The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-20
WAS LINCOLN A "PSYCHIC"?

| but would meet his death during the second
term-truly a remarkable conclusion, IN
view Of the subsequent facts.
After the Presidents assassination. Mr.
Brooks mentioned one day to Mrs. Lincoln
this story of the Presidents, and she wa
greatly surprised to learn that he had never
disclosed 1t, as she said he intensely dis
liked to discuss it. and had endeayored n
every way possible to convince himself that
the mystifying reflection was due to some
curious trick Of light refraction-
An even more sensational story n current
among Spiritualists. although It must be
confessed. without as strong corroboration,
that shortly after his second election. Lin
clon beheld in the same way in q mirror
a complete portrayal Of the events Of hiA
assassination, and believed 80 thoroughly In
the warning that although he concealed Il
from his friends ne was himself firmly con-
WINGED that he was a doomed man.
In q n endeavor to verify these reports.
Doctor Martin L. Holbrook Of the Society
for Psychical Research. recently communi.
Gated with Robert T. Lincoln, asking II he
knew of any such Incidents in his fathers
life; but the son replied In the negative. a..
serting that he had never heard of them.
and that he scarcely believed such would BE-
the case. had they been Of actual occur
renee.
Henry T. Thompson. son Of the late Rich
ard Thompson OF Illinois. who was one Of
Mr.. Lincoln's most intimate friends, saya
IL was a matter Of common report that LIN
coin had portents and saw visions, but he
never heard his father mention the sub
ject in speaking Of him..
Mr.. Thompson's story Of his own introduce
ton to the great man Is strikingly similar
to one Of tho most admired passage Of The
Crisis" and Is distinctly characteristic Of
Lincoln.
He CHANGED to be going up to Springfield
on the very day that the COMMITTEES from
the Republican Convention was to arrive to
formally announce Lincoln's first nomina-
ton to the presidency. Being young and
enthusiastic, he was DESTROYS Of meeting the
man who was than the idol Of all Illinois,
and inquired of his father how he should set
about 1t.
Just go up and announce yourself s7Al
walk in." responded his father. "Tou'nSnnd
there will be no fol-de-rol"
When ths boy, with Quaktng heart. was
admitted to the house he found the candi-
date entertaining his distinguished visitors.
but Lincoln coolly turned away from the
statesmen and politicians. and placed tho
embarrassed young fellow instantly at his
ease with a warm grasp Of the hand and q
flow OF interested inquiries about his old
friend Dick Thompson.
While they stood talking q new arrival at
the house was announced as Doctor Small.
He was Of enormous girth and stature. and
the misfit in the name was so obvious that
Lincoln's funmaking proclivities took i'm
mediate advantage Of it.
Turning to young Thompson. with win
ling eyes. he muttered. soto voce: Doctor
Small, indeed! Well. it's not strange. The
taIlest man I ever knew was named Short:
and the shortest man Long; and"-this was,
OF course. soon enough after the John
Brown episode for Governor Wise Of Viz
gihia, still to be universally execrated
throughout the North-"There's a man
down in Virginia they call Wise" The in
ference was too obvious to be misunder-
stood.