The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-07-31
SOLDIERS BUDGET.
Assassination Of Lincoln.

Dark clouds enveloped the capital, and
the air was chilly with occasional
showers. Late in the afternoon filed
an appointment by calling on the presi-
| dent at the White House, and was told
| by him that he had had notion of
sending for me to go to the theater that
evening with him and Mrs. Lincoln;
but he added that Mrs. Lincoln had al
ready made up party to take the
place of General and Mrs. Grant, who
had somewhat Unexpectedly left the
city for Burlington, New Jersey. The
party was originally planned for the
purpose of taking General and Mrs.
Grant to see Our American Cousin"
at Ford's Theater, and when Grant
had decided to leave Washington, he
Che presidenD had "felt inclined to
give up the whole thing" but as it had
been announced in the morning papers
that this distinguished party would go
to the theater that night, Mrs. Lincoln
had rather insisted that they ought to
go, in order that the expectant public
should not be wholly disappointed.
On my way home ! met Schuyler
Colfax, who was about leaving for Cali
fornia, and who tarried with me on the
sidewalk little while, talking about
the trip, and the people whom I knew
in San Francisco and Sacramento
whom he wished to meet. Mr.. Lin
coin had often talked with me about the
possibilities of his eventually taking up
his residence in 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 the older
states; and when he heard that Colfax
was going to California, 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
in the country which he (Colfax) was
about to see for the first time.
The evening being inclement, l
stayed within doors to nurse violent
cold with which l was afflicted; and
my roommate McA- and 1 whiled
away the time chatting and playing
cards. About half past ten our atten-
Looping of cavalry Or the mounted pa
troll past the house which we occupied
on New York Avenue, near the state
department building. After a while
quiet was restored, and we retired to
our sleeping-room.
AS l turned down the gas, l said to
my roommate: "Will, have guessed
the cause of the clatter outside tonight.
You know Wade Hampton has disap-
peared with his cavalry somewhere in
the mountains of Virginia. Now, my
theory of the racket is that he has
raided Washington, and has pounced
down upon the president, and has at
tempted to carry him off," Of course
this was said loosely and without the
slightest thought that the president was
in any way in danger; and my friend,
in similar spirit, banteringly replied,
"What good will that do the rebs un-
less they carry off Andy johnson also?"
The next morning l was awakened in
the early dawn by loud and hurried
knocking on my chamber door, and the
voice of Mr.. Gardner, the landlord, cry
ing, awake, wake, Mr.. Brooksl have
dreadful news"
slipped out, turned the key of the
door, and Mr.. Gardner came in, pale,
trembling and woebegope, like him who
drew Priam's curtain at the dead of
night" and told his awful story. AT
that time it was believed that the presi-
dent, Mr.. Seward, Vice President John
son, and other members of the govern
ment, had been killed; and this was the
burden of the tale that was told to us.
l sank back into my bed, cold and
shivering with horror, and for time it
seemed as though the end of all things
had come. l was aroused by the loud
weeping of my comrade, who had not
left his bed in another part of the room.
When we had sufficiently collected
ourselves to dress and go out of doors
in the bleak and cherries April morn
ing, we found in the streets an extra
ordinary spectacle. They were sud-
denly crowded with people - men,
women and children thronging the
pavements and darkening the thor
oughfares. 1t seemed as if everybody
was in tears. Pale faces, streaming
eyes, with now and again an angry
frOwning countenance, were on every
side. Men and women who were
strangers accosted one another with
distressed looks and fearful inquiries
for the president and Mr. Stewards
family. The president still lived, but
at half-past seven o'clock in the morn
ing the tolling of the bells announced
to the lamenting people that he hat
ceased to breathe. His great and low
ing heart was still. The last officia
bulletin from the war department
stated that he died at twenty-five min
utes past seven o'clock on the morning
of April 10.
Instantly flags were raised at half
mast all over the city, the bells tollet
solemnly, and with incredible swiftnes
Washington went into deep, universe
mourning. All stores, government de
partments, and private offices wer,
closed, and everywhere, on the mos
pretentious residences and on the hum
blest novels, were the black badges o
grief. Nature seemed to sympathiz,
in the general lamentation, and tear
of rain fell from the moist and sombr,
sky. The wind sighed mournfull,
through streets crowded with sad-facel
people, and broad folds of funeres
!