The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-07-21
.LINCOLN'S PLUG HAT.
4 VERiTAeCE Joint OF STovEPlPeD
WITH ROMANTIC BRlM.

Was the Postofhcc Of New salem--Iti
Liveliest Experience Was When II Served
rs Football For Ladies'.
There are enough Of funny incidents
reported of Mr.. Liucoln's hat to maks
It tabled in song and illumined in
story" For example, it served as q
football on the night Of his election tc
the presidency, when the ladies at the
old homestead testified their glee over
bis good fortune. The scene would have
done credit To the great game between
Yale and Princeton ON Manhattan field.
This Is the story as told by an eyewit-
ness:
| "A few Of Us ladies went over and
helped Mrs. Lincoln prepare little sup
per for the friends of Mr.. Lincoln, who
had been invited in to hear the returns.
Every half hour or so we would pass
around coffee and cakes. About O'Clock
IN the morning enough had been learned
to warrant the belief that the rail split
ter had been elected. 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 Rugged him, and
might as well admit i'll kissed him,
Then some one went into the hall
and took from the rack the old silk hat
that he wore, and which was AS long as
joint of stovepipe and about as shape
ly TO my mind, and it was thrown up to
the ceiling. As it came down some one
gave 1t kick, and then the women
Joined in the fun, and We played foot
ball with that ha. until it was an indis-
tnguishable mass. We were simply be-
yond control. What a ridiculous scene
it would have been to one looking In
without knowing what prompted III
1t was all the more so, SO far as |
was concerned, for originally had been
Seward woman. While the conven-
ton was in session in Chicago we were
waiting to hear the news. 1t had been
arranged in case Lincoln received the
nomination to fire cannon. Mynear-
est neighbor was Mrs. Dubois, with
whom l had several friendly spats dur
ing the campaign preceding the nomi-
nation. heard the cannon shot, and
the next moment l saw Mrs. Dubois
running across the street. She had been
making shirt for her husband. who
was about the size of the late Judge Da-
Sid Davis, So you may have some idea
OF the size of the garment she was wav-
ing. She rushed into the house and
Haunted it In my face. 1t made me
mad, and sat down and began CRYING.
The good woman put her arms around
me. begged my pardon and kissed me,
and from taat time We were Lincoln
women. She took part in the football
match.
As If not content with his feet 4 or
. inches Of gaunt stature, Lincoln had
his now historic hat made fully foot
high. W IN a brim almost as big as a
southern soInbiero. 1t seemed to have
been combination Of all styles then in
existence, and Ia this respect it reflected
his own early experience in having beer
a storekeeper, soldier, surveyor and
hnally solicitor. 1t was veritable
joint Of stovepipe. and its remarka.
BILE and romantic brlm made It alike
serviceable in rain or shine. Il might
have been called with proprlety a 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 doomed into
space. The smallness Of the latter's |
stature caused him 10 be nicknamed
The Little Giant" and when Lincoln |
stood beside aim with his hat on the |
difference between the two seemed all |
but immeasnrable Cautiously enough, |
when Mr.. Lincoln came to be inaugu. |
rated at Washington and took off 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 Lincoln's old home, knew the hat
we'll, and in speaking Of it recently said:
MIR. LincOln's high hat was the most
indispensable thing Of his whole outfit.
In 1t he carried all his valuable papers.
In fact, 1t was a sort Of file rack. Here
Were all the briefs of his various law
cases. Curiously enough, he carried the
accounts in his head, and that is why
ne lost 20 much money. Had he re-
Versed the process aud kept his accounts
n his hat and the cases in his head. he
would have been better off. His hat
served for his satchel on journey, and
Ill that was needed besides this were
lis saddlebags and his horse. II was
arge and capacious, and great many
documents and data could be crowded
nto 1t without seriously discommoding
he wearer."
But Mr. Lincoln had still a better use
or his valuable tile, which seems to
ave had more virtues than those re-
earsed in the nursery tale Of Jack and
be Beanstalk." When be was post.
master at New Salem, his hat became a
most important part of his Office equip
lent. AS soon as the mail was received
ach day'Ahe young postmaster would
ut the letters in his hat and take a
toll through the village. The villa Z
ers knew that be was a peripatetic I
ostoffice, and Of course everybody was ,
nxious to know the contents Of the hat,
Inch seemed to promise as much to 9
lem as hat in the hands Of a sleight s
hand performer -Washington Cor.
!. Louis Republic.
- | o
Sweet Childhood.