Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-03-04
Lincoln aS a NarksNnnn
From The Indianapolis Sentinel.

From LNC InClInapOllS Nellluci
A gentleman in this city has i'll his posses
sion curious relic Of President Lincoln. In
August. 1863, Mr.. S. was clerk in the
Navy Department at Washington. The ac-
cumulatiOn of business at that time frequently
compelled him to work after office hours. AT
about six o'clock on the evening of the 31st.
the clerks having all left the department, and
the watchman not yet on dut, Mr.. s. sat
at his desk, alone, as he thought, in the build
ing Suddenly he heard some one walking
up and down the hall with long strides, NUT
tcring to himself:
II do wonder if they have gone off and
left the building all alone, he heard the voice
say as be came to the door. Looking down
the hall be saw President Lincoln, who pres
emily turned, and seeing Mr.. s., APP
preached with Good evening, sir.
"GOol evening, Mr.. President, said Dir.
S.. sis there anything can DO for youT
II was just looking for that man that goes
shooting with me sometimes said Lincoln.
s. happened to know that President Lin
coin was very fond of firearms, and was i'll
the habit of testing every new gun invented,
which at that time was very frequent oc-
currence. The messenger of the Ordnance
Bureau generally went with Mr.. Lincoln on
bis trial trips, so that Mr. s. told him he
would see if the man was still in the building.
Finding he was not, Mr.. S. offered his
services.
''All right said Mr Lincoln, Sget your
coat and come on
He followed Mr.. S. into the room and
stood ut his desk, drumming on it with bis
fingers and keeping up a running fire Of talk
about the amount of work they all had to 40,
how hot the weather was. etc. Mr.. Lincoln
kept the Capitol at Washington all the year
round.
Mr.. s. being ready, they started. ''But
hold on said Lincoln, 1--WE must have some
thing to shoot at
So Mr.. s. went back to his desk and got
half sheet of Congress letter paper; this he
folded twice, making the target four thick
nesses of paper four inches square.
At the door of the Navy Department they
met man from the White House with box
of ammunition and Spencer carbinc. which
gun had recently been invented, and the quail
ifiea of W hi.h MIR. Lincoln was going to test
Mr.. s. took the gun and Blr. Lincoln the
| cartridge box, and then Mr.. s. took three
steps and Mr. Lincoln took one, and with
trot and stride the two made their way
| across the lot south of the White House. Ar
irving at safe distance, MIR. s. placed
the target against guy post standing i'll the
ground, and the President, having loaded the
carbine, paced off the distance, about eighty
or a hundred feet, raised the rifle to a level,
took a quick aim and fired the round of seven
shots (the Spencer carbine is -barreled
revolyer) in quick succession, the bullets
chipping all around the tarkct, like Il Calling
gun, and one striking near the center.
Il believe | Can make this gun shoot bet
ter, said Mr. Lincoln, after they had looked
at the result of the tirss fire. With this he
took from his vest pocket Il small wooden
sight which he had Whitfield from pine stick,
and adjusted it over the sight Of the carbine.
He then shot two rounds, and OF the fourteen
bullets nearly dozen hit the paper. MIR.
Lincoln then wanted Mr.. s. to shoot, but
as that gentleman wasn't proud of his mark
manship be declined, and the two walked
across the lot to the White House, Mr.. Lin
coin with the cartridge box and carbine ON
his shoulder, chatting like a boy home from
hunting, and Mr.. s. with the tarket in his
pocket, getting in Il word edgewise when he
could. At the White House door they parted
with CHEEKY ''good night" from Mr. Lin
coin, and the whrligig of time yesterday
brought the target before the eyes of Se,.ti-
ne! reporter. 1t is now a faded piece of paper
about four inches square. Near the center is
blackened hole, through which, Mr. s.
said, the President having got the range, sent
five or six bullets in rapid succession. A
little to the right is another spot pierced by
two bullets, and just below a third perfora-
ton. These within radius of about two
inches. At the left lower corner piece of
the paper is Clipped out, and another at the
right center, while the post all round the pa
per, Mr.. s. said, looked as if it had had
the smallpox.