Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-04-09


contents in some vague and underlined
when. where and how ; . ; Concede
that the new government is only to
what 1t should be as the egg is to the
fowl, we will sooner have the fowl by
Matching the egg than by smashing It."
Last Happy, Happy Hours.
The cabinet meeting over, Lincoln
went for his usual daily drive with
Mrs. Lincoln. He talked like a boy
out of college about his plans. To her
he said. The war is over and that
at the end of his four years he would
go back to Springfield to the home he
had not visited since he left in Feb.
ruary, 1861. to take his seat in the
White House. and resume law practice.
On the return to the White House
Lincoln saw n group of personal
friends crossing the lawn and hailed
them with the greeting. 'Come back,
boys; come back!' The party entered
the executive office, and the hours
passed so pleasantly that Lincoln for.
got the fight of time and that he had
made a theater engagement for the
evening. which should be first in his
mind. He began reading a humorous
book and. although called many times
to dinner. was loath to go. but prom.
Used each time TO 'come right away
Still reading. he finally received a
somewhat ~peremptory summons, and
the bearer reminded him of the thea.
ter engagement. That recalled-it
was with General Grant-he left the
party abruptly. never to see them
again.
Grant had arrived direct from Ap
pomattox on the 18th and during the
10Th and 18th was e~ngrossed with
army affairs. At the cabinet meeting
the morning of the 14th Lincoln asked
the general to join him and Mrs. Lin.
coin that night at the theater. with
Mrs. Grant. who was in the city. tc
make one of the party of four. Grant
responded by saying he had promised
his wife that he would go with her to
Burlington, n. j.. as soon rs his du
ties at the capital were finished to
visit their children. who were al
school. If he did not leave for Bur
lington he would attend the theater.
Disappointment and Misgivings.
An extraordinarily popular play OF
the wartime was "Our American
Cousin in which an English lord was
held up to ridicule. Our oversee cous
ms We're far from popular here II
those days. Laura Keene, a great ia
vorite and the original producer of the
play in America. had the star part az
it was produced at Ford's theater apG
was having a benefit that night. II
was announced that the president and
his wife and the "hero of Appomattox'
and his wife would occupy a box to
gether.
Lincoln's story telling dalliance had
delayed the White House dinner, but
that was not all. While he was read
ing or telling stories that afternoon
Mrs. Lincoln received a message say
ing that the Grants were departing fol
Burlington and would not therefore
join the theater party. The theatel
manager wss notified, but did not re
call his announcement. and Lincoln
was thereby. reluctantly, it seems, con
strained to go anyway rather than dis
appoint the expectant public.
Major Rathbone and his stepsister
the daughter of Senator Ira Harris
were invited to take the chairs assign
ed to General and Mrs. Grant. Schuy
Ter Colfax. who was to leave Wash
ington next morning for Indiana on 0
mission for the president. called after
dinner. and Lincoln talked with hin
for some time. making a written ap
pointment for a third party at 8 a.. m.
the 18th. Still reluctant, Lincoln en-
tered the carriage. but chung to Col
fax's hand and referred vehemently tc
the errand the latter was charged with
In the west.
The Last 0vation'S Awful Sequel.
The action on the stage halted as the
party was finally ushered in to the tune
OF Hail to the Chief" Cheering, wav.
ing handkerchiefs and hats continued,
the audience rising, until the presiden-
tial party was seated; then the play
went on. Mr.. Lincoln enjoyed the en-.
tertainment and seemed to lose the all
Of abstraction and indifference which
had come upon him as soon as he
learned Of Grants departure.
Many in the audience were still ex-
pectant Of Grants arrival, and DURING
the evening every mar who passed
along the aisle behind the seats leading1
to the box entrance was scrutinized
One after another passed down the
aisle. but no one approached the box
until the second scene Of act 3 WIS.,