The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-17
FROM THE MAGAZINES
LINCOLN AND THE GOATS.
They Occupied Considerable Place I'm ma.
Affections.

bhes occupied Considerable Place I'm Bi.
Affections.
On the occasion of visit TO New York
either returning from the north or going.
being accompanied by Tad, Mrs. Lincoln
announced her arrival thus:
NEW YoRx CRY, April 2s, 1854.
Hon. A. Lincoln, President United States:
We reached here in safety Hone Won are
well. Please send me by mail today a check
Tor $50 directed TO me, care Mr. Warren lie.
land, Metropolitan hotel, N. Y. Tad saws are
'he goats Wellf MRS. LINCOLN.
The president sent the following unique
reply;
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, April % 1874.
Mrs. A. Lincoln, metropolitan Hotel, New
York:
The draft will go to you. Tell Tad the goats
and father are very we'll, especially the goats
A. LINCOLN.
There are scores of persons still living
In Washington who remember distinctly
this pair of white House goats" Lin
coin, as we'll as Tad. was very fond of
them. On warm, bright days the father
and son would play with these pets in the
yard for an hour at "a time To Mrs. Keck-
ley the president one day said: "Come here
and look at my two goats. See how they
sniff the clear air and skip and play in the
sunshine! Whew, what jump!" as one
of them made a lofty spring. "He feeds
on my bounty and jumps for joy" con-
tinued the president. "Do you think we
could call him bounty jumper? NY goat
is far above him; the man who enlists in
to the service for a consideration and de-
cartc tl,e, L.. 1.
but TO repeat the play is bad enough See.
my pets recognize me, " as the two goats
advanced and gazed mp into the window,
shaking their heads. "There they go again.
What jolly fun" And he laughed outright
as the goats went skipping across the green.
The goats certainly appear TO have occu.
pied n considerable place in Mr. Lincoln +
affections, for in the following telegram,
later the same year, he mentions them
again:
WAR DEPARTMENT. }
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 1854 !
Mrs. A. Lincoln, Manchester, VT:
All well, including Tad's pony and the goats
Mrs. Colonel Dimmck dic1 night before last
Bob left Sunday afternoon. Said he did not
know whether he should see you.
A. LIycoLS.
While the central figure in the White
House was occasionally indulging in such
innocent diversions he was deeply On
crossed with the vast preparations for the
spring campaign then going forward. The
armies of Grant, Sherman and the other:
began their concerted forward movement
on the 4th of May, 1864, about week aft
er the interchange of the goat" tCle
grams quoted above. The enemies OF the
Union, by sneers at Lincoln's so called
"buffoonery, underworld to convince The
north That he not only lacked dignity, sta
bility of character and capacity, but had
no proper appreciation of the trials of the
nation nor the hardships OF the soldiers
Doubtless many good people were con
vinrcd that Lincoln was deficient in feel
ing, but it is quite certain that there nevel
was a day when he did not have the affec
tions of the soldiers.
Mr. Stoddard relates that on one of Lin
coins visits to the theatcr, after the audi
ence had risen and choered him, n harsl
! voice near the center aisle croaked out
"He hash { any business herel That's al
he cares for his poor soldiers! Instantly
| yells of "Put him out!' resoundcd from
| all quarters. The ruflian, quickly identi
| fed, was not a soldier at all, and he wa
incontinently hustled through the door in
! to the street by party of real soldier
amid clang of patriotic music opportune
| ly struck up by the orchestra. Lincoln APP
| pearcd not to notice the incident.
"Lincoln's Home Life In Washington" b,
Leslie J. Perry, in Harper's Magazine Fo
( February