Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-04-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS. !


some lofty station in life, but that h,
would have sudden fall. He wa
pleased, yet alarmed, ut what he locke,
upon as rent in the veil which hide
the future from mortal sight, for the
vision he saw was one of glory aud o
blood. Lincoln's frieuds never will
ingly allowed him to dwell on his
faith in occult influences, and not I'M
til the dark shadow he had anticipated
had fallen did they see straage
fatality in his recurring visions. The
one that most impressed him
happened in Springfield in 1860.
He was lying on lounge in
his own chamber when, gancing
into mirror that hung near, he saw
q double image of himself rehecte |
there. At that time Lincoln was in
the full glow Of health and hope, but
i'll the mirror the face showed Il NOR
tai paleness. Again and again he
tried the experiment and always with
the same CHASTITY result. Afterwarl
he tried it in the executive mansion,
but there it failed. He did not at
tach 50 much Importance to this Wis
ion or illusion until 1864, on the day
of his denomination ut Baltimore. On
that day Lincoln was at the war de-
partment in telegraphic communica-
tiOn with General Grant, who was Mt
Richmond. A telegram arrived at the
White House informing Lincoln of his
denomination aspresident, but though
he went home for u 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 presidency. Mr..
Lincoln was surprised and said: ~
thought it was customary to nominate
the president first" On being told
of the first telegram he said, mourn
fully recalling the double in the mir
ror: 'I'll never live through my sec
ond term. That belongs to johnson
at least the best part oft" Shortly
before his assassination Lincoln had
strange dream, which he related to
his wife and Mr.. Lamon, his former
law partner. I retired late, for had
waited up for important dispatches,
and l soon fell into light slumber. /
dreamed there was deathlike stiffness
about me, but still l could hear the
subdued sobs of q number OF people.
l left my room, went all through the
house in my dream, everywhere the
same weeping and wailins, but could
see nobody. Finally 1 went into the
East room, and there I saw coffin
with many soldiers as guard. Who
is dead in the White House?' asked.
why, don't you know?' asked one of
the soldiers, the President has been
Then q loud burst of
grief came from the crowd, and with
that awoke." Mrs. Lincoln remem-
bered the dream on the fatal night of
his death, and cried out: "His dream
was prophetic!' Lincoln had one
fortunate dream, which he often
dreamed, and which he said was al
ways welcome, as it invariably pre-
ceded a great Union victory. He
said he dreamed it before the
bate Of Antietam and again before
that of Gettysburg and several other
He dreamed that he saw a
badly damaged ship sailing away rapid
ly, while pursuing vessels overlook
and demolished the wreck. This
.lream always comfOrted him. When
Mr.. Lincoln would be called to task
by his friends for his belief in dreams
he would invariably quote the Bible for
his authority. After his most impor.
tant dream he said SIN the morn
ing when I took up my Bible the
first chapter 1 opened at was the
.wenty-eighth of Genesis, relating
Jacobs wonderful dream. 1 looked
through the Bible and everywhere
[ seemed to find the same les
ION. Sixteen chapters in the Old
Testament aud four or five in the New
Testament that reveal Gods meaning
n dreams" His former partner, Mr..
lamon, says: "The more intense the
light which is poured on what may be
Mr.. Lincoln's weakest point the greater
md grander will his character appear"
An ARDUoUs YEAR-With the excep.
ion of few months rest last sum
aer, President McKinley's first year
las been an arduous one. Before him
le sees year of still harder and more
liAicult work. Once or twice his
Iealth has been threatened by this con-
inement, and he was almost forced
" his friends to take little more ex.
rcise and get away from his Office for
longer period each "a hours. The
resident had consented to 60 south
or brief period of rest just prior to
he Maine disaster. That caused him
o change his plans. With hundred
hings he is kept busy from 8 o'clock
n the morning till II at night. Dur
ng the social season his retiring hour
'as frequently o'clock in the morn
ng. Five months ago sculptor be-
an work on clay model of the presi-
ent from which to make a bronze
ust. The sculptor could have
his work two months ago
ad the president been able to
i've him as many as two more
fittings of only 80 minutes each. The
anne hard work has characterized the
xecutive force at the White House.
ince the 4th of last March the clerks
ave worked from early morning until
ate at night, rarely getting away from
heir desks until midnight. The CORE.
pondence has been heavier than ever
nown, and the president has insisted
n every letter being answered, rule
he reverse of that which prevailed
hen Daniel Lamont was private secre.
lry to President Cleveland. There
not much probability that the presi.
ent will get rest for months.
Great Britain's marine steam ton.