The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-02-12
ABRAHAM LINDN'ss1S't
LOVED CHILDREN, The SWEET
EST SIDE OFCHARACTER
was Shown Them-He Enjoyed Their Com |
Pany and Allowed Them the Greatest |
Liberty with Him-He Could Spend Hours
Frolicing with Them. -sye ..' |

Frolicing with Them. r-sg-. 49," b..
There never was President in the White
house who more thoroughly enjoyed children
than Abraham Lincoln. He delighted in their
mischief and their quantness; he loved 10
puzzle them with remarks they did not quite
understand and he never was happier thar
when he strobe down'the street with one OF his
own boys on his shoulder and another hang
Ing on, to his coat tail. It was fortunate for
Mr.~L1ncoln's peace. ct" mind that he could
laugh at the antics Of children, for two of his
own boys, Willie and Tad, are historic in
Springfield, ILL.,, Mr.. Lincoln's home before
his election, and In Washington, for thei,
FRANKS. Lincolns humorous characterize,
ton OF their performances are still told by
Did friends Of the family. The Rev M. Al:
cott or Elg1n, ILL.,, has story Of a scene ir
Springfield which he loves to tel.
"One Sunday morning Mr.. Lincoln was seen
coming away from church unusually early.
The sermon could not have been more thar
half through. Tad was sung across his .ef,
arm like pair of saddle bags, and Mr., Lin.
colin was striding along with long and del.b.
crate steps toward his home. On one CT the
street corners he encountered a group OF biz
Fellow toWnsmen, who knew him wei and
who seemed to show surprise at his early de.
parture from church, all alone except the boy
Mr. Lincoln anticipated the question and was
about to be put by the group, and, taking his
figure speech from practice with which they
were only too familiar, said: Gentlemen, ]
entered this colt, but he kicked around so
had to withdraw him."
Tad not only kicked around" in church,
but he was incorrigible wherever put. 1t was
he who one reception day at the White House
placed two chairs back to back beside the
stairs In the hall leading to the east room, and
stretched across them an ironing board which
ne had found in the kitchen. On this impro-
Vised table he Placed q pitcher of lemonade
and plate of cookies. which he had begged
from the cook Then, standing behind his
stand, he called to the passing VISITORS:
Lemonade here, cents a glass"
! Before discovered and hustled away Tao
had taken in several SIS bis, from callers
who appreciated the humor Of the situation.
: Tad was particularly fond Of animals, and al
times during the Lincoln administration the
White House contained whole menagerie
(which Mr.. Lincoln never allowed to be in
.terfered with. Moncure Conway describes an
episode in connection with these pets which
shows what pleasure the President got from
them. Mr.. Conway had gone to the White
sion who wanted Ito talk over the situation
with the chief executive. The President met
them laughing like a boy. saying that in the
morning one Of his children had come to in.
form him that the cat had kittens, and now
another announced that the dog had puppies
and that the White House was in a decidedly
sensational state. The commission looked
very much shocked at the gayety of the Pres
tdent, but In moment his smiles had passed
and they felt a greater shock in seeing his
face take on its look Of awful anxiety and care
Among the animals which the boys kept
about the White House the best known were
three or four goats. Tad's devotion to them
was unalloyed. There was neither man nor
beast about the premises which in his judy
ment should be allowed to interfere with their
sweet will. !Tad's persistency in defending
the rights of the goats always amused Mr.
Lincoln greatly and it was to this he referred
when he ended telegram to Mrs. Lincoln
who was in New York:
''Tell Tad the goats and father are very
well, especially the goats:". ..--.
1t was not his own children alone who inter
estcd the President. There was never
strange child came near Mr.. Lincoln that he
did not notice it and try to draw it out. Some
pretty stories Of this are told by A. Jasper
-Conant, the portrait painter. Mr.. Conant
was In Springfield in 1860 painting portrait
of the candidate for the Presidency.
lone afternoon" he says when none but
ourselves were present, he busy with his corre-
spondence and I with my work, a ragged,
barefooted boy crept softly up the stairs and,
peering timidly around the edge of the open
door. looked With manifest awe at Mr.. Lin
ccln. Busy as he was, he heard the soft step.
!" and telling him to some in, among other
simple questions asked him his name
The boy answered. my name is Folks
Well, said Mr. Lincoln, that's wrong. Don't
you see that you are only one. and folks mean
more than cne. Tell your father that say
your name should be Folk. Goed-by, SIR CIV
ing him another hearty shake of the hand.
In the course Of an hour another dirty, shabby
little fellow came softly to the door; and met
with the same kindly reception. In answer
to the question as to his name he replied,
Knots WE'LL said Mr. Lincoln, If here
isn't another mistake! You are but one.
Your name should be Knot. not Knots, which
means more than one.' With shake of the
hand and CHEEKY good-by, he resumed his
pen, and, with his left hand, his exercises
with his refractory hair" .-t.. =
During this period of which Mr.. Conant
speaks it was common thing for politicians
visiting Mr. Lincoln to bring their boys with
them to see the new President. Not one OF
them ever left without some little attention;
some times when there was a crush of people
it was only friendly nod or pat, but oftener
1t was an effort to quizz the young visitor.
One boy, now man. who tells OF going with
his father to see Mr.. Lincoln at this time says
that the President called to him and took him
on his knee "He asked me some questions,
remember, seeming instantly to find. In tho
turmoil Of all the great questions that must
have been heavy upon him, the very ones
that would go to the thought Of child.
answered him without hesitation. and after
moment he patted my shoulder and said:
"'Well, you'll be man letore your mother
yet and put me down.
II had never before heard the homely old
expression, and 1t puzzled me for time.
After moment understood 1t, but he looked
st while was puzzling over It, and
seemed to be amused-as no doubt he was"
The foundation OF Lincoln's love for chill
aren was not, however, by any means the
amusement he got from watching and quizzing
hem. 1t was the remarkable tenderness Of
his heart toward the weak and innocent. Mr..
Conant says that after he had finished Mr..
L.ncoln's picture in 1860 and was leaving
Springfield for home. Mr. Lincoln followed
him to the door. Having said gocd-by to
my little daughter. who was with me. taking
me by the hand and drawing me gently back.