The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-22
DEATH OF LINCOLN.
NOAH HRGoi<s' RGcoLLECTloNs OF
THE GREAT TRAGEDY.


weeping Sky That April Morning.
lhe afternoon and evening of April
H. 1865, were cold, raw and gusty
Dark clouds cnvelopcd tho capital, and
the air was chilly, with occasional show
ers, Late i'll tho afternoon filled an ap-
polntment by calling on the president at
tho White House, and was told by him
that he had had u notion" of sending
Tor me to go to tho thcatcr that evening
With him and Mrs. Lincoln, but he add
Ell that Mrs. Lincoln had already mado
up party to elkc tho place of General
and Mrs. Grant, who had somewhat I'M
ezpectedly left the city for Burlington,
n. j. The party was originally planned
for tho purpose of taking General and
Mrs. Grant to sec "Our American Cous-
in at Ford's theater, aud when Grant
had decided to leave Washington he (tho
prcsidcnt) had "felt inclined to give ND
the whole thing" but as it had been
announced i'll tho morning papers that
this distinguished party would go to tho
theatcr that night Mrs Lincoln had
rather insisted that they ought to go in
order that tho cXpcctant public should
lloU DC wholly disappointed.
On my way home I met Schuyler Col
fax, who was about leaving for Cali
fornia, and who tarricd with me OH the
sidewalk Il little while talking about
tho trip and tho people whom | knew
i'll san Francisco and Sacramento that
he wished to meet. Mr.. Lincoln had
often talked with me about the POSSIBLE
tiles of his eventually taking up his res
1dencc i'll California after his term of
Office should be over. He thought, he
said, that that country would afford
better opportunities for his two boys
than any OF tho older states, and when
he heard that Colfax was going to Cali
fornla he was greatly interested in his
trip and said that he hoped that Colfax
would bring him back good report of
what his keen and practiced observation
would note i'll the country which he
(Colfax) was about to see for the first
time.
Tho evening being inclemcnt, [ staid
within doors to nurse Il violent cold with
which was afflicted, and my roommate,
McA., and l whiled away tho time
chatting and playing cards About half
past 10 our attention was attracted to
the frequent galloping of cavalry OF tho
mounted patrol past the house which
we occupied on New York avenue, near
the state department. building. After
awhile quiet WAS restored, and VIC re-
tired to our sleeping room i'll the rear
part Of the house.
rs turned down tho gas said tony
roommate: will, have guessed the
cause Of the chatter outside tonight. You
know Wade Hampton has disappeared
with his cavalry somewhere in tho
mountains of Virginia. Now, my theory
OF the racket Is that he has raitled Wash
inSton and has pOunccd down upon tie
president and has attempted to cary
him off. " OF course this was said 10
cosely ana without the slightest thought
that the president was in any way in
danger, and my friend, in similar
spirit, hantcringly replied, "What good
VIII that do the rcbs unless they carry
off Andy Johnson also?" The next
morning was awakened in the carly
dawn by q loud and hurried knocking
on my chamber door, and the voice Of
Mir. Gardner, tho landlord, crying:
Wake, wake, Mr.. Brooks have dread
ful news.
slipped out, turned the key of the
door, and Mr.. Gardner came in, pale.
trembling and woe bcsone, like him
who "drcw Priam's curtain at the dead
OF night, and told his awful story. At
that time it was believed that the prcsi-
dent, Mr. Seward Vice President John
son and other members of the govern
ment had been killed, and this was tho
burden of the tale that was told to MS.
sank back into my bed, cold and shiy-
erinS with horror, and for a time it
seemed as though the end Of all things
had come was aroused by the loud
weeping of my comradc, who had not
left his bed i'll another part of the room.
When we had sufficiently collected
ourselves to dress and go out of doors in
the bleak and cherries April morning,
we found III the streets an extraordinary
spectacle, They were suddenly crowded
with people-mcn, women and children
thronging the pavements and darkening
the thorOughfares ltsecmed rs if every
body WIS in tears. Pale faces, streaming
eyes. with now and again an angry.
frowning countenance, were on every
side. Men and women who were stran-
gers accostcd one another with distressed
looks and fearful inquiries for the wei
fare Of the president and Mr. Stewards
family Tho president still lived, but at
half past O'Clock i'll the morning the
tolling OF the bells announced to the Ia
mentine people that he had ceased to
breathe His great and loving heart was
still The last official bulletin from the
war department stated that he died ut
90 minutes past o'clock Oh the morn