Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-23
LINCOLN AT THE THEATER.

His Interest IN Plays and P;GyerS-RecOE-
lectiOns of JoAn z. Raymond.
SPY the way" said Mr.. Raymond to a
Washington Star man, "Mr. Lincoln would
often come down there at night and sit in
the Office. There's point for you, if you
want it. He woald come IL, sit there for
an hour and chat, and very often go
through the stage entrance into his box, sit
there quietly and unobserved, see the per-
Torrance and then go back home. He
always expressed himself as delighted to
get away from business and take an hour
of recreation at the theater. The char
actecisucs Of the man were so noble, so
sim pie aOd grand. He seemed to enjoy,
when he TO the theater, his freedom
FROM business and cares of state.
remember ne ran on, zone night we were
playing 'Pocahontas,' a burlesque,
with Mrs. John. Wood. In those
days, when they caught pick
pocket in the streets here the soldiers would
placard him, This is pick pocket and
send him around the streets to the tune of
| the 'Rogue's March, SO the people would
know him, and we were burlesq uiug that
on the stage. Little Tad Lincoln, the son
of the president-he is now dead, poor boy,
jolly little fellow; everybody liked him
came down very often with his father, and
he was there that night. He was hanging
around the stage, and for the fun of the
thing 1 put him in a ragged dress and set
him on the stage in the mob in one of the
scenes. Mr.. Lincoln, who was in his box,
saw the boy. Well, he laughed heartily and
long, threw his hands up III the air, and let
one of them drop over the side of the box.
The audience saw the hand and recognized
it. There was no hand in the world
like Mr.. Lincoln's-so long and
bony. They recognized it and
shouted for him. He had to come to the
front of the. box and bow. When Tad
went into the box Mr.. Lincoln threw his
arms around him, and the scene between
the father and the boy was most delight
full. The pleasure, the affection of the
father was SO intense: so spontaneous, and
it was glorious to see him. Why, at that
time if anybody had wanted to seize Mr..
Lincoln they could have done it readily.
He most always came to the theater alone.
He would go to the box Office and then
pass on in. Sometimes he would stand on
the stage few minutes. He seemed to
enjoy everything he saw, and was a most
hearty laugher."
did you have much experience with
him as a story teller?" inquired the re-
porter.
'Oh, yes, heard him tell lots of stories.
l cannot remember the stories now, of
course. He was always pleasant and
CHEEKY. He had knack of illustrating
his points by some comparison which was
always effective. Everything he said had
meaning in it, and was expressed SO that it
would bring its full meaning home to the
most ignorant person. He was-if [ can
use such an expression-the most illustra-
tive man I ever met in my life. He could
Illustrate by a jest or little anecdote,
which would have world of signii-
cance."
"Puritanical," exclaimed the gentle
man, who was now half Mr.. Raymond and
half Major Bob, as he turned around from
the mirror at a suggestion of the reporter
that some people thought Mr.. Lincoln au-
stere and puritanical. There was nothing
of the kind in him. He loved life and it's
innocent pleasures. He was one Of the
most liberal and at the same time most
thorough men in every respect. He was
splendid company, and always pleasant
on the stage. He was interestedin everything
he saw, and always had kind word for
every body He was friendlywith all the act
orsI think he used to entertain Hackett at
the White house. He was a warRl patron of
the theater, and seemed TO love it. When
he came down it always seemed to me that
he wanted to get away and be alone. He
would sit in his box often when the
audience had no suspicion that he Vas
tt ere.''