The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-05-19
LINceLN's MARROW ESCAPE.
Somnambulism Which Nightly Helped a
Young Physician.
TSan Eranciso0 Post


The annual recurrence OF Lincoln's birth
the great emancipator, the majority of which
are obviously smoking hot from the pen OF
the hard pushed paragrapher. There is moth
ing about them, however so intripsically re-
markable as the fact thts they are all
reprinted with painful solemnity, particu-
larly in the English papers, by the readers of
whom they are evidently regarded as gospel
verify. Willing to still further tighten the
labors OF our transatlantic brethren of the
shears, we contribute the following plsusi-
Bile incident to the general fund merely
asking Eastern contemporaries TO cut off this
preliminary paragraph in Ieprinting. and send
as by wire the editorial comment of the
trst LONDON papers copying the story.
As is well known, the cares and anxieties
OF the great war so weighed upon President
Lincoln's mind as to throw his system into
CONDITION OF nervous sensibility OF the
the most painful description. He found 1t
almost impossible to sleep, and, when slum-
Der occasionally, through sheer weakness,
visited his restless couch, he would arise and
wander about the house, his mind still busy
with the questions of National expediency,
In fact, Llncoln became, in time, q confirm
ed somnambulist and the most assiduous
care on the part of Mrs. Lincoln and the at
tendants was necessary to insure his safety.
One night, however, Just after the Fort Pill
low massacre, they omitted to attach the
small jack chain with which the ankle of th
President was usually fastened to the leg of
his bed, and about N. he was discovered
to be missing. For long time
the anxious search OF the dis
| tracted household revealed notl ing 1ntI
the roof, and there, sure enough, they dis
covered Father Abraham" as he was
afectionately called by those about him.
! reclining at length on the very edge of the
cornice of the west wing, at which dizzy
height from the ground he was slumbering
peacefully. How he had descended from
the roof coping above to his perilous posi-
tion was one of those mysteries solved only
In the land of dreams. 1t was evident at q
glance, however, that it would be impossible
to reach the narrow ledge whereon he lay
without touching the sleeper. and ell could
see that the slightest change In the center of
gravity in awakening would result In instant
destruction. The news of the Presidents
terrible position spread like wild6re, even at
that hour, and soon dense crowd gathered
beneath in the gardens, awaiting the
denouement with bsted breath
By this time hook and
ladder company, which had been seat for,
srrived, and bagan preparing their ladders
for erection to the wall beneath the now
plainly revealed figure, although how to
place them against the building without
awakening the sleeper by the Jar was the
uppermost thought. At this moment a
young, pale. faced regimental surgeon sp.
peared on the roof, and, motioning the crowd
| to even greater silence, leaned over the edge
and proceeded to gently lower over the face
beneath string. suspended to which was a
large sponge. This was filled with chloro-
form. In few moments the oblivious
President was rendered still more uncon-
scious and soon his rgid body was safely
approached and lowered to the pavement.
The next morning lit won't do to finish
this historical episode without poetic eli
maxi the ready-witted young surgeon re-
ceived the Presidents commission as the
Surgeon General OF the United States army.
OF course we refer TO General Barnes.