Oakes weekly Republican., 1894-05-25
THAT HAT OF LINcoLN's.
History Doesn't Say Where He Got 1t, but
1t Was Made to Order.

There are enough of funny incidents
reported of Nr. Lincoln's hat to make it
"fablcd i'll song and illmincd in story"
For example. it served us Il football on
the night of his election to the prcsi-
dency, when the ladies at the old home
stead testified their glec over his good
fortune. The scene would have done
credit to the great game that was played
last Thanksgiving between Yale and
Princeton on Manhattan Field. This
is the story as told by an eyewitness:
"a few of lis ladies went over and
helped Mrs. Lincoln prepare Il little
supper for the friends of Mr.. Lincoln,
who had been invited liz to hear the re-
turns. Every half hour or so we would
pass around coffee and cakes. About l
o clock i'll the morning enough had
been learned l" warrant the belief that
the Rail Splitter had been elected. 1
think it was when we heard the news
from New York. The men rushed on
Mr.. Lincoln and shook his hands, while
some of the women actually hugged
him, and, | might rs we'll admit it, l
kissed him.
"Then some one went into the hall
and took from the rack the old silk lat
that he wore. and which was rs long as
a Joint of stovepipe. and about as shape
ly to my mind. and il was thrown up to
the ceiling. As il came down some one
gave it Il kick and then the women
joined in the fun. and we played foot
ball with that hat until it was an indis-
tinguishablc mass. We wore simply
beyond control. What IL ridiculous
scene ii would have been to one looking
i'll without knowing what prompted ii!
SIT was all the more so, so far us
was concerned. for originally | had
been Il Seward woman. While the con.
vemtion w;ls in session in Chicago we
We're waiting to hear the news 1t had
been arranged, in case Lincoln received
the nomination, to fire Il cannon. My
nearest neighbor WAS Il Mrs. Dubois
with whom | had several friendly spats
during the campaign preceding the
nomination. | heard the cannon shot,
bois running across the street. She
had been making IL shirt for her hus-
band, who was about the size OF the
late Judge David Davis. so You may
have some idea of the size of the gar
mcnt she was waving. She rushed into
the house and Haunted ii in my face. 1t
made me mad, and sat down and be-
gan crying. The good woman put her
arms around me. begged my pardon,
and kissed me, and from that time we
We're Lincoln women. She took part in
the football match."
As if not content with his feet or
5 inches of gaunt stature. Lincoln had
his now historic hat made fully II foot
high. with brim almost as big as q
southern sombrero. 1t seemed to have
been Il combination of all styles then i'll
existence. and in this respect it reflected
his own early experience in having
been storckecper, soldier surveyor.
and finally Il solicitor. 1t was vcl'ta-
bic "joint of stovepipe, and its remark
able and romantic brim made it alike
servicrablc in rain or shine. 1t might
have been called with propriety plug
ugly" after the name of the mob in
Baltimore that threatened him in his
journey to the capital,
During Lincoln's great debate with
Douglas. the hat fairly loomcd into
space. The smalness of the latter's S
stature caused him to be niclnamed
"Ihe Little Giant" and when Lincoln
stood beside him with his lat on. Ile
difference between the two seemed all
when Mr.. Lincoln came to lie inaugu-
rated at Washington, and took of his
hat on the stand preparatory to making
his inaugural address, Douglas held the
high hat so that no careless person
might put his foot in it.
Representative Springer, who halls
from Lncoln's old home. knew the hat
well. and in speaking of it recently
said: "Mr. Lincoln's high hat was the
most Indispensable thing of his whole
outfit. In it he carried all his valuable
papers. In fact, it was II sort of file
rack. Here were all the briefs of his
various law eases. Curiously enough
he carried the accounts in his head and
that is why he lost so much money.
Had he reversed the process and kept
his accounts in his hat and the cases in
his head he would have been better off.
His hat served for his satchel on a jour
ncy, and all that was needed besides
this were his saddlebags and his horse.
1t was large and capacious, and a great
many documents and data could be
crowded into it without seriously dis
commoding the wearer."
But Mr.. Lincoln had still a better use
for his valuable tile, which seems to
have had more virtues than those re-
he;llsed in the nursery tale of Jack
and the Bean Stalk" When he was
postmaster at New Salem his hat be-
came most important part of his office
equipment. AS soon as the mail was
received each day the young postmaster
would put the letters in his hat and take
stroll through the village. The vii
layers knew that he was pcripatetic
post Office. and, of course, everybody
was anxious to know the contents of
the hat, which seemed to promise rs