Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-12-19
LINCOLN AND THE DRAMA
Leonard Growers Rscollrctiaus Of .0ld
Abe" ss a Theater-Goer.

I Ahr' as y IbeNter- Nrner.
Mr.. Lincoln was a great lover of the
/ drama, says Leonard Grover in the
Philadelphia Times. He watched the
movement on the stage with absorbing
interest remember upon one occa-
sion Secretary Stanton came TO my
4 theater, knowing that Mr. Lincoln was
/ IN private box. TWAS the only time
ever saw the secretary of war in a
/ place OF amusement / was the only
other occupant OF the box. Mr.. Stan
ton made an apology for iutruding up
ON the presidents pleasure, but said
/ that urgent matters of state made the
! interruption necessary. He sat beside
Mr.. Lincoln, and, taking hold OF him
! by the lapel OF the coat talked with
| him earnestly. The president bent his
listening ear, but gradually his head
turned away and again he faced the
/ iootlights, whereupon Mr.. Stanton
almost rudely pulled upon the lapel of
his coat and again commanded his at
tentIon. This happened three or four
times until the conversation was ended
and the secretary left the box One
night when Witnessing "a performance
by John E. McDouough of The Seven
Sisters, Mr.. Lincoln. who was appar-
emily enjoying the performance, turned
to me aud said: Mr. Grover. | will
make a confession to YOU. | dearly
love a good play bat after all min
Strel show is hard to beat
In connection with Mr. Lincoln's
visits to my theater | figured in
RAT hpr aypitiptr a,ig,Ja T,,.,,.lt,+,l..
after the emancipation proclamation
there was considerable in feeling in
Washington toward the president
among men of pro-slavery views. One
night during this time, while Mr. and
Mrs. Lincoln were seated in "A private
box, some persons, maliciously in
cllned, | believe, succeeded in getting
the coachman very drunk aud filling
his muddled brain with an idea that a
man who had a kindly feeling for a
negro was not fit to govern white peo-
| pie. The result was that after the
| president and his wife had taken seats
in their carriage, unaware of the
coachman's condition, the latter at
tempted TO mount the box, but was
unable to do SO. During his attempt
to put one foot upon the hub of the
| forward wheel he was loudly mutter-
Ing against all "nigger lovers. His
words aud his actions drew crowd,
and in q few moments not less than
500 people were gathered about the
carriage Those were times in which
men became easily excited and a
movement then from malconteuts
might have led TO a terrible scene.
the cOachman, while making another
effort to climb, fell to the ground. As
he was attempting to rise | hurried
arm threw him upon his back. | then
mounted the box and without word,
but followed by the cheers of the
crowd, / drove the presidential car
riage to the white house. | can not
describe the warmth Of the thanks
which Mr.. and Mrs. Lincoln showered
upon me after we had reached there
All this brings to mind a most re-
markable coincidence. In the summer
of 1866 more than a year after Lin
coins assassination, | was living on
| Twenty-hrst street, in his city. IN a
private Office had a large desk, in the
] uidNtIo VI WHICH L lHlGM IN POI idNb
communication aud matter that |
thought might have some reminiscent
tial value. These drawers finally be-
came engorged with their contents,
and one Sunday morning determined
upon clearing out with view of
preserving what was of value and COM
hitting the rest to the wastepaper
basket Bear in mind that the papers
had become jumbled together without
regard to the order OF their dates.
While 1 was looking over them |
picked up letter, from beneath the
leaves of which a small piece of piper
stuck out, pulled this from its MD
ing place, and upon it was written
these words:
Tad and will occupy the box tonight,
A. LINCOLN
l looked upon it fondly and then
idly opened the letter whose leaves
had hidden it, My eyes bulged and
my nerves tingled as | discovered that
the mssive was dated from Cleveland,
O.. and was an application from an
actor asking for a position in my COM
pany. IL was signed with the name Of