The Portland daily press., 1901-02-13

itself. The relaxation wes 80 oomplete,
for the time being, that ths two eyes
were not brought together, NJ IL usual BY
the action OF the converRing muscles,
hence the counterpart preeentment OF him
self. He would have ssen two Images OF
everything else had he looked for them,
but ne was 50 startled by the ghoetiy ap-
pearanoe that he felt a "little pang as
though something uncomfortable mad
happened" ana obtained but little rest.
What q soiaos to his wearied mind It
would have been II some one could have
explained this ILLUSION" upon rational
grounds.
We see by his own statement that it
was destined to haunt him, for long after
it had taken place, hs "trled very indus
triUusly to show it' to Mrs. Lincoln, but
without result. The failure of attempts
TO reproduce this "illusion'' undoubted-
ly disturbed him still more, and acded
not a little to ins troubled mind.
The reason why this "ilusion" did
not appear azain, notwithstanding this
the constantly increasing cares and re-
Isponsibilitles thrust upon him, WAS be-
cause his nervous system had become Ac-
oustomed TO the strain put upon 1t and
he had recuperating powers enough 20
sustain the eyes In their normal rela-
tions to each other.
lhis incident OF his life mads an inn
preston that never lsft me, especially,
after he fell by the hand OF the assassin,
thus verifying the prediction put upon
never questioned, however, but that
| a rational exclamation would be found for
this "illusioD," and when it came after
waiting more than fifteen years, during
which time had come to consider con-
siaatIy the conditions which give rlss to
such troubles, / felt what great relief
It would have bean to President Lincoln
mad Jne explanation bean mad, at that
time.
IRE factors which enter into the solu-
tion of this problem OF dorble vision
have 20 be considered In the sluoidation
of the causes that produce weak eyes,
headaches, and other various nervous dis
turbanees Muscular and mental fatigue
often produce disturbances In the Tuno-
tion OF seeing, and visions are projected
which are real to the person thus affected
and lead him to interpret them for good
or evil.
Dr. Edward Ii. CLARK, one Of the re-
nownsd physicians OF New England dur
ing his last illness, while hs was suffer
ing constantly from a fatal disease, wrote
a book on Wis ions, dividing false visions,
acc/.ding to causes, into those due to
disturbances OF the brain, those due to
disturbances of the eyes, and thoss due to
distur Dances of the rays OF Ilgnt before
they enter the eyes President Lincoln's
"illusIon was due to disturbance OF
the eyes, u complete relaxation of the
muscles that keep the two eyes together
and enable them, in the normal state, to
see everyt oing single.
This was a temporary condition due to
tie fatigue from the intense work and
excitement which had bsen going on
from the time OF his nomination until
after his election as President OF the
Unite1 States.
There are conditions, however, whiah
are born wien the eyes that may he de-
VeIoped By Loyerufing them enough to
produce headaches, and other manifesta-
tioEs of disorders of the nervous system.
which may be mpanied with double
vision. BY the adVa a1csmelts In moiern
ophthalmology large number OF these
eases can be relieved which were formerly
considered to be inourauls.
Abraham Linoolns appealed mora foroi-
bly, to ths sympathies OF more American
youths than any man that ever grac9i
the presidential chair.
As a boy in country store, 1 made
two scrap books; in one / collected an
account Of the things which he did and
saiu and the good things sain about
MIN, while in the other put what bis
Iopponents said about him. lu, the latter
booK, l remember distinctly sentence
from the ''silver tongued orator OF the
kenebec," in which speaking of MIR.
Lincolns fame, he said, "it would shine
and stink, and stink and shine ike
rotten mack arsl by moonlight" but
those days have gone forever, and we
doubt not IL the sam person we're living
today he would use his eloqusne to praise
Abraham Lincoln as much as he did to
|
Without consultation, he wrote the
Emancipation Proclamation, which Gre
, ated intense excitement and marked hin
still more oonspicuously than ever for the
hand OF the assassin; yet, with the inter-
pretation of this "illusion eEer present
in his mind, he still put of Issuing this
document which was to be the central
aot-' OF his administration land the great
event of the nineteenth century"
Il At length the Emancipation PROCLAIM a.
ton was issued, and took effect as the
noblest political document known to his
tory.
AS he reluctantly consented to attend
Ford q theatre on the evening OF the l4eh
OF April. 1865, his mind was preocoupied
!, in an effort to devise Just method Of re-
: uniting his misguided countrymen in the
r bonds OF the Union. AS he sat there with
: his devoted fam iIy ard friends in the
peaceful repose OF IN admitting people, MS
I mind diverted by the play going 90 be-
} fore him, without a thought, perhaps OF
the "iIlus ion' whose attributed evil
) omen was to be fulfilled, John
Wilkes Booth, the assassin, nTed bullet
J into his brain, and he was no more.
, We had been celebrating victories, and,
flushed with the anticipation of speedy
ending o; the Wal, all were looking for
, ward to a restoration OF peace and re-
united country.
/ the hand OF the assassin, and plunged the
nation into the deepest mourning ever
known In the history OF the worlu.
: strong men all over the land met and
wapt like children.
: We doubt II there ever was created q be-
' ing in this world, or in the worlds, II
: there be such, of the countless millions
) of liked stars, whose sympathies for MS
I fellow creatures were greater. or VINO
3 performed his duties with a higher sense
} | of honor and justice as ruler, than
Abraham Lincoln,
His name ana fame will last as long as
i the earth revolves upon it's axis In sweep
, ing through space around the eternal
sun, and thithsr to the tomb or our
martyred President will the people OF the
whole civilized world ever make their
[ pilgrimage, TO pay homage ana reverence
! | 20 Abraham Lincoln--the foremost man
OF the nineteenth century.
President Moore then introduced as the
! last speaker, ex-Spsaker OF the Maine