Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-06-22

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ed sharply, and then he, losing his temper,
| flung himself, with muttered curse, out OF the
| room.
"At last the great event happened that, We
had all wished for, hoped Tor, prayed Tor, our
| inc all the four long weary years--lIeo surren-
dered at Appomattox Court House. At our
hotel there was one round Of copgratula'
tious and reioicings. Every MI ght the parlors
wonId be tbrouged with an anxious. eager, ex'
cited party, who would discuss, drink and dance
the night through. Amid all these scenes
| Booth moved calm, stern, silent, cold, lis
| manner was utterly changed, and lni'cau u.
| ranting, romantic boy, he seemed oomposeI,
practical man. We all know that the triumph
| of the Federal army was blasting OF DIS most
cherished hopes, aud none OF US saiu anyt1lns
to him on the subject. And so the fateu Gays
sped swiftly BY and while nation was "a arups p
| with joy-while tho ringing OF tno pels' tne
cracking of the bonfres and the blaze OF mat'lat
victory and peaoe-this cold young man carried
10 his breast secret that would, II toId' maAe
the world stare with horror. 49,.
$50 time passed until the sun rose Oh tnao
fatal Friday morning, April IA, leoo' donn
Wilkes came into the parlor at noon, ana stay,
ed there only for few moments lie seemed
restless and excited. but not enough so 10 al'
tract any attention from US. lie lett 10 so
hour, and went down, as he said. to witness tne
rehearsal Of the new play, Our American
Cousin" Mrs Hale and myself thought OF
going that right, but he strongly adVlsea Us
not. saving. | remember. it was Geod ffday'
and that few people would be present. and To! toe
pley would drag on that account. Alter thls
we decided to postpone our intention aua ~
the night after.
"Dinner passed off pleasantly, and We re,lred
to our rooms for our postprandal nap. ana o'o
not reassemble together until the eVenng,Iwnen
about half an hour before supper We We 81 meS
in the parlor. There were Senator nae anu
bis wife, I and Bessie, and an Eogllsn lsuy
who vas staying at the hotes: a lew moinen'5
after We were seated John Wilkes came 10 au9
greeted US all with the utmost eoso'shCy auo
the same old graceful bow that nc, ana 9oly Ee,
could mako. lie seemed to be III goGs SIllits
and laughed at the machinery OF the plss;
After q little desultory consultation he aud
Bessie drew off together and carried Oh au ea'
eat conversation 10 low tones.
"At last the whole party rose to 60 to SUI
per, and the two were brought back 70 the'.'
selvcs again. Thoy followed US slowly, g.
lust az | left the psrlor heard Booth S.
'Ah! Bessie Bessie can trust you utterly!
and her reply came clear, but with word oi
melancholy 10 the tones ~
"'Even as Ruth said, so say /: Even unto
death."' ~
"We took our seats al the table-a small
round one. The supper passed OH pleass1tig
enough; | noticed nothing whatever excited 10
Booth m amer; he was unusually entertaining
and his laugh rang out as loud and clear rs
anv man whose mind and conscience were at
perfect ease. r.
"At last Booth arose from the table. lie
made US all one Of his grand bows, and walked
to tho door, and Just as he passed out some
recollection or memory seemed to strike MN,
and he returned abruptly to the table. and
said to Bessie, using familiar quotalon II
Hamlet
% Nymph, in thy prisons
Be oil my sins remembered.
"IIe took her hand and gazed with one long,
lingering look in her face. l noticed his eyes
grow soft with beautiful mystic radlauco.
and his sensitive mouth quivered and showed
the pesry teeth beneath tho moustache, and
thea he shook his head with determined
movement, dropped her hand, turned and dig
appeared through the open doorway, and as We
gazed none of US thought our eyes were look
ing the last 10 this world upon the wayward
genius who had won 80 upon all that Wo loved
him.
Il went to my own room, and being tired,
undresscd and went to bed. 1t seemed as II
| had been asleep but minute when WAS
aroused by an ndeinable noise that served to
wake, but was not loud enough to starte one.
hastily threw 90 my wrapper AMI
hurried to my paror. There was no on,
there, and | kept on till got to the grand
salon, and there | found crowd OF people.
mostly like myself, guests of tho hotel and ch
disablle.
ITO our scared looks and irebzicd inerro.
cations of What has happeneGY' tho reply
camo in hu,hed, awful accents. that Presldcns
Lincoln bad been murdered by Booth.
"'By Booth?' | incredulously asked, by
John Wilkes Booth? Oh, 90; that is impos.
sble.'
"As the crowd surgcd to and lro ln incon
trolabe excitement Bessie Hale came 10, and
as she heard the dreadful news she screamed.
and then, before any one could reach her, fell
prone upon the f1or. She was carried up to
her room.
"a day or two aftor the assassination, never
to.be-f for gotten.day the report came, sub5tRn-
tiated that John Wilkes Booth had been cap
tured and was being brought back to Washing
ton. 1t was told Bessie, ana sne catne lnto my
room in q fearful state Of excitement, and tho
proud cold woman seemed to have lost all con-
troll over herself
II did the best l could to calm her. and final
ly succeeded. She wrote letter TO Booth tell
inp him she loved him. and concluded by saying
ahe would marry him even at the foot OF the
scsffold. At last tho news came Of hia capture
and death.
Robert Lincoln never met Bessie Hale ator-
ward, but, ere long, married daughter Of Seua-
tor Harlan, of Iowa.
bessie never recovered from the shock. The
Senator carried her to Europe, hoping the
change of scene would make her forget the
past" =,
years ago. What has become Of her now2 1
saw marriage Of Miss Hale announced IN the
papers few days ago. Was it Booths Bessie
HaleW
"Yes," che said, "it was"
Tho Chicago Inter- Ocean in commenting upon