The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-23

NJ, SUNDA I. fEbH
house In Four-and-a-Hslf street--Mrs
Pettibone's, Of renowned memory as
favorite o o for statesmen In that day
Mr.. Lewis was an amiable gentleman.
man Of the highest character. witty, learned
OF exalted intellect, In fact. and he hat
the respect and affection OF the emfnen
men OF all parties who were his contempt
raries In Congress in the 40s. HIS IRE
mendous size was natural, for Lewis was
very moderate drinker Ia those days Of
heavy drinking men Of station, and by No
means a considerable eater.
i once heard lincoln allude In rather {
curious manner TO bullets proceeded Mr.
Lane, when tho talk veered around TO the
subject OF the first Of the martyr Presidents
Il had a friend named Hatcher. who lived
in the North, but who was a native Nir-
gilman; = and nd when the war began be DE- d.
stopped In Washington and called upon me
Despite the fact that he was on his way
TO enter the Confederate Army, Hatcher
had a great admiration for President Lin
coln. and be told me that he would like TO
call upon him. l had often met Mr.. Lin
coin. even in the days when be was In Con-
gress. through my father, and ] o Hatcher
President.
Hatcher stood q feet S inches In bis
bare feet, and he was a gaunt figure Of a
man. presented him TO Mr.. Lincoln,
not hesltsting TO say frankly that my friend
was about to join the Southern army.
How do you do, Mr.. HatchetT said
Mr.. Lincoln, cordially taking Hatcher's
Excuse me. sir, Hatcher said nv
friend, smiling at the Presidents mistake.
We'll. II might fttingly be PolesI,'
said the President, surveying Hatcher's
great height. 1 believe you are taller than
l am, are you not?'
The two men stood back TO back, and
inches.
A grave expression crossed Ltnooln's
featurs.
My friend said he. addressing Hatcher.
i fear you will have a p~erilous tim OF IL In
yourself. Men OF our size were ever first
rate marks for bullets
II am OF the opinion that Lincoln often
played the bu1oon for the sake OF relieving
a heavy sadness expressing his heart.
one night during the wal happened to
be one OF a party assembled on the rear
portico OF the White House. Mr.. Lincoln
was there to review Gen. Blenkert's division.
which was about TO depart for the front.
Il don't recall just why the review was
held at night. but at any rate II was a weird
scene. nearly every one Of Blenkert's sol
diers carrying a torch. lincoln watched
the passing Of the thousands Of soldiers
with one OF his arms flung about a pillar.
just as a couple Of officers had passed and
given the sword salute, a v~entriloquistic
voice, In the drawl Of a country pumpkin
was heard to exclaim:
What's all this abaoutt l never heerd
nothin' abaout all this here
w all looked up, startled, for the voice
was unqueetionably Lncoln's. But there
he was, with his arm still flung around the
pillar, and the expression Of gravity, almost
sadness. still on his features.
l have often seen the statement In print
that Lincoln wa an absolute teetotaler.
de was not. He was a strictly temperate
man, but on rare occasions he would permit
himself 10 TAX a few drinks.
with several members OF his Cabinet,
town one afternoon to look over a site
for a proposed camp there, and. returning,
the party stopped under the shade OF q
great elm tree In front Of my house. l
invited them into the house, but Lincoln
liked the open air. He came into my yard.
however, and seated himself on a rustic
bench under another big tree, the rest
Of the party disposing themselves about
on seats.
MY wife had one OF the blacks bring
out a table and she produced a demijohn
OF extremely fine blackberry brandy that
/ had picked up somewhere or other. Lin
coin and all OF the members Of the party
partook Of three or four glasses Of It, and
Lincoln smacked his lips over the liquor
and said that he had never enjoyed any
thing more than that blackberry brandy.
When, after about half an hour, he
was ready to depart, he pretended to be
incapable OF rising rom the bench when
no attempted TO do 80, and he shook his
finger humorously at Stanton and accused
grim-visaged man OF having pur-
posely gotten him tight.
And, speaking OF drinking In the old
days, the man who could take the hugest
drinks Of raw liquor and vet stand up under
alone stand up under them.
indeed, but emit wit and knowledge when,
] grieve TO say. some OF his listeners were
barely able to catch his m~eaning-was
the brilliant Prentiss OF Kentucky. I
seen Prentiss toss of tumblerful
after tumblerful Of the product Of his native
State, and the ofterer he repeated the
operation the more entertaining he became. |
1T is sorrowful TO be compelled 70 ac-
knowledge the fact that al the conclusion
81 some Of these bouts Premises friends
md auditors would perforce be removed
rom the scene by their men servants,
md the witty Kentuckian would And him
addressing vacancy