The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-08-27
"reminiscences or Lincoln.

A correspondent In North Carolina
says: II heard Mr.. Lincoln's last two
speeches. One. extemporaneous, on
Monday evening, April 10, from the
historic middle front window in the
second story of the White House. He
had just returned from City Point, and
the people thronging around the White
House would have q speech. For q
good while he did not appear, and
seemed to be reluctant to speak without
a manuscript, lest at that critical junct-
ure some injurious impression should
be made by an accidental word or sem
tence.
However, the crowd persisted to
call till he appeared. 1t was my first
sight of the man. He appeared some
what younger and more off-hand and
vigorous than 1 should have expected.
His bright, knowing, somewhat humor-
Gus look reminded me of we'll prac-
ticed country physician who had read
men through till he understood them
we'll There was the humorous kind
ness of good-natured doctor who had
seen his patients through a most awful
siege of sickness, till they were now
fairly and fully convalescent, and who
was disposed to let the past, whatever
it had cost him or them, go by for the
time, and have little cheerful congrat-
ulation. His gestures and expression
of countenance had something of the
harmless satisfaction of q young pol
itician at a ratification meeting after
his first election to the Legislature.
He was happy. and glad to see others
happy, and willing to accept the con-
graduation of his friends for his own
part in the general victory.
His last speech, on Wednesday,
April II. 1865, was read from separate
sheets, by q faring light, as he stood
at the same window. He wore glasses,
and as the successive pages were read
passed them to a friend who stood near.
1t was perhaps eight o'clock in the
evening; Mrs. Lincoln and several lady
friends stood at side window. There
was some talking and diversion during
the reading. The reading was in a
reading tone, but business-like and
good, and the paper not long. 1t was
intended to show the disposition of the
administration toward the seeded
States, and forshadow the principles
proposed for reconstruction. His man
ner was unpretentious but dignified,
manly, kindly, and vigorous"
The same friendly observer sends
other Lincolniana:
"'That rent said soldier in the
hospital at City Point, pointing up to
the torn tissue-paper-an embellish-
ment which, / believe, the ladies of the
Christian Commission had fixed on the
ceiling above-'that was torn by Mr..
Lincoln's hat as he passed through here
on his way from Richmond, and shook
hands with every man, loyal or rebel,
in the whole hospital. He stood, like
Saul, above the people from the shout
ders upward. and his hat made havoc
with decorations overhead. Stepping
outside, and seeing an AK by log, his
old rail-splitter spirit came over him.
In moment his long arms were put
ting home that OK toward the heart of
the fallen tree. The boys in blue
gathered those chips to take home as
mementos of the backwoodsman who
became President and the emancipation
of race"
An old soldier at the Soldiers Home
near Washington said, "He used to
walk all about in these paths; he was
very kind and familiar with us all.
To a poor woman who desired his
signature to paper, he said, my name
will do you no more good than pigs
tracks in the mud"
A soldier stopped him in the road,
against the Columbia Hospital, and
presented some letters, desiring fur
long. He obtained it.-Harper's Mag
azine.