The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1902-08-21
0LD-TIME SKETCHES
7IitttItttII
THIRTY-sEvEN YEARS AGo-A REM
INIsCENCE on sTIKEING TINES
IIfItrIIfitr
~ SAN FRANCISCO.


the Union, or at least that portion o
il which had remained loyal through
the four Ion., ,.ars If rratr.,i.I.I
h'ii'e ne" e'h 'h' Hta''7.
The war was over. the closing act
Of tho drama having occurred when
Lee surrendered his army of veterans
to General Grant at \ ppomattC-..
The nation brcathcd easter. in con
temptation Of AN era of friend nip and
prosperity. which had been cruelty
ob-curcd by tho bloody clouds OF
war
T;eans of praise went up to the
throne of grace from millions Of
heart. which for tour years had been
bowed down with 2ricf. and "a the
battlc SCARED heroes Of both armies
met. haudshakiu@s and cnngratula-
tinns were the order Of the day.
None knew better than those who
had participated in the murdcrOuS
conflict The true significance Of the
oppression made Immortal ~ the
greatest captaiu of modern times.
/" ct Us have peace"
The sword haH been shcathcd,
never again to hc drawn except in dc
fcu-e OF the flag 80 proudly wayin"
over a united people.
The joy was TOO great. apparently.
to last amy length of time. but little
dreamed the multitude of the tragedy
that was brewing: a tragedy which
was To pItHGc the nation into deepest
SIoonl, aid siartIc the world with its
-1fTUr1T7hness.
The writer was living in San Fran
cisco at the time mentioned, and was
- witness to the stirring scenes there
enacted. lie was home from school
on visit when the startling news of
The iouIcst murder OF modern times
was flashed across the continent, and
the people, regardless Of political aftil-
iati"ns, were dumhiounded with
ahla%"ineht
III was al ilrSt supposed, IN TACT, 1t
was sincerely hopci ana d"Vout!y
prayed Tor, that inc information
mIEht Prove incorrect, hut The hopes
ana prayers OF the many Wcr" doomed
10 meet WIN an all 10" fearful rcalIZa-
tiult 81 thc ruin.
Inc daE was one OF unusual bright
ness, even IN that favored cline, ana
when H." diroiui truth was made
kho"ii' the Stlc'l9 were crowded WIN
busy lhi"n29 OF ldIefS. each upon his
own business bent.
Montgomery stf"et; thcn ihe cad
ing promenade, was llleu with busy
crowd, ana rs me WoId was passed
that our hon"rcd and beloved prcsi- /
dent had been cruelty stricken down .
10y the hand of Il cOWardly assassin, a
rush was made 10 the newspaper /
offices to learn the truth OF RECITATION .
of the startling report.
Those were haIcYon days in the .
Golden state, which. up TO that time /
had enjoyed peace and unrivallcd /
prosperity
or the daily newspapers then in .
tloodtidc of success in the Bay CITY. /
were the Alta California. the BuIlc- /
TIN. the American Flag. the Democrat
it, Press. the Nornin~ Call tho \ bend .
Post . Gcrmou uubIication and ono
or two others OF lesser note whose
names have cscapcd my memory
Inou rcreiut of thr news from
WASHINGTON the huIletiu boards in
front of the various nrwsnaprr Offices +.
were coUcrIv scanned NV onxiou. /.
thousands Who as they turned away /
tn hide thcir nriof brushed AWAY .
many AN unhiddcn tcar which wcIlcd /
nm from lovoI hearts
Many were thcrc who had opnoecd /
tho war i'm all lis stn"cs. rs wen as
tho administration and thrv stood
,rh,st tbc ,,n,iI incr cnnrn,it, of
tho national disaster
There were. of course. a few COW
ardly wrctches who rlnried I'm the deed /.
of the assassin. but they nearly ali
did So in secret. KNOWING too well (
that it might prove dangerous to /.