The sun., 1897-01-03
TAD LINCOLN,S RIDE.
An Enginecr's story OF y Meeting with
the President and His son.


the Pre-ident and HIS son.
had enlisted In 1861 at Rochester, n. ". and
was firing on u New York Central engine when
quit to be n soldier for Uncle sam. My en-
listment papcrs showing What my occupation
had been, | was soon detailed to run an engine
on little road reaching from Washington
down into Virginia. that was being operated by
the Government rs far down as the boys In blue
commanded the situation. Al this time made
n round trip each day leaving Washington at
10 A. NJ. and arriving in Washington on my re-
turn at y. NJ.
one morning. while sat In the cab OF my
engine reading newspaper to pass the hour or
more that wouli bring us TO our starting time.
] became conscious. without paying any partc-
ular attention to them. that a gentleman and q
youth were examining my engine. walking
slowly around n. At length my attention was
attracted by n question the boy put to tho man:
Papa. can't wo get up on It? Ask tho gen.
tlcman, p,ease"
Before he could comply with the boys request
] laid aside my paper and invited the two to step
up. When they did so noticed that the gentle
man was quite tall. Ho had TO remove his high
silk hat and then stand In q slightly STOPPING
position while in the cab l noticed from his an
swers to the questions with which the boy piled
him and his explanations of different parts OF
the machine that he knew something of tho
principle upon which locomotives are built.
"Oh. papa! do wish | could take a ride
on IT,"
Not now, my SON. Maybe some day we may
have a chance. then ! shall be glad TO let YOU
ride on one Of these great machines In which
you take such an interest"
| said: q" II you aud your son will have seat
over tn ere on the fremaa's box | will be glad to
give the young man n little ride. want to
h.rp JIa kal ma ha
and the boy seated themselves. set ;he lever.
opened the throttle slightly, aud We moved
slowly down the yard, and out to the Washing
ton end Of tho Long bridge across tho Potomac.
The gentleman explained to the boy all Of my
acts In controlling the machine and Its move
ments In manuer that showed lac knew the
locomotive very well.
ON papa! do wish could take long ride
on this engine out in the country. where II goes
fast. II must be grand to be carried away by
such bg strong hnr,c."
A the engine slowly backed ONCE moro into
the sheds the gentleman again thanked me. and
as ! caught tho wistfui look In the boys face
My run is only three hours ont aud three
back sig. leave here Mt 10 A. VI. and return at
to me- Win take him I'm for The trip Ri here here in nj 'front.' o1
! OF me on my seat he road Is safe. We do not
go H'o th9 enemy G%Im'y ,n Iong 'naS % yS ySn
| at this spot At I 30 this afternoon"
Para papa, do let me 60; 1t will he SO nice
and ! know this gentleman VIII SEQ that no
/ harm comes to me. 10 let me go. papa and
don't tell mamma un,il | get back. want, to
| The gentleman could not Withstand his sons
! pleadIhg. lie let Inn Rn.
Words fail to tell OF the delight OF that boy AS
| we sped over the hllls and valleys OF Virginia.
| From the questions he asked | soon discovered
! lie was n Western hoy from the pral rie land.
! As the engine putiei and grpaned mp n long
| grade on the return trip suddenly the boy. who
| sat between my knees, looked up into my face
| and -Rd:
~ have got the very best papa that ever lived.
| DO YOU know my papa"
| mo, my boy ! do not: but there was some
| thing so familiar Ia me IN his appearance that
| ever since YOU cimbrd into his cab have been
| trying to think whore have seen your father
| before. " hat In his name, any way"
| why, he ia Abraham Lincoln. replied my
| fellow traveller.
| For n moment | reeled on my seat in surprise,
| but soon IL flashed on me that the tall man W no
| had placed the child In my charge could be no
| other thsn the President whom had only seen
| us pictured IN the newspapers.
| You may be sure | made doubly careful run
| into Washington when found that Tad Iln-
coin, son OF the President. was the little guest
| had IN my cab.
| Another man. suppose q White House SER
want. met the train on It's arrival and took the
| boy away.
| Tho next and last time l saw Abraham Lin
| coin after he tntru-ted me with his hoy for
| u six hours ride in Virginia was when he lay IN
| state In Washington before tho sad funeral cor
tege star ted to the prarIes of Illinois to lay tho
martyred President to re-t at Springfield.
| JOHN HESRY MARTIN.