Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-14
Vengeance Of the Flag
Address By Henry y. zstasrOoH. :

TT was on the nigh OF April H. 1865 that the shot
fired and its roveraton will last forever. On
the morning following. at precisely ~ OF the clock
Abraham Lincoln yielded up the ghost The fatal
moment IL notched on the scythe OF time Even the
watchmakers those wardens OF the hourse, have
embalned that moment in the sign OF their calling
In every city OF the union. NORTH south. cast and
west you have seen those great dumb. wooden moro
loges pointing backward to the dread event Look at
them whenever you Will II is always 1;2! Gould
Coeridge describe thing more idle than those
pointed hands upon painted dial? idle? No. not
unless q cathedral spire a marble shaft, the cross
itself idle; for those idle hands hold out memory
which only pardon asked and pardon given can ever
sweeten.
The murder OF Lincoln was the most appalling
tragedy witnessed in a theater. History as "
desparing Of another Shakespeare. dramatzed itself
We told that his death interrupted comedy; but
what death has not? Among all the chimeras and
Dhantasms OF this life, DEATH thing seemingly the
most unreal is the one memorable reality. And yet
let it when how It will, there is always in the
event hooking incongruty. But this-this immo!a-
ton OF Abraham Lncoln-was the very masquerade
OF death. grotesaue, spectacular. would almost
fantastic. The glare OF the footghts, the frpperes
OF playhouse, the tnsel and pasteboard Of stage,
the cutlery of the sreenroOm. the mummery of tho
actors--i was into this realm Of fiction the awful
fact obtruded II the coup de theater OF death!
And must call this fate? 1 almost hear the
frantic cry Of Victor Hugo: Fate-snister burst OF
laughter"
On this mortal night the president has sought to
be amused He wished TO laugh TO be made to
laugh and for this he has criticized why should
he wish to laugh when every click OF the telegraph
instrument the death tick of soldier? why
should he? why should he not?
President Lincoln not only that nc
must die but he had every to believe that his
death would be at the hands Of assassin. He had
been repeatedly warned that such would be his fate;
indeed, an attempt had already been made upon hts
life. and that he knew OF IL shown by papers found
in his desk revealing the plot and by himself labeled
Assassination" Discussing the subject with his
friend, Fther-chinquy. he had said II no other
way than TO be- always prepared to die. I know my
danger; but man must not care how he dies,
provided he lies at tho post OF honor and OF duty
And still he laughed, and his laughter ives the
music OF his heart the expression his sweet
humanity. Such afford to laugh for
thanks be to God, Who giveth the victory. human
laughter is challenge to death the clarion of i'm
mortality! Moreover. the president had earned
respite from the anxiees which four years like
four eternites had brooded over him. The volcano
Of war had ceased 70 vomit forth It's lava Of human
blood The vertigo Of death past The thunder
OF battle in one baffied roar muttering over the
distant field Of Appomattox. Tnere had been too
much tragedy and this laughter-ioving man
would gain surcease from the long tension on his
heart strings by forgetting fact in fiction the real
in the apparent.