The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-10
IN THE GLOOMY DAYS
OF LINCOLN'S DEATH.
Thrilling Incident of the Great
President's Last Public Appear
ance Before Assassin

President's Last Public Appear
ancs Before Assassin-
alton.
al WAS born with an intense love for the
Stars and Stripes, whatever their
condition or wherever they may
float" said the captain in the st. Louis
Globe-Democrat, ''but there Is one nag
that reverence above all others. and that
always seems to be a sacred, sentient
thing. I was member of the treasury
regiment Ia company made up of the en-
ployes of the treasury Department., and
1t was the flag belonging to our regiment
that was borrowed to decorate President
Lincoln's box at Ford's theater that fatal
night Of April II. 1865. You will remem-
Der that in Booths attempt to jump from
the box to the stage after the cruel shot
had been fired the nag moved a little for
ward, caught in his spur, and was thus
responsible for the fall which resulted in
his broken leg and consequent capture.
II can tell you we boys never lost our
reverence for that piece of striped bunt-
ing. 1t always seemed to US to have be-
come momentarily clothed with life, and
to have reached forth to do what 1t could
to ayenge the death of its beloved. mar
tyred protector.
''It Is something to have lived through
those throbbing, pulsing days at Wash
lnBLOu curing INC early spring tlI1t OIL loOO
when every moment was tense with ex-
element; but of all the emotional strains
I ever experienced. none eclipsed that upon
the occasion of what have always taken
to be Lincoln's last public appearance be-
fore the night of his assassination--al-
though have never seen It SO set down in
the books That was on April 5, just ten
days before his death. News had arrived
of the fall Of Richmond, and the ringing
- H. I-A - - l. -
out an immense concourse OF people before
the White House. Lincoln appeared at one
of the upper windows and gave utterance
to a few simple words Of thanksgiving and
gratitude. Then some obscure person in
the crowd family struck up the Doxology
Other voices Joined in, and the simple old
hymn soon swelled to mighty chorus that
seemed to fill all the intervening space be-
tween earth and heaven, and made one
think Of the music Of the spheres. 1t was
something more than singing-rather the
spontaneous expression Of the passionate
sentiment of universal humanity, and
moved the heart Of the great president as
nothing else could have done.
Lincoln was. by the way, always fond
of the simple, homely songs that appeal
directly the common heart. In those
days little gospel hymn that had just
come out, called My Mission was his
especial favorite. I happened to sit very
near him one evening at patriotic meet
ing. 1t was during the very darkest days
of 1864, and he had preferred to sit in
the audience, leaving other dignitaries to
occupy the stage. As a preliminary to
the speech-making Philip Phillips came
out, and In his tender, sympathetic voice,
sang:
"If you cannot on the ocean
Sail among the swiftest fleet.
Rocking on the highest pillows,
Laughing at the storm you meet,
You can stand among the sailors,
Anchored vet within the bay,
You can lend hand to help them
AS they launch their boats away
"and SO on to the end.
Lincoln listened with bowed head and
solemn countenance, and continued bur-
led in thought long after the last strain
had died away. Presently he took lit
tie scrap Of paper from his pocket. scrib-
bled something on it., and handed it to an
usher. To the great surprise of the au-
.diencs. after the speech-making Mr.. Phil
lps came cut and sang exactly the Same