The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-02-03

pertinent again, when, sure enough, the
thing came back again, but never sue
ceeded in bringing the ghost back after
that. though once tried very industri-
ousiy to show it to my wife. who was
somea hat worried al.ar1t it. She thought
it WIS sign that / was to be elected to
a second term of o.c-ice, and that the
paleness Of one Of the faces was an omen
that should not live through my Sec
ond term
How often have I heard him repeat
this couplet, always in an earnest,
prophetic style, as if it made deep i'm
preston on him, as if he recognized a
law from which there was no escape
that bound him, like spell:
There's divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough hew them how we will.
Especial emphasis as we'll as accentu-
ated sadness is impaired to that sorrow
full incident, which was but the prelude
The deep damnation of his taking off,
when he said in his cabinet meeting on
the last day: "Good news is impend-
ing, for I have had my usual dream,
which has foreshadowed every momen
tous event Of the war. seemed to be in
singular and understandable vessel, but
always the same, and that it was NOV
ing with great rapidity toward dark
and indefinite shore. -
This melancholy refrain-this dark
cloud Of preternatural grief, with it's
delusive silver lining-this more than
ascetic sorrow, with its stimulated rail-
lery, like the harlequin fantastic gear
all tended to make up the seed plot
from whence sprung the somber spirit
who was decided to pilot the sorely dis
tressed nation through the engulfng
waves which momentarily threatened
destruction.
There are objects in nature and in
politics the forms Of which can only be
accurately ascertained when contem-
plated afar off. Too near as we'll as too
far off prevents correct view. Thus it
is with great events The hand Of God
is visible in human affairs, but this
hand itself has shadow which conceals
what it accomplishes. All that could
then be seen in the great national trans
formation announced the advent of a
new idea in human kind, the democrat
ic idea in essence as we'll as in delusive
boast, and thereafter the democratic
government in fact as we'll as thereto
fore in empty name.
There are epochs in the history of the
ho hos
fall from the tree of humanity and
when institutions grown effete and in
famous sink and leave space for fresh
institutions full Of sap, which renew
the youth and recast the ideas Of a peo-
pie. Antiquity is replete with this
Transformation, of which we only catch
glimpse in the relics of history. Each
decadence Of efrete ideas carries with it
AL old world and gives its name to a
new order of civilization.
Such was the prelude to the great ma
tional awakening whose chords were
struck by this master Of the political
art, such the revindication of freedom,
such the renascence of the vital spirit
Ito replace the dead letter. of the Dec
laratlon OF Independence.
HENRY G. WHITNEY.
Note.-Mrs. Nettie Maynard has written a
book devoted to enforcement of the state
ment that Mr.. Lincoln was addicted to attend
ing spiritualistic seances while he was in the
presidency. l have reflected considerably on
the matter, and result do not credit the
statements-at least not to the full extent as
stated While fully believe that Mr.. Lincoln
would be likely to have desire to make such
Investigations, due sense of propriSty would
act as check upon his attempting 50 radical
departure from the staid ways of life and
experience, from doing that which would give
a radical shock to all of the conservative
classes of society. Mr.. Lincoln well knew that
he stood in the 'wave of light that beat about
throne and that he must not do any act
which would expose him to even unjust crit
cism, and as to attempting to do such thing
ION the sly" his honest nature and his ordi-
nary sense both remorselessly barred any such
deceltful methods presume there was a film
Of basis for the story, that he met the parties
named and gave a courteous reception to theil
avowals, possibly made some passing inquiries
in short, treated them with interest and
possibly evinced some curiosity at their pre-
tensions. To any adhesion beyond that de-
cline to believe that he was party.