Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1921-12-30
CHAPTER XIV.

Being Brief Memoir ny the Honor.
able and Venerable Man Known in
These Pages as Josiah TrayIor, Whe
Saw the Great Procession of Events
Between Andrew jackson and Wood
row Wilson and Especially the Max
ing and the End of Lincoln.
Now, as have done often sitting
in the chimney corner at the days
end, | look back at my youth and
manhood and tell with one eye upon
the clock, of those years of fulfillment
In the progress of our beloved pilgrim.
There are four and twenty of them
that shall try to review in as many
minutes AT this distance | see only
the high plaees-one looming above
another like steps In a Atalrwa%.
The years of building aud sentiment
ended ION the fourth Of November,
1872, when he and Mary Todd were
joined in marriage. Now, IKE one hav-
ing taken note of the storm clouds. he
strengthens the structure.
Mary tried to teach him fine man.
ners. II was a difficult undertaking.
Often, as might have been expected,
she lost her patience. Mary was an
excellent girl, but rather Wholesome
and pragmatic. Like most of the prai-
rie folk for instance, Abe Lincoln had
been accustomed to react for the but
ter with his own knife, and to find
N o4AffrIne, oil "a.
and unbecQming. He enjoyed sprawl
ing on the floor In his shirt-sleeves
and slippers with pillow under his
head and book in his hand. He had
liking for ample accommodation, not
fully satisfied by a bed or lounge.
ways and naturally there was irrita-
ton in the house, but think they got
along very well together for all that
Mary grew fond of him and proud
of his great talents and was a devoted
wife. For years she did the work of
the house and bore him children. He
MIXED the cow and took care of the
horse VIXEN he was at home.
Annahe' and I, having just been
married, went with him to Washing
ton on our wedding tour in 1S47. He
was taking his seat In congress that
year. We were with him there when
he met Webster Lincoln was deeply
impressed by the quiet dignity of the
great man. We went together to hear
Emerson lecture. 1t was motley au-
dlence-business men, fashionable
ladies and gentlemen, statesmen, politi-
clans, women with their knitting and
lion-hunters. The tall. awkward ora.
tor assembled the platform, took OF
his top-coat and drew a manuscript
from his pocket He had a narrow,
sloping forehead, a prominent nose,
gray eyes and a skin Of singular trans.
parency. His voice was rich and mel.
low, but not strong. Lincoln listened
with rapt attention to his talk about
Democracy. 1t was a memorable
night. He spoke of It often. Such
contact with the great spirits Of that
time. Of which he studiously availed
himself in washington, was Of great
value to me statesman from Illinois.
His experiences on the floor were In
no way important to him, but since
1914 have thought often OF what he
said there, regarding Folks invasion
Of Mexico, unauthorized by congress
as II was:
1.-THE provision Of the Constitution
giving the war-making power 70 con.
gress was dictated, as / understand 1t,
by the following reasons: Kings had
always been involving and impoverish-
ing their people IN wars, pretending
generally that the good Of the people
was the object. This our convention
understood to be the most oppressive
Of all kingly expressions and they pro.
posed to so frame the constitution
that no man should hold the power of
bringing this oppression upon rs"
The next year he stumped Massa-
chusetts for zach" Taylor and heard
Gov. Seward deliver his remarkable
speech on slavery, which contained
this striking utterance:
Congress has no power to inhlblt
any duty commanded by God on Mount
Sinai or by His Son on the Mount Of
Olives"