Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-03-21
LINcoLN's DREAM


A REMARKABLE DREAM UPON THE
EVE OF TIE ASSASSINATION the
New York Herald's review of the third
volume of '.Forster's Life of Dickens
we find the following anecdote Of Lin-
coin:
1t will (says Mr.. ForsteD be no yio-
lation of the rule of avoiding private
detail if the very interesting close of
this letter tone written by Dickens from
Washington is given. Its anecdote
of President Lincoln was repeatedly
told by Dickens after his return, and
am under no necessity to withhold from
it the authority of MIR. Summers name
II am going tomorrow to see the Pres
ident, who has sent to me twice. L
dined with Charles Sumner last Sunday
against my rule; and as l had stipulated
for ne party, Mr. Secretary Stanton was
the only other guest beside his own
secretary. Stanton is man with
very remarkable memory, and extraor-
dinarily familiar with my books. He
and Sumner having been the first two
public men at the dying Presidents
bedside. and having remained with him
until he breathed his last, we fell into
very interesting conversation after din
ner. when, each of them giving his own
narrative separately, the usual dlscrep-
ancies about details of time were obser-
vable.
"Then Mr. Stanton told me n curious
little story, which will form the remain
der of this short letter On the after
noon of the day OH which the President
was shot there was Cabinet council,
at which he presided. MIR Stanton,
being at the time coInmander-ln-chieto OF
the Northern troops that were conccn-
tlated about here, arrived rather late.
Indeed, they were waiting for him, and
on entering the room, the President
broke of in something he was SAYING,
and remarked Let us proceed To
business gentlemen. Mr. Stanton then
noticed with great surprise, that the
President sat with Al mir OF dignity III
his chair, instead OF lollmg about in tho
most ungainly attitudes, rs his inraria-
bic custom was, and that instead OF
telling prevalent or questionable stories
he was grave and calm, and quite diff.
ferent man. Mr.. Stanton, on leaving
the council with the Attorney General,
said To him. That Is the most salts.
factory Cabinet meeting | have attended
for many long day. What an extra
ordinary change in Mr. Lincoln !! lhe
Attorney General replied We al
saw that before You came III. "nl,e
we were waiting for you'he said, with
his chin down on his breast, "Gcntle-
men, something very extraordinary Is
going to happen, aud that very soon.
To which the Attorney General mad
observed, "So,nething good, SIR. hope,
when the President answered very
gravely, Fl don't know, | don't know;
but it will happen, and shortly too
As they were all impressed by his man
ner, the Attorney General took HIM up
again. "lIave you received any inior-
nation, sir, not yet disclosed TO us :
NO. answered tho President, but |
have had dream, and have now had
the same dream three times Once on
the night preceding the battle of Ball
Run, once on the night preceding such
another (naming battle also not Ia
yorabe to the North) His chin sunk
on his breast again, aud he sat reflect
ing. Might one ask the nature of thls
dream, sir 2 said the Attorney General.
well, replied the President, without
lifting his head or changing his attitude,
Il am on a great, broad, rolling river
and | am in boat, an1 ! DRIFT and
drift-but this is not business, suddenly
raising his face, and looking around the
table as Mr. Stanton appeared. Let us
proceed 20 business, gentlemen. Mr..
Stanton and the Attorney General said,
as they walked out Together, it would
be curious 10 notice whether anything
eusued OH this, and they agreed to no.
tice. lie was shot that night.