The Red Cloud chief., 1881-09-29
MRS. LINCOLN,S HALLUCINATIONs.

spite of paragraphs in one thousand
newspapers OF the country. She is
peculiar, mentally a little off,
Mysteries" other old ladies call her |
complaint. But her pursuit of happi- |
ness is hardly more eccentric now than
much OF the time during her entire
widowhood. How is She, really? |
Well. she took a carriage ride of sew.
eral miles the other day, returning To
her home with q healthful glow upon
her cheek. She wants to 90 again;
and. If this want doesn't wear out, It
Will be humored often. She said il
was tie best ride she'd had for a long
tue. And. sur enough. il was, for
she had only just lot herself out from
continuous, sclf-inficted confinement
in an upper room during six months
and more. Not even the kindest SIS
terly entreaty could persuade her feet
10 cross the chamber threshold till one
morning early she descended the stairs,
attired in pink silk and French laces,
and scolded her servant for not having
breakfast ready. "A pretty hotel"
said she. s%corn.ully, Ito keep guests
waiting for meals until after train
time" OF course, the kitchen maid
went nearly dart herself at sight of
this guest" and ran to apprise her
mistress that Mrs. Lincoln had turned
over a new leaf ; and, sure enough, on
returning to the kitchen, the maid
found that this strange quest" had
no thought of taking the "train" on
an empty stomach, but had turned the
STEAK in the b%roiler, and was removing
the jackets from the boiled potatoes
with oil the housewifely skill of her
carly days.
Mrs. Lincoln came to this CITY to re-
side soon after her return from Europe,
in October last. She is most consider
ately cared for, and all her harmless
weaknesses humored in the family of
Hon. N. Edwards, Mrs. Edwards being
her sister. She arrived in November,
and, during the following holiday sea-
son, she shut herself up In her room,
mourning the extravaganza of the
times, and childing those about her
who displayed gifts of jewelry and the
like. And then she stayed. like a veri-
table silk-worm, in its self woven Co
coon, till the late morning adventure.
as above narrated. What did she do
there all that timer Principally, she
overhauled her many trunks. complain
ed that she was very sick. and ate full
meals of substantial food three times a
day. She reconciled ill-health and
hearty eating by insisting, TO the few
friends whom she admitted, that her
malady was a very peculiar one, COM
pelling her to consume large quantities
of food. She would rise from a repast
of roast beef. coffee, etc, and very de-
jectedly inform her attendant, or visi.
tor, that i'm all human probability she
should not see the light of another day;
and often, in literal verification of her
prophecy, she would close the window
shutters. increase the opaqueness of
the curtains by pinning up shawls or
quilts. and light a plain tallow candle.
She rejects the use of gas as of the
devil. If asked TO specify where she
felt bad in body, she would reply,
sometimes. I'm on fire. burning up;
Just feel of me, and see how hot l ami
At the same time her temperature
would appear perfectly normal for a
lady above sixty years of age. AT 9TH
er times she would insist that she was
"being all hacked to pieces by knives;
just feel that cash in my shoulder;
don't think l can stand such wounding
long, do you?n Yet tender and COM
miserating friends assured her that
there was no trace of either blood or
scar.
1t is the vagaries of diseased mind
in one eminently related to the tragic
period in American history, upon which
the gossips have laid hold and woven
the thousand and-one stories of Mrs.
Lincoln's probable death from day to
day. Of course, these stories have con-
stantly come back to her Springfield
friends with a good deal of surprise;
and they were the source of no little
annoyance. until one day in the latter
part of January her sister. with the
view of securing her indignant denials
of these fabricated funeral bulletins.
carried her a handful of such clippings
IA chapter of lamentations from the
press of the country. Mrs. Lincoln
read them slowly through, and her face
lighted up. So far from appearing in
dignant, she was delighted to find her.
self once more filling s % large a spot in
public observation. She laughed and
capered about in great glee. And in
the hope that the public grief might
prove q private tonic. the reports OF
impending dissolution were allowed to
multiply and have free flow in press
currents and all dispatches and
comments OF sympathy were gath.
cred with the diligence of 8
stamp-collector or autograph-huntel
~- ao-~.ol a.. <la t, S A.
strange patient: even the heaps OF Tex.
changes" in the local newspaper Offices
were made to minister to a mind dis.
eased." Only it is now doubtful if al
this humoring Of the morbid thirst fol
glory has not helped to detain Mrs.
Lincoln thus long in retirement. Many
will remember that in those critical
sixties it used to be one of the bug.
bears of the press that this lady had $
warm side for the Roman Catholic faith
and now it appears that, during much
of the period of her late seclusion, the
Sisters of Mercy, at her request, .havt
spent much time with her, generally
one or nor of them passing the nigh,
in her room. Her reputed illness ha!
also brought her many letters of condo
lence from old friends of herself and
husband. and some of congratulation or
the appointment of her son to a posi-
ton in the Presidents Cabinet. BuI
although she has seemed to take pleas
ure in those commissioning herself, sht
has very rarely attempted to reply
once in q while she indicates q quite
touching and considerable answer 70 bt
penned by some member of her sister
family. And as she has, from time tt
time, been reported sinking, the auto
graph fiend has felt inspired to clutcf
the signature of Death and paste it il
his little book. His application ha
been frequent, and his disappointment
has keptit an even tally.
But she has not smiled owe congrat
ulation on Roberts honorable account
She signs and broods upon his official
holding a. q new family risk. She ottel
sits and repeats, Secretary OF War
Secretary of War? Then he'll be shot
sure! That's always the way in war:
And when told of the shooting of tn
President she manifested no surprise
but calmly remarked. it is said. "Itol'
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