The evening times., 1896-11-03

tAlice IL. Shipman III New gork sun
III all the yuluminons literature OF whic'
| Mr.. Lincoln has been tne subject, "Ei ho'
| aware that his SURPRISING git or Irieiosili !
| has received direct cULsideratlon. "oco
| that nay untutured pen could supply thS
acslaeTdtum, but tie task is beyond my
powers. | propose here 10 give Uhi! ie"
| "reminiscences Of Mr.. Line cin, gathered lioin
nv father, Col. W. ii. Bavluson, and my
! mother ana my WhiiUm guardian, Joshua
| Speed which, If simple and humely, may
| InuIstIate none the icss tperndIs All Tue
nlureJ the rOutcd loyalty oil ms Character.
| Nj. Lincoln, Judge Douglas Gen. Shields
Gen. Baker gen. EaTuln, Judge Giiiespe
my uncle Chief Justice wilson, nay idthef,
| and utLers prominent III the early history oil
Illinois were not only associated in public
| lie, but being drawn together by common
buniiummIe Iuru.cG sucIdiIydn II tWate SIodI
Of kindred spirits. 1t is fact worthy of
note, | may say here ill p3SsinG, that hlF
Line, In III hIs early manhood, WITHOUT the
advantages Of birth, education or social
position, became tie center OI a SdiaAS oi
men who shed iustcr on liS ySGth, as IN
after years he reflected 1t lack with aug
nentcd splcudUr. his ci.a racter was Toush
diamond Of the first wate=, that evidently
Gid not require cutting, much less cieaFins
or polishing, to reveal ITS quality. Mi LIN
cninanG Judge Douglas wcrefrequeni guests
under III fathers roof for weeks at time,
before my birth and after.
Indeed, Mr.. Lincolr's stay, ever welcome,
not seldom extended to months. recall
from misty memory his towering stature
and long arms as he dandled my infant
forn tossing me dangerously near the CELL
ing. and amusing my fancy with what have
bee nasSured was the awkwardest play,
though informed by the gentlest spirit. My
parents used to relate now on certain
occasion, before | could speak distinctly,
Mr.. Lincoln held me On his knee, seemingly
Interested in my prattle, in the midst OF Il
bevy OF merry girls, my mothers guests,
who for their part We're asking me all
sorts of questions Just to hear the queer
answers, which IN grateful appreciation Of
my giant fondleT, | suppose, all ended
with 'Linco. la, Ia"
SHE WAS HIS LITTLE GIRL.
allie who gave You your pretty little
parasOl?'' Dunno, LinCu! la. Ia who
gave YOU that nice new dress Dunno,
Liuco! la. la" And 50 on, till ct last one
more misChicvuuS than the rest said:
Allie, whose little girl are yUu:" OF
course, out came the anticipated answer
and equally OF course. a ToGuish peal Of
laughter from the girls, at which Mr..
Lincoln, 50 excessively shy was he then
in the presence OF ladies, hluShed 70 the
ears, and seemed covered with confusion,
not knowing What to say or do, and inCon-
tIncntIy dropping me t. the floor, greatly
to the diversion uf MS turmentors.
As showing Mr.. Lincoln's unselfish and
ingenious nature, in small things equally
with great, my mother was wont 10 re-
late an incident If his married life. one
winter evening, at the old Globe Tavern in
Springfield. where my father and mother
as well a> Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln We're board
ing, a party was made Up on the spur OF
the moment Ia attend the th-Htcr, at which
the elder jefferson, father of the present
Joe jefferson, was then playing. Later, at
supper, however, Mrs. Lincoln, without
saving why. suddenly announced that she
declined to 90.
Mr.. Lincoln was evidently disappointed
and not little chagrincd, but said moth
ing and aC, Cd aS IL hts chief concern was to
deprivation. y the appointed time the
party. minus these wo. went to the thcater
and were witnessing the curtain rise on
the second act when, To their pleasant sur
prise. the defaulting couple appeared and
joined the rest Of the company, Mr.. Lin
culn heaming with delight and looking as
If he had conquered the world, though not, ,
1t must he owned, as il he were signing
for new worlds to conquer.
Joshua F. Speed was the most intimate
friend Mr. Lincoln ever had. and perhaps
the oldest, their friendship beginning with
the low dawn Of Afr. Lincoln's career, and
endIn. only with his death. The two friends
met ior the last time about fortnight be-
fore Mr. Lin'oIn's Ssassination, James
Speed, then in the Cabinet having informed
hlS brother that Mr.. Lincoln desired to see
him a gain before he left Washington Atthe
close pI IN t-1ll Tins tod Mr. I in
coin havin. in the course of IT undergone
an affecting appeal to his mercy by ytw poor
women on behalf of the son of one and the
husband OF tine other. and dismissed them
with their prayer granted. drew his chair
10 the fire" said Mr.. Speed in his ''Rcminis-
Cenccs. 'priutedTOFprivatc circulation, ,''and
said. Speed. | am a little alarmed about
mysclf-iust feel III hand II was cold and
Clanmy. epullcdOffhis boots and putting
his feet to the fire the heat made them
steam | said overwork was producing
nervousness. No. said he. L am net tired
said such scene as have Just witnessed
is enough To make you nervous. How
much you are mistaken said he; i have
made two people happy today. have given
Il mother her son and wife her husband "
The friends then resumed their talk and
finished 1t. little thinking that their heart
felt farcwells would not be repeated on
earth.
a few months before this final meeting
Mr.. Speed, at Mr. Lincoin's desire, spent the
NIGHT with hIs old friend at the Soldiers
Home. on arriving at the home, 'twixtthe
gloaming and the mirk,' he surprised Mr.
Lincoln. somewhat to his o wn astonishnert
reading the Bible. Approaching him."
says Mr. Speed, Il said, L am glad to see YOU
SO profitabiy engaged Yes said he L am
profitabIy engaged Well said |, if Won
have recovered from Your skepticism am
sorry to say that l have not Looking me
earnestly in the face and placing his hand
on my shoulder, lie said: You are wrong,
Speed: take all OF this book upon reason that
You can. and the balance on faith. and you
wiiilive and tie a happier and betterman.'"
he tie significance OF tIis what il may in
other respects, the incident attests the long
and peculiar intimacy of the men.
OFFER OF a CABINET PLACE.
Mr.. Lincoln's fidelity as a friend was
pleasantly illustrated in the case of NV
father As above mentioned. they had been
III Illinois closely associated, politically and
socially In later years, my father with
drew from politics and removed to Iouis-
vile, Ky, b&oining a banker, after which
they had no Intercourse save by occasional
messages through their common friend.
Joshua F. Speed, who by that time had
himself left Illinois and returned TO his
native State. My father lad been an old
iihe wing, but IN 1860, that party being no
longer in the field, he supported Senator
Douglas for the Presidency, whom he took
Il prominent part in receiving and entertain
ing At Louisville during the canvass
After Mir. Lincoln was elected he wrote
tn my father offering him a place in the
Cabinet. naming in particular the Secre-
taryShp of the Treasury. Deeply touched
by ihis mark OF trust and esteem, my
father fittingiy expressed his acknow wledg-
nnrut- l.,t
strained to decline the profrered honor.