River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-27
NEW LINCOLN STORIES.
tho Emancipation Proclsmation-The Fs
tai Night at the Theater

Tho Emancipation Prociamation-The Fa-
tai Night at the Theater.
Benson j. LOSING, the historian, was
veil acquainted with President Lin
DIN, and some time after the President
lad issued his famous Proclamation OF
Emancipation the historian travelled to
Washington for the purpose of procur-
ng photograph of IL, as 1t was written
throughout in Mr.. Lincoln's handwrit-
ng. Arriving at the White House Mr..
tossing first stated his mission to Mr..
lay, the Presidents secretary, who at
nee promised to grant the request if
he President was agreeable. Mr.. Loss
ng then went to see Mr.. Lincoln. The
resident was in merry and iovial
mood, and, of course, he said he was
willing that the proclamation should be
photographed for Mr.. Losing.
But there is one thing | want to
lraw your attention TO-" he said, hold
ng up the precious document. "You
zee here ii commences in bold letters:
1, Abraham Lincoln etc., but you will
notice that the last paragraph has the
appearance of having been written in a
trembling and irresolute manner; there
ore, you might infer that after had
written the proclamation weakened in
ny good resolution and became afraid,
out | was not afraid bit. 1t happened
his way: After had written all the
proclamation, with the exception of the
asst paragraph, | determined that
would not write that and sign it until /
lad Thought the matter over. In the
meantime / held one OF my public recep-
ions, during which / was obliged to
ihake hands with two or three thousand
people, consequently when sat down to
write the last paragraph of the proclama-
lion my hand was weak and tired and
'rembled much--indeed, could scarce
y write at all-but was not afraid"
The most interesting story regarding
he President which Mr.. LOSING re-
ated he told me had been repeated to
him lately by the Rev. Mr.. Minor, a
clergyman well acquainted with Mr..
Lincoln's wife, who had related the
story to him. "All day long the last
lay Of the Presidents life," said his
wife, "Mr. Lincoln seemed in the most
happy and tuDilant mood; he fitted from
)ne portion of the White House to an
Dther as il he had been boy of twenty,
and constantly l head aim singing
matches OF songs. Toward evening he
declared TO me his intention of going to
ihe theater, but from this idea tried to
iissuade him. NO! nor he said, Il will
20. The war is over now, there will be
40 more bloodshed. and am happy. l
need little amusement, and / am going
% the theater to get it
At last, as Mrs. Lincoln found there
vas no dissuading him, she consented to
accompany her husband to Ford's
)pera-House. Once arrived at the the.
lter she said that the President did not
appear to take the slightest interest in
the performance, but apparently he was
thinking deeply upon some subject At
asst he turned to me and remarked:
Mary, need rest. i know what we
will do; after this Administered ton is
over we will go abroad, where | am per-
'onally comparatively unknown.
would like to travel through Europe,
and | have desire to visit the Holy
Land, and especially would like as far
As possible to tread the same ground
hat Jesus trod. | would like to walk
the streets of Jerusalem" At that mo-
nent before the word Jerusalem had
scarcely passed his lips, the assassin's
bullet entered his brain.
Little did the President realize when
ne spoke these words that 'rest" was
near.-Phila1elph News.