The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-08-15

LINCOLN AT THE TINE or THE DOUGLAS DE-
BATE.
that amt me. There's another man
and the votes We're no doubt cast for
him. -
"It was just before dinner relates
one of those present, land as he passed
through the hall of the tavern he took
down from the wall the gong used to
announce meals and had it under the
center table i'll the parlor. The thing
made deatcning noise when struck
and had so often disturbed our morning
slumbers that Lincoln had threatened
more than once TO do away with it,
Meanwhile the instrument had been
missed, and the landlord and all hands
commenced Il thorough search for it over
the house, and even into the stable. but
without success. At last Lincoln began
to look SO guilty and foolish that at his
request we STOLE into the parlor and
while | held the door he slipped the
gong from under the table hung it
again i'll its accustomed place on tho
wall, and then the man who had less
than an hour before received the notice
OF his vote for vice president at the
Philadelphia convention, ran up stairs
to his room, three steps ut a jump. "
Lincoln was fond of music. although
unable 70 produce any himself He often
OF evenings ut the tavern OF when riding
through the country would require Ward
II. Lamon to sing some Of the songs for
which the latter was justly famous,
"One little sad song" relates Lamon,
"a simple ballad entitled Twenty Years
Ago, was, above all others, his favorite
He had no especial fondness for operate
music. He loved simple ballads and
ditties, such as the common people sing,
whether of the comic or pathetic kind,
but no one in the list touched his great
heart as did the song of Twenty Years
Ago Many a time in the Old days Of
our familiar friendship on the Illinois
circuit and after at the White House.
when he and | We're alone, have ] seen
him i'll tears while was rendering in
my poor way that holnely melody. The
following verses seemed to affect Mr.
Lincoln more deeply than any other
"I've wandered to the village Tom; I've sat
beneath the tree
Upon the schoolhouso play ground that shelter
But none were left to greet me, Tom, and few
were left to know
Who played with US upon the green some TWEEN,
ty years ago.
Near by the spring upon the elm, you know,
l cut your name.
Your sweethearts Just beneath it, Tom and
you did mine the same
Some hcartlcss wretch has peeled the bark
twas dying sure, but slow,
Just a9 ghp died whose nan,c Won ,u+ son,.
twenty years ago.
"My lids have long been dry, Tom. but tears
thought Of her | loved so well, those early
broken ties.
visited the old churchyard and took some
flowers to strew
Upon the graves OF those we loved some twenty
years ago.
This song undoubtedly awakened in
Mr.. Lincoln's mind the memory of Anne
Rutledge, and the peculiar charm and
sentiment in its lines carried him back
to the days of his first love Lamon
writes: 'This is the song Mr. Lincoln
called for and the one / sang to him in
the vicinity of Antietam battlefield, and
which the New York World distorted
into such a revolving and deplorable
scandal during the political campaign
OF 1864. He was at the time weary and
sad. AS knew it would the song only
deepened his sadness. then did what
l had done many times before-I recall
ed him from the fit of melancholy in
which he was prone to descend by
comic air. singing also snatch from
'Picayune Butler, which broke the spell
OF the little sad song and restored
somewhat his accustomed easy humor.
And this reminds me of one or two lit
tie rhythmic shots often fired at him
Ill his melancholy moods, and it was a