The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-06-02
LINCOLN {. q G y SAW IT ALL.
INTUITION OF THE GREAT
WAR PRESIDENT.
Could Not BE Moved to Do: ANY Act
Until the Proper Time Came-He
Saw the Future Far Ahead Through
the Veil of Intuition. .


the Veil of Intuition.
1t surprises no one that dreamers
and poets, or even philosophers, should
be Influenced by dreams and PRESENT.
ments, but when men Of practical
minds, who are capable Of directing the
atfalrs of nation, such men as Abra-
nam Lincoln and Napoleon T., give
heed to the signs of superstition, less
er men wonder and speculate and adj
vance theories of their own to account
for the phenomena.
Inc Bonapartes always were super
st1t1ous, especially the mother Of Ma
poleon. She always had a PRESENT.
ment that the rise and fall of her fam
lly would occur In the same century,
that the glory which was prophesied
Tor them would be followed by disas-
ter. And the prediction was verified.
she died in her eighty-seventh year,
having lived long enough to see the
downfall of all her children. -
Napoleon I. always feared December
z as an unlucky day, and it is related
OF him that before every important
battle he would throw dice to ascer-
LAIN H. he were to-lose or win. The
red men" whom he always saw 60
Ing to battle with him was a delusion
mat caused him much suffering
among crowned heads, Louis XII. of
france was one Of the firmest believ-
ers IN superstition. He it was who
nad an unfortunate astrologer brought
De1ore him who told him that BEAU
tiful woman, a friend of the kings,
would die soon. A few days later the
woman died, and Louis, enraged at the
ver1ncatlon of the prediction, sent for
the astrologer, and when he was
Drought before him ordered his cour-
t1ers to throw him out of a window of
the palace. Before the order was
oDeyed he asked the astrologer with
a sheer if he could tell him (the king)
the hour of his own death.
Sire" replied the quick-witted as
crologer, bowling low, II shall have the
honor of dying just three days before
your majesty"
Not only did the astrologer save his
hfe then, but he was treated with the
greatest care that his valuable life
might be indefinitely prolonged.
Like Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln al
ways believed he was man of des-
Tiny. He thought he would rise to
some lofty station in life, but that he
would have a sudden fall. He was
pleased, yet alarmed, at what he look
ca upon as rent in the veil which
hides the future from mortal sight, for
the vision he saw was one of glory and
of blood.
Lincoln's friends never willingly al
lowed him to dwell on his faith in oc-
cult influences, and not until the dark
shadow he anticipated had fallen did
they see strange fatality in his re-
curing visions. The one that most
impressed him happened in Springfield
in 1860. He was lying on a lounge in
his own chamber, when, glancing into
mirror that hung near, he saw a
double image of himself reflected
there. At that time Lincoln
was in the full glow of health
and hope, but in the mirror
the face showed mortal pale
ness. Again, and again he tried the
experiment, and always with the same
CHASTITY result. Afterward he tried it
in the executive mansion, but there it
failed. %E
He did not attach so much import
ance to this vision or illusion until
1864, on the day of his denomination at
Baltimore. On that day Lincoln was
at the war department in Geographic
communication with General Grant,
who was at Richmond A telegram
arrived at the White House informing
Lincoln of his denomination as presi-
dent, but though he went home for
hasty lunch he did not stop to read the
telegram. On returning to the war
department, a dispatch was handed to
him telling him of the nomination of
Andrew Johnson for the vice-presi-
dency. Mr.. Lincoln was surprised, and
said: IT thought it was customary
to nominate the president first 4
On being told of the first telegram
he said, mournfully recalling the i'm
age in the mirror: q
@I'll never live through my second
term. That belongs to Johnson-at
least the best part Of it,
Shortly before his assassination Lin
coin had a strange dream, which he
related to his wife and Mr.. Lamon,
his former law partner. ~ 4.
II retired late, for I had waited up
for important dispatches, and soon
fell into light slumb Der. I dreamed
there was a deathlike stiffness about
me, but still could hear the subdued
sobs of a number of people. I left my
room, went all through the house in
my dream, everywhere the same weep
ing and wailing, but I could see no
body. Finally I went into the east
room, and there I saw coffin with
many soldiers as guard.
. .".'.sWho is dead in the White House?'
I asked.
Why, don't you know said one
of the ssldiers, the president has been
assassinated.' Then a loud burst of
orr;nf no no froy,, tho nror,d ord with