New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-02
LINCOLN IN THE WHITE HOUSE
COLONEL HAYS PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES
From The Century.

COLONEL HAYS PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES.
From The Century.
In the midst Of crowd Of visitors who began
To arrive early in the morning and who were put
out, grumOlng, by the servants who closed the
doors at midnight, the President pursued those
labors which Will carry his name 10 distant ages.
mere was little order gr system about IL; those
around him strOve from beginning To end 10 crew
barriers to defend him against constant Interrupt
ton, but the President himself was always the
hfst 10 break them down. lie disliked anything
that Kept people from him who wanted TO see MN,
ana although the continual contact with importi-
hity which he could not satisfy, and with distress
Which ne could not always relieve, wore terribly
upon him and made him an old man before his
the, he would never take the necessary measures
10 delend himself. lie continued 10 the end re-
cei'lhg these swarms OF visitors. every one Of
whoHi, even the most welcome, took ethlnS
from MN In the way of wasted nervous force.
Henry wilson once demonstrated with HIM aDont
IL l;.h nou VIII wear yourself out; lie rephets
WIN one OF those smiles In which there was 50
much Of sadness, They don't want much ; they get
put little, AID 4 must them" In most cases
ne tuld 40 them no good, and il afflicted blfa to
see ne co., not make them understand the I'M
possibility OF granting their requests. One hot
afternoon private soldier who had somehow Vt
access TO MIN persisted, after repeated explana~
tons that his case was one to be settled By his
immediate superiors, in begging that the Presi-
dent would give 1t his personal attention. Lincoln
at last burst out: Now, my man, go away!
cannot attend To- all these details could as
easily bail out the Potomac with spoon"
or course 1t was not all pure waste Mr.. Lincoln
gained much of information, something of cheer
aud encouragement, from these visits. lie par
ticularly enjoyed cOnversing with officers Of the
army and navy, newly arrived from the field or
from He listened with the eagerness of a
child over fairy tale 9 Gsrfeli's graphic acc-
count of the battle of Chickamauga: he was al.
ways delighted with the wise and witty sailor
talk Of john \. Dahlgren. Gustavus V. Fox and
Commander Henry \. Wise. Sometinies word
fifty spoken had its results. When B Ayps
called on him in company with Senator Harris, and
introduced q captain Of artillery who had
taken part in recent unsuccessful engagement,
he asked How many guns did you take in ~
bring OUT the President asked. malicously.
" L CHIT This unexpected reply did much 10 gain
Ayres his merted promotion.
The inventors were more source of amuscmcns
than annoyance; They were usually men of some
TO ecccntricity. Lincoln had quick compre
hension of mechanical principles, and often de-
tected flaw in an invention which the coutrNer
hal overlooked, He would sometimes 60. OUT
ito the waste fields that then lay south Of the
Executive Mansion 10 test an experimental gun
or torpedo. He used 10 quote with much merrill
ment the solemn dctum OF one rural inventor thss
II" a gun ought not To rekye; II II reky.ed at all,
il ought to relye little forrid. He was par
ticuarly interested in the first rude attempts AZ
the Gfterward famous mltrallleuses: on one 0c-
casiOn he worked one with his own hands az the
Arsenal and sent forth peals OF fIOmerlc laughter
as the balls. which had not power to penetrate the
target set up at little distance. came bounding
accompanied Colonel Hiram Berdau ore day 10
the camp of his sharpshooters and there practised
in the trenches his bng-disused Skill with the
rifle few fortunate shots from his own gun
ard his pleasure at the still better craftsmanship
of Berdan led TO the arming Of that admirable
regiment with breech-oaders.
At luncheon time he had literally to run the
gantet through the crowds who filed the cor
ridOrs between his office and the rooms at the
west end of the house occupied by tie family
The afternoon away in much tie same man
,,a nnsF lot i'm hn no
drove ont for an hours airing; at O'Clock he
dned. lie was one of the most abstemous OF
men the pleasures Of the table had few attrac-
tions for him. His breakfast was an egg and n
cup of coffee: at luncheon he rarely took more
than biscuit and glass of milk plate OF irult
in its season: at dinner he ate sparingiy OF one
or two courses. He drank little or no wine: not
that he remained always on principle toial an
stainer, as he was during part OF his early Hle
in the fervor of the Washingtonan' reform but
he never cared for wine or liquors of any sort.
and never used tobacco.
During the first year of the Administration the
house was made lively by the games and pianks
of Mr. Lincoln's two younger children, william
and Thomas: Robert, the eldest. was away at
Harvard. only coming home for short vacations.
The two little boys. aged eight and ten with their
Western independence and enterprise, kept the
house In an uproar. They drove their tutor WIZ
with their ood-natured disobedience: they or
canized a minstrel show in the attic: they maze
acquaintance with the office-seekers and became
the hot champions of the distressed. william
was. with all his boyish frolic child of great
promise, capable Of close application and study.
lie had fancy for drawing up railway time
tables and would conduct an imaginary train tom
Chicago 70 New-York with perfect precision lie
wrote childish verses, which sometimes a,tllne.i
the unmerited honOrs Of print. But this bright,
rentle studious child sickened and died In tebru-
arv. 1862 His father was profoundly moved by
his death. though he gave no outward sign OF lis
trouble but kept about his work the same as
ever His bereaved heart seemed afterward TO
pour out its fulness on his youngest
child. Tad" was merry warm1-bloodedi
full of odd fancies and Inventions the chartered
libertiner Of the Executive Mansion. lie ran
continually in and ont OF his fathers cabinet IN
terrupting his gravest labors and conversations
with his bright. rapid and very imperfect speech-
for he had an impcdiment which made his articu-
Iation almost unintelligible until he was nearly
grown. He would perch upon his father knee
and sometimes even on his shoulder. While the
most weighty conferences were going on. Some
times escaping from the domestic authorities. ne
would take refuge in that sanctuary for the whos
evening, dropping TO sleep at last on the floor.
when the President would pick him up ana carry
him tenderly 70 bed
Mr. Lincoln's life was almost devoid Of recres.
ton He sometimes went 10 the theatre, anu
was particularly fond Of n play or Shakespeare
we'll acted He so delighted with liackett In
" Falstaff' that he wrote him letter OF warm
which pleased the veteran actor
so much that he gave it 10 The New-York Her
aid, which printed it with abusive comments.
Wackett was greatly mortified and made suitabe
again in the kindliest manner. saying:
Give yourself no uneasiness on the subject.
. I certainly did not expect 10 see my note In
nrint Vet I have not been much shocked by the
comments upon it, They are fair specimen of
what has occurred TO me through life. | have
endured great deal of ridicrle. without much
malice: and have received a great deal Of kind
ness, not quite free from ridicule. am used to
it
This incident had the usual sequel the veteran
comedian asked for an Office which the President
was not able TO give him. and the pleasant ac-
ouantance ceosed. \ hundred times this en-
nerience was repeated man whose disposition
and talk were agreeable would be introduced 10
the President: he took pleasure in his converse,
ton for two THREE interviews: and then ms
congenial person would ask some favor impossible
IN Grant and 90 away in bitterness OF spirit. IL
is n cross that every President must bear,
1.-THE ROCK OF CHICKAHAUGA-
From The Indianapolis Journal.
General George H. Thomas is about as well Known