The National tribune., 1893-04-06
TIE TOMB OF LINCOLN,
The Home and Relics and CuOsies 1t COnans-The Grave of
Wilkes Booth
The Grave Of
Wilkes Booth
BY ANNA SWAN REYNOLDS.

| for which the donors were each assessed two
sous apiece.
Captain Oldroyd bought this at Boston,
where, hearing it was TO offered for sale at an
auction wrote to friend to buy 1t In for him
| at any price.
There is also very valuable pamphlet q
French publication, Scenes and Acts in the
Life of Lincoln"
1 found it difficult TO put down this fascinat-
| ing book, which Capt. Oldroyd had kindly put
into my hands, SO full was 1t Of pictures unlike
| any had ever seen i'm other Lincoln books.
The book is in French and the title. page reads
as follows: Abraham Lincoln. LIE Nuisance
La Vii. La Mort. Ayec IN Reject de la Guerre
D'Amerique. Paris. 1865"
There is magnificent collection of photo
graphs, with autographs attached, of 400 Gem
erals of the late war who have visited this spot,
probably the only collection of this kind in the
country. Also collection of MS. personally
solicited, of "reminiscences Of Lincoln by Lin
coins friends.
There are many pictures wood cuts) of the
scenes in which Wilkes Booth played his part,
beginning with picture of his catching his
foot in the drapery of the box at the theater
from which he fired the shot at the President
and which threw him upon the stage. The
next picture shows him standing facing the
audience and waving bis dirk in triumph.
These pictures are carried out, forming an
CDleeL-lesS00 10 those VINO view them.
There is one of Booth where he is at last cap
tured in the barn, and, refusing to come out.
stands on the defensive-a haggard, desperate
face and figure.
Near by is photograph of Boston Corbett
the soldier who shot Booth at the capture.
As l looked around upon the pictures and
relics of Lincoln, completely imbued with q
sense of his greatness and the veneration that
had been shown him by our own and European
rig oil tout ftopf oh
me picture of Booths grave saying as he did
30 that SO many people had asked him, and so
few knew, where Booth lay buried, that he
had taken pains TO find ont what he could. and
when at the Grand Army Reunion at Boston,
had been directed, by gentleman who knew
about it, to a quiet graveyard in Baltimore,
and upon going there he had had this picture
taken. which shows family burial lot with
number of graves clustered around simple
marble shaft on the base of which is the word
Booth"
! looked at this picture eagerly and asked,
(which one is his grave?"
He tells me, Beneath that ivy there cluster
ing around the shaft. completely hidden by it,
is the place his body rests"
And ! think, as / gaze upon the scene de-
picted, thus kindly does our common mother
Nature receive her children and throws over
the most erring even the covering of ivy as the
cloak of charity that covers multitude of sins.
The body was transferred from the grave at
the Jail IN Washington and placed in this re-
tired spot.
In connection with this subject, am re.
minded of an incident soms years ago. as
stood with friend at the foot Of the beautiful
monument Of the Battle Of Gettysburg in the
Nations Cemetery, in the early morning hours
looking out over that peaceful landscape, gaz-
ing at the light upon the low-lying hills in the
distance aud down upon the quiet village, and
then near by upon the haf-circles of soldiers
graves clustered together side by side, out
where the sunlight rested softly, marked by
the stones, some with the name in full. some
Unknown the stone doth tell
or these. and moro who fell"
As we stood there, an old man, before unheed.
ed, came toward US with uncovered head.
He asked Us If We, like himself. were
strangers there2
Upon our replying In the negative, he en-.
tered into conversation with US regarding our
surroundings.
1--WE been on many a battlefield" he said,
land now that have again seen this spot of
calm and quiet beauty, where once / saw such
havoc as ] mingled in the fray. just over there,
/ think" and he pointed to the old breast
works just beyond tho gates II have one
other pilgrimage to make and then will rest, /"
and he fell into silence.
After little we asked him what field he
still wished TO seer
"Eay, no battlefield, but to stand with
reverent feet at the tomb of Lincoln"
We left him there, a solitary figure In the
morning sunshine, no doubt looking back over
the years Of carnage and bloodshed mp to the
quiet hills where long since the bivouac lights
had ceased to burn. Since that morning it has
been my fortune to live where / have, day
after day. in Summer heat and Winter cold,
watched throngs of people pass from the tomb
of Lincoln to the State Capitol and 1 have
oftimes wondered if that old soldier were among
| the tbrong.