat With currency,
the spoil Of the American public The juvenile
operator made lively work Of his il-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 msde rapid pro-
gress up to the time Of his sailing for Europe
with his mother. He has ever since remained
with her, displaying thoughtful devotion and
tenderness beyond his years, ana strangely at
variance with the mischievous thoughtlessness of
his childhood. He came back a short while ago,
greatly improved by his residence abrold, bat
always the same coriial, frank, warm hearted
boy. In his loss the already fearfully bereaved
family will suher a new aud deep affection, and
the world. which never did and never will know
him. will not withhold a tribute Of regret tor
the child whose gayety and affection cheered
more than anything else the worn and weary
heart Of the great President through the toll
some years Of the war.