Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-08-05

crack a joke at which the boys would
haw haw heartily. Once when we were
returning from the home and he was
riding by the side of the lieutenant.
they suddenly turned their horses and
rode out into the field where some COWS
were grazing. Soon they rejoined US
and l heard the president say, Well,
wasn't l right?' At which the lieuten-
ant replied. Yes, MIR. President, I be-
ieVe you We're l was curious to know
what it all could be about and asked
the lieutenant at the first opportunity.
He said the president was trying to
convince him that the COW was a lop-
sided animal. Something he had never
noticed and would not believe until
given the object lesson.
He was fond of animals as we'll as
of children. l remember clearly the
night the White Hous stables were
found to be on fire. After the alarm
was given he came u OF the house,
buttoning his coat and asking Where's
the fire" When he saw that it was his
own stables he started to run toward
them and l ran after him, for l was
afraid he would rush into the flames.
He reached the door and tried to open
1T. but couldn't make 1t work. Some
who saw him laid their hands on him
and walked him back to the White
House. The fire was put out after q
time. and we went back to bed. We
noticed the next a that the president
was greatly depressed and Tad told
us that 1T was because n Of the
| ponies which had been in the family for
some time had been burned.
The evening of h 18th of April there
was a great demonstration. Lee had
surrendered, inc there was a surging
crowd before the buildings of the "a
department and men like Stanton and
Johnson were making speeches. The
crowd turned after a time and directed
its steps toward the White House
where 1t halted and then there was q
loud call for the president and demands
for a speech. He came out on an up
per balcony and said: Gentlemen. I
| can't make you a speech today. At this
time. undue Importance would be at
ache to any words l might say, but
tomorrow I'll try to have something for
you. L notice that you have q band
here. and there's n tune which up to
! this time has not been strictly in order.
war n our lawful prize. Will the
band give us 'Dixie?'" This was done
with spirit and contrasted oddly with
the booming of the cannon sounding
from the different forts.
April 14th was the blacklist night L
ever knew. The first I remember was
being awakened by some one calling,
Sergeant Stimmel, wake up. the presi-
dent and Seward have both been shot"
/ was out of bed in an instant giving
the alarm, and soon We were galloping
like mad toward the White House,
when to our amazement we found all
as still as death. We turned our horses
heads and We're soon rushing toward
the buildings of the war department at
breakneck speed. On the way we were
hailed by a policeman who told us to
go to Ford's theater. T1here we found
a crowd completely filling the street,
but this crowd was a strangely quiet
one. The president had been carried
to a house opposite the theater where
he was lying in an unconscious condi-
ticn. In a short time the street was
cleared and the Union light guards
We've posted at each end of it and be-
fore the house. That was an awful
night. and l remember pinching myself
thinking that this must wake me up,
for it was all like a horrible nightmare.
I was relieved a little before the presi-
dent died. which was at 1880 on the
next morning.