Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-02-14

at tOru NcatEC, dG tHc tlmC vi nis dssdsSlui-
ton, from forthcoming book BY Walt. Whit
man, has never before been published
The day, April Ia. 1865 seems to have been
pleasant one throughout the whole land-the
moral atmosphere pleasant, too-the long storm
50 dark, 30 fratrcida fulf of. blood aud doubt
aud gloom, over and ended at last by the sun-
rise of such an absolute national victory, and
utter breaking down of secessionlsm-we al
most doubted our own senses Lee had oapitu-
lated beneath the apple tree OF Appomattox.
The other armies, the hanges Of the revolt,
swiftly followed.
And could it really be, then Out Of all the
affairs of this world of woe and passion, Of fail
uru and disorder and dlsmay, was there really
come the confirmed, uuerrlng sigu of plan, like
shaft of pure light, of rightful rule-of God
But must not dwell on accessories. The
deed hastebs. The popular afternoon paper,
the little Evening Star, had spattercd all over
its third page divided among the advertise
meuts in sensational manner 10 a bundred
different places 1.-THE Presden. and bis lady
will be at the theatre this evening"" Lncoin
was fond Of the theatre. | have myself seen
him there several times. remt mber thinking
how funny it was that be, in Some respects,
the leading actor in the greatest and stormiest
uTolUd huUWu " lCdt LlSUOiJ eOoSCS thloAsu
centuries, should sit there and be so comp plvte-
ly interested and absorbed in those human
iackstraws, moving about with their silly little
gestures, foreign spirit, and fatulent text.)
So the day, as | say, was propilious. Early
hcrbage, early flowers, were out. Il remember
where | was stopping at the time, the season
being advanced there We're many iacs in full
bloom. By one Of those capriccs that enter
and give lingc to events without being at all a
part of them, find myself always reminded of
the great tragedy OF that day by the sight und
oiOr of these blossoms. 1t n;Ver fails
On this occasion the ,heatcr was crowded,
many ladies 10 rich aud gay costumes, officers
in their uniforms, many we'll known citizens,
young folks, the usual clusters Of gasliehts, the
usual magnetism OF So many p oplc, cheerful
with perfumes, music of viollus and flutes
(and over all, and saturating all that vast.
vague woudcr, Victory. the Nations Victory,
the triumph of tic Uulon, filing the air, the
thought, the sense, with cxhilaration more
than all pertumcs)
The President came bctmes, and, with his
wife, witnessed the play from the large stage
boxes of the second tier, two thrown into one,
and yrouscly draped with the national flag.
The acts and scenes OF the piecC-onc OF those
sugularly witcss compositions which have at
least the merit of giving entire relief to an
audience engaged in mcntal action or business
cxcltcnlents and cares during the day, as II
makes not the slightest call on either the
moral, emotional, esthetic, or spiritual nature
IA picce ("Our American Cousin in which,
among other characters, 30 called. Yankee,
certainly so called, Yankee, ccrtainly such a
one as was never SEEM or the least like it ever
seen in North America, is introduced ln Eug-
land with varied tol dc-rol of talk, plot,
scenery, and such phantasmagoTia as goes to
make up mudcru popular drAma-had pro-
crossed perhaps couple Of its acts, when in
the midst of this comedy ur tragedy, or non.
such, or whatever it is TO be called: aud to Off
SET it or finish it out, as if in natures and the
great muses. m0ckcry Of these poor mines,
comes intcrrola!ed that scene not really or cx-
actiy to be described at all (tor on the many
hundreds who were there it seems to this hour
10 have left little but a passing blur, dream,
a hlo,ch) h)-and yet partially to be described as
now proceed to give it.
There is a scene in the play representing
modern parlor, 10 which two unprecedented
Ensish ladies are Informed by the unprece-
dchtcd and Impossible Yankee that he is not
ulan OF fortune, and therefore undesirable tor
marriage catching purposes after which, the
coulmcuts being flushed, the dramatic trio
make exit, leaving the stage clear TOR mo-
lucnt, There Was a pause, hush us it were.
AZ this period came the murder of Abraham
lAlcoln. Great a$ that was, with all its mani
l9ld train circling around it, aud stretching into
The iuture for many century, in politics, his
Try, art, ETC., Of the New World, in point of
'4c the main thing, the actual murder, trans
rFel with the quiet and simplicity Of any com
@oncSt occurrence-the bursting of pod or
p0u IN thu urhprb of for
through the general hum following the stage
pause, with the change OF positions, etc., came
'0e muled sound of pistol shot, which not
Que huLdrcdth part Of the audience heard at
n'' tlmc-and yet moments hush-some.
Iv"' surely vague, startled thrlll--and then,
'IF9ugh the ornalnon,ed, draperied, starred
Auo striped spaco-way of the Presidents box,
l>uidcn figure, man raises himself with
,. naaas and feet, stands moment on the rail
,us eaps below to the stage, In distance of
is'napS fourteen or fifteen feet,) falls out OF
io''tlon, catching his boot-heel in the coplous
":lery, 1.-THE American flag, falls on one kuee,
'.Isy rccovcrs himself, rises as IT nothing
la. lIa. happened, he really sprains his his ankle,
t' tS' uniclt thcn) aud so the figure, Booth,
s' aux murderer, dressed 10 pain black broad
r,r' rv'n' Garc-hcadcd, with full head Of glossy,
a'T9 n'''9 nalr, and his eyes, like some mad ami
p;sS us;s flashing with light and resolution, yet
an" "I certain strange calmness, holds alott in
ias i.s, naad large knlic-waks along not much
WI from the iootli ghts-turns fully TO-
nm, the audience, his face of statues
SSb; H. beauty, lit by those basiisk eyes,
suing .,nms with desperation, perhaps insanity
wsS' sauene: out 10 a firm aud steady voice the
s,L Ilus S'c Senlper tyra',nis aud then walks
aiy H' usl'her slow nor very rapid pace diagon-
pr,,' "'F'sS to the back of the stage, and disap
,p =. (uad not all this terrible scenc-mak-
bern ,ne m'ulc oues prepostorou,-had it not all
ba,a :, ;9S,hearsed, III blank, by Booth, before
tbr ,al u"ments hush, incrcdulous-a scream
otSaayi OF murder-Mrs Lincoln leaning out
so,nn,aoo ooS, With ashy cheeks and lips, with iu
"e S1cy cry, pointing to the retreating figure,
aomaN4ss uas killed the President T. And still a
then et nl strange incrcdulous suspense-and
aos.s "'e dcuge then that mixture Of horror,
'S 0ucertailty-(the sound, somewhere