The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-28


man. II anything, he was what is
called good looking This observation
of the great emancipation was voiced
today at the Hamilton Club by Hora-
ito l.. Walt master-in-cnancery, who
met Lincoln many times. The Hamil-
ton Club luncheon was one of many
gatherings in celebration of the 1880
anniversary of Lincoln's birth
Abraham Lincoln was by no means
a homely man." began Mr.. Wait
There have been many stories told
bearing this out, and they should be
corrected. ! was never so impressed
with male-well, it might be called
beauty-as when met Lincoln in 1853
in the old fremont House, at Lake
and Dearborn street. He was then
holding the attention of the country
by his debates with Stephen A. Doug
las.
Was Introduced to Lincoln.
"A friend introduced me. Homely?
Lincoln was smooth shaven at the
time. His face was study of the af-
fable, the gracious, the pleasant. He
won me at once, as he won thousands
and hundreds of thousands.
This was before the war, however.
Later, with the strain of the war of
brothers tearing him apart and lining
his face, the pleasantness of his coun-
tenance was overshadowed. This war
ugliness is what historians have chos-
en- to remember. They may be right
But Lincoln was not ugly.
Later l heard him in the debate
with Douglas from the north balcony
of the fremont Hous Again. 1 was
able to note the strength of his per-
sonality. With Douglas, his opponent,
he was ever gracious and on the best
of terms.
81 did not see Lincoln again until
the next year, when the convention
assembled in the 'wigwam' named him
for the presidency Shortly after they
mad voted met Mr. Lincoln. stepped
up and we shook hands.
Mr.. Lincoln, l said. I only wish
further that you would be elected for
life.
That, Mr.. Wait, returned Mr.. Lin
coin, smiling, that would be what
they call too much of good thing.
Wish Proves to Be True.
Il remember this incident particu-
larly because Admiral Dehlgren, on
whose flagship l was serving at the
time, and l commented on it when
we heard of the assassination of the
president, as we lay off Charleston. |
told the admiral of Mr.. Lincoln's re-
mark
He was elected for life, after ALL
commented the admiral.
The rebels began stirring up trou-
BILE and did not see Lincoln for some
time, continued Mr.. Wait. Then the
war opened and 100 young Chicago
fellows volunteered in a company as
privates,. Through the influence of
such men as General McClurg George
w. Smith and Norman Williams we
were able to equip ourselves and be-
came the only accoutered company in
the city. l was with the company
long enough to be posted as sentry
while Douglas body lay in state in
the old Bryan hall. Then l decided to
follow the steps of my ancestors and
join the navy.
81 applied for a commission, went to
New York and took the examinations,
found that the result was favorable
and went to Washington. Here con-
gresham 1 knew met me and took me
before the president. He gave me my
commission and sat for half an hour
giving me fatherly advice, put to sea
soon after this.
zone of the favorite anecdotes re-
member of Lincoln was one told by an
old acknowledgement He was inter
viewing the president at the time and
was closeted with Lincoln and his
secretary. In the midst of the coun-
Gil an attendant entered saying there
was an old woman in the anteroom
who wished to see Mr.. Lincoln Lin
coin ordered that she be allowed to
enter.
"She was fine, motherly looking
old woman, and Lincoln held her hand
as she told her story Her son, it
seemed, had been sorely wounded in
the battle of the Wilderness. She was
trying to get to him in the field hos
pital. She had not been allowed to
pass through the lines and had been
refused a pass by the secretary OF
war.
"As she finished her story Lincoln
wept. The Acknowledgement and the
secretary also wept The four stood
there for some time.
Nov mother - Lincoln finally
managed to say brokenly - Now