Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-07-25
TAD LrNcoLN.
By JONI HAY.

By JOIN HAY.
IRON ths New YSfk Tribure, July III
Most Of those who red the dispatch
announcing the death Of Thomas Todd
Lincoln will never think Of the we'll
grown young gentleman who died on
Saturday at Chicago. The name Of
I" Tad IA pet name given by himself
with his first stammerihg ~utterances
aud adopted by his fond parents and
the world-recall the tricky. little
sprite who gave to that sad and solemn
White House Of the, great war the only
comlcal relief 1t knew. The years
that have followed, spent In. study aud
travel, produced IN entirely different
person. The Tad Lincoln Of our his
tory ceased to exist long ago. The
modest and cordial young fellow who
passed through New York a few weeks
ago with his mother will never be
known outside of the circle Of his
mourning friends. But "little Tad"
will be remembered as long as any
live who bore personal share in the
great movements whose centre for
four years was ut Washington.
He was so 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 a /" char
tered libertine, and after the death OF
his brother Willie, a, prematurely ser
ious and studious Child, and the de-
parture Of Robert for college, he In
stalled himself Us the absolute tyrant
of the Executive Mansion. He was
idolized by both his father and mother,
petted and INDUCED by his teachers,
and fawned upon and caIessed by that
nolsome horde Or olhceseekers which
infested the ante-rooms Of the White
House. He had a 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 q chair, OF In driving his
dogs tandem over the s%outhlawn. He
was rs shrewd as he was lawless, and
always knew whether he could make
a tutor serviceable or not. II he
found one with obstinate ideas of the
superiority of grammar to kite-fiying
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 learn
Ing to spell. Early In the morning
you could hear his shrill pipe resound-
Ing through the dreary corridors Of
the Executive residence. The day
passed In n rapid succession Of plots
and connections, and when the Presi-
dent laid down his weary pen toward
midnight, lie generally found his In
FAINT goblin asleep under his table or
roasting his curly head by the open
Fireplace; and the tall chief would
pick up the child and trudge off to bed
with the drowsy little burden Oh his
shoulder, STOPPING under the doors
and lodging the chandeliers. The
President took infinite comfort In the
child's rude health, fresh fun, and un-
controllable boisterousness. He was
pleased TO see him growing up In ig-
norance of books, but with slngularly
accurate ideas Of practical matters.
He was a fearless rider, while yet so
small that his legs stuck out horizon
tally from the saddle. He had that
power of tanning and attaining AMI
mails to himself, which seems the es-
pecial gift Of kindly and unlettered
natures. "Let him rum" the easy
going President would say, "he has
time enough yet to learn his letters
and get pokey. Bob was just such a
little rascal, and now lie Is a very
decent boy" IiL.g
1t was evident that, with all his In
subordlnation and reckless mischief,
the spoiled child was at heart OF q
truthful and generous nature. He
treated f1attcrers and oGice-seekers
with a curious GOODNESS and contempt,
but he often espoused the cause OF
some poor widow or tattered soldier,
whom he found waiting in the ante
rooms, and 1t WINS most amusing to see
the hearty little fellow dragging his
shabby protege into the Executive
presence, ordering the ushers out OF
the nvay, and dmanding Immediate
action from headquarters. The Presi-
dent rarely refused q grace Of this
kind, and the demands were not 80
frequent as to lose the charm Of nov
city. -
One of the tricks into which his
idleness and his enterprise together
drove him, was the occasion Of much
laughter to the ~judiclous, and much
horror to the respectable In Washing
ton. Ho invested, one morning, all
Ills pocket money In buying the stock
In trade Of mn old woman who sold
gingerbread near the Treasury. He
made the Government carpenters give
him a board and some trestles, which
hc set up In the Imposing porte-oochcre
of the White House, and on this rude
counter displayed his wares. Every
oRlce.seeker who entered the house
that morning bought a toothsome
luncheon Of the keen little merchant,
and when an hour after the opening Of
the booth a member Of the household
discovered the young pastryman the
admired centre Of q group Of grinnlnY
servants and toadles, be had filled his
pockets and his hat with currency, the
spoil Of the American public, The
Juvenile operator made lively work OF
Ills ill-gotten gains, however, and be-
fore night vas penniless again.
Although still a mere child ut 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 pro-
gress up to the time Of his sailing for
Europe with his mother. He has ever
since remained with her, displaying a
thoughtful devotion, and tenderness
beyond his years, and strangely ut
variance with the mischievous thought
lessness Of bis childhood He oamo
back n short while ago, greatly i'm
proved by his residence abroad, but
always the same cordial, frank, warm
hearted boy. In his loss the already
fearfully bereaved family Will suffer a
new and deep atfllctlon, and the world,
which meyer did and never will know
him, will not withhold a tribute OF
regret for the child whose gayety and
affection cheered more than anything
else the worn and weary heart Of the
great President through the toilsome
years Of the war. r
crn,oro' WIN Wa oxtract the