River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-07-30

Abe's murdered last night in
Washington.
A mist came into the bright eyes,
pitiful culver about the mouth, and
Dennis stopped. | went back in mem
DRY to that sad April morning in the
City of Philadelphia. We had taken
seats in the early car to ride down
town, men and boys going to work.
The morning papers had come up from
town as usual, and the men unrolled
them to read as the car started. The
eyes fell on the black border and ON
inous column-lines. Before we could
speak a good Quaker at the head of
the car broke out in horror: MY Cod
What's thisP Lincoln is assassinated.
The driver stopped the car, and came
in to hear the tidings. There stood
the car, mid-street, a the heavy news
was read in the gray dawn of that i'll
fated day. Men bowed their faces in
their hands, ard on the straw-covered
floor hot tears fell fast. Silently the
driver took the bells from his horses,
and we started like hearse city-ward.
What a changed city since the day be-
fore. Then all JOY over the end of the
Civil War, now plunged in deeper
gulf of Woe The sun rose on a city
smitten and weeping. All traffic stood
still; the icy hand of death lay fiat on
the heart of commerce, and it gave not
throb. Men stood by their opened
stores. saying with hands on each
others shoulders, ''Our President is
dead. Over and over. in a dazed
way, they said the fateful syllables, as
if the bullet that tore through the weary
heart at Washington had palsied the
Nation. The mute news-boy on the
corner said never word as he handed
to the speechless buyers the damp
sheets from the press; only he brushed,
with unwashed hand, from his dirty
cheeks the tears till the last paper was
gone. Groups stood listening on the
pavement with faces TO the earth, while
one, in choking voice, read the tele-
grams; then with look they departed
in unworded Woe, each cursing bitterly
in his breast the "deep damnation of
his taking off. Mill operatives, clerks,
workers, school children, all came
home, the faltering voice of the teacher
telling the wondering children to ''go
home, there will be no school to-day.
The housewife looked up amazed to see
husband and children coming home so
soon. The fathers face frightened her
and she cried: "What is wrong, hus-
band?N He could not speak the news.
but the wee girl with the school-books
said: Mamma, they've killed our Pres
ident.' Ere noon every house wore
Grape; it was as if there were dead
son in every home. For hours a sad
group hung around the bulletins,
hoping against hope; then, when the
last hope died, turned sullenly home
ward, saying: ''When all was won, and
all was done, then to strike him. The
flags in the harbor fell to half-mast; the
streets were rivers of inky streamers;
from doorknobs floated Grape; and
even the unbelled car-horses seemed to
draw the blackrobed cars more quietly
than before. Then came the funeral,
the body lying in state in'Independence
Hall Then The craped train, moving
westward like an eclipse. the engine
swathed in black, drawn sadly across
the corn-lands and valleys, through
the fair spring weather, the body of
Americas son, to lay him with his
hands folded above his heart of oak in
the quiet tomb on the edge of his loved
river, the prairied Sangamon. Dennis
ard | were both unfit to speak, so
rose to 90, saying: You will soon 90
over to the majority; do you expect to
meet him in the other world?'
Il am dubious about us KNOWN each
other in Heaven, but if | know any one
I'll know him. He is over thar some
Whar. | know that. ="
"One more question: Did he get his
rare sense and sterling principle from
one parent or both?'
Both; his strong will from his
father. I'll tell you an incident. His
father used to swear a little, and one
day his baby girl picked up a foul
oath and was bruisin the bitter morsel
in her sweet lips when Nancy called
'Thomas!' and said; Listen, husband.
He stopped that habit thar; never swore
again But Abe's kindness, humor,
love OF humanity, hatred of slavery,
all came from her. l am free to say
Abe was a mothers boy"
SO | babe the old man goodbye,
pressing once more the palsied hand
that guided the pen that wrote the
Emancipation Proclamation.