Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-01-24

From the History of Lincoln" by
Nicolay and Hay. now drawing to a close
in The Century, We quote the following:
mo one, not even the comedian on the
stage could ever remember the last words
of the piece that were uttered that night
the last Abraham Lincoln heard upon
earth. The whole performance remains in
the memory of those who heard it a vague
phantasmagOria, the actors the thinnest of
specters. The awful tragedy in the box
makes everything else seem pale and un-
real. Here were five human beings in
narrow spaCe-the greatest man of his
time, in the glory of the most stupendous
success III our history. the idolized chief
of a nation already mighty, with IL
limitabe vistas of grandeur to come; his
beloved wife, proud and happy; pair of
betrothed lovers, with all the promise of
felicity that youth, social position and
wealth could give them; and this young
actor, handsome as Endymion upon Lat
mos, the pet of the little world. The gilt
ter of fame, happiness, and ease was upon
the entire group, but in an instant every
thing was to be changed with the blind
ing swiftness of enchantment Quick
death was to come on the central figure of
that cOmpany-the central figure. we be-
lieve. of the great and good men of the
century. Over all the rest the blackest
fates hovered menacingly-fates from
which mother might pray that kindly
death would save her children in their in
fancy. One was to wander with the stain
of murder on his soul. with the curses OF a
world upon his name, with a price set up
on his head, in frightfuI physical pain.
till he died dogs death in a burning
barn; the stricken wife was to pass the
rest of her days in melancholy and mad
ness; of those two young lovers, one was
to slay the other, and then end his life a
ravIng maniac.
The murderer seemed to himself to be
taking pant in a play. The fumes of
brandy and partisan hate had for weeks
kept n brain In a morbid state He felt
as if he were playing Brutus off the boards;
he posed. expecting applause. Holding a
pistol IN one hand and a knife in the
| other, he opened the box door. put the
pistol to the President 5 head. and fired
dropping the weapon, be took the knife in
his right hand, and when Major Rathbone
sprang to seize him he struck savagely at
him. Major Rathbone received the blow
on his left arm. suffering a wide and deep
wound. Booth, rushing forward. then
| placed his left hand on the railing Of the
box and vauIted lightly over to the stage.
1t was deep leap. but nothing to such a
trained athlete. He was in the habit Of
/ introducing what actors call sensational
| leaps In his plays In Macbeth, where
| he met the weird sisters. be leaped from a
rock twelve feet high. He would have got
safely away but for his spur catching in
| the folds Of the Union flag with which the
| front Of the box was draped. He fell on
| to the stage, the torn flag trailing on his
/ spur, but instantly rose as If ne had re-
| ceived no hurt, though IN fact the fall had
/ broken his leg, turned to the audience,
/ brandishing his dripping knife and shout
| ing the State motto of Virginia, Sic Sem
per Tyrannis, and fed rapidly across the
| stage and cut Of sight Major Rathbone
had shouted, Stop him. The cry went
/ out, He has shot ths President From
| the audience. at first stupid with surprise
and afterwards wild with excitement and
horror, two OF three men jumped upon the