Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-06-25

What do you mean?' ] asked
him, thoroughly startled by his
manner and words.
"Oh, nothing he said, recover.
ing himself. Only the man had
better never been born than to come
between me and my love. Bessie
loves me, I'll swear but what be-
tween her people and his, they will
dispose of her as a lamb led to the
slaughter
"I am sorry for you, Mr.. Booth ,
said my husband, who, standing.
beside me, had listened to his
words.
-" Booth turned fiercely and dis
dainfully around to him-for he
never liked my husband--and said:
'Sir, ! would rather be Action,
chased and deyoured by his own
beagles, than to be like Lazarus
and have his wounds licked By dogs
out Of pity
"He left us abruptly and went
out of the room, and we saw him
no more that night.
" told Bessie Hale Of this scene.
and she was at first distressed about
1t and then got mad, as a woman
always does when she don't know
what to do; and Airted openly with
Robert Lincoln, much to that
young mans delight.
A QUARREL.
"The next morning we all waited
Booths coming anxiously, and
Bessie sat in my parlor until din
ner expecting him, but not then nor
that whole day did he make his ap-
pearauce.
"Another day passed, and still
another came and went, but no
signs Of Booth. Instead, Robert
Lincoln came regularly, and by
breakfast time a most exquisite
bouquet Of flowers from the White
House conservatory would always
be sent to Bessie, and Robert Lin
coin pressed his suit boldly and ar
IDENTIFY. l think she was pioued at
Booths silence, for she gave Robert
much encouragement and his visits
became longer and more frequent.
"One day, about a week after the
ball, as the two were sitting alone
together in my parlor, John Wilkes
walked abruptly iu, and, sitting
down with only slight nod OF
recognition to both, took a book
and commenced to read. An hour
passed on, and his rival, seeing that
Booth was determined to sit him
out, got up, made his adieu, and
left the field open. Bessie told me
afterward that she was much in.
censed at his behavior, and gave
him a piece of her mind. He re.
torted; she grew more angry, he
more curt and cOntemptuous. She
recriminated sharply, and then he,
losing his temper, flung himself
with a muttered curse, out of the
room.
CAT last the great event hap.
pened that we had all wished for.
hoped for, prayed for, during all
the four long weary years-Lee sur
rendered at Appomattox Court
house. At our hotel there was one
round Of congratulations and re.
joicings. Every night the parlors
would be thronged with an anx-
ious, eager, excited party, who
would discuss, drink and dance the
night through. Amid all these
scenes Booth moved-calm, stern,
silent, cold. His manner was ut
terly changed, and instead of a
ranting, romantic boy, he seemed a
composed, practical man. We all
knew that the triumph of the Fed
eral army was a blasting of his most
cherished hopes, and none of us
said anything to him on the sub
ject. And so the fated days sped
swiftly by; and while a nation was
drunk with joy-while the ringing
Of the bells, the cracking of the
bonfres aud the blaze Of martial
music all united into a TIE peum in
honor of victory and poace-this
cold young man carried in his
breast a secret that would, if told,
make the world stare with horror.
THE FATAL DAY.
SO time passed until the sun
rose on that fatal Friday morning,
April 14th, 1865, John Wilkes
came into the parlor at noon, and
stayed there only for few mo-
ments. He seemed restless and
excited, but not enough SO to at
tract any attention from us. He
left in an hour, and went down, as
he said, to witness the rehearsal of
the play, Our American Cousin.
Mrs. Hale aud myself thought of
going that night, but he strongly
advised US not, saying, l remember,
that it was Good Friday, and that
few people would be present, and
the play would drag on that ac-
count. After this we decided to
nOstpone onr intention and 90 the