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He Knew Lincoln | |
Author | Ida Tarbell |
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Published |
1896
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Language | English |
Nationality | American |
Genre | History, Muckraking Journalism |
1896 Short Story
He Knew Lincoln
He Knew Lincoln is an English History, Muckraking Journalism short story by American writer Ida Tarbell. It was first published in 1896. He Knew Lincoln is an engaging narrative by Billy Brown in a down-home dialect that will engage your children to find out more about America's sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. "Greatest man to git new yarns that ever lived, always askin’, ‘Heard any new stories, Billy?"
He Knew Lincoln
by Ida Tarbell
He has the pass-key to hearts, to him the response of the prying of hands on the knobs. Walt Whitmans Song of the Answerer"
“Did I know Lincoln? Well, I should say. See that chair there? Take it, set down. Thats right. Comfortable, aint it? Well, sir, Abraham Lincoln has set in that chair hours, him and Little Doug, and Logan and Judge Davis, all of em, all the big men in this State, set in that chair. See them marks? Whittlin. Judge Logan did it, all-firedest man to whittle. Always cuttin away at something. I just got that chair new, paid six dollars for it, and I be blamed if I didnt come in this store and find him slashin right into that arm. I picked up a stick and said: Here, Judge, sposin you cut this. He just looked at me and then flounced out, mad as a wet hen. Mr. Lincoln was here, and you ought to heard him tee-hee. He was always here. Come and set by the stove by the hour and tell stories and talk and argue. Id ruther heard the debates them men had around this old stove than heard Webster and Clay and Calhoun and the whole United States Senate. There want never no United States Senate that could beat just what Ive heard right here in this room with Lincoln settin in that very chair where you are this minute.
He traded here. Ive got his accounts now. See here, quinine, quinine, quinine. Greatest hand to buy quinine you ever seen. Give it to his constituents. Oh, he knew how to be popular, Mr. Lincoln did. Cutest man in politics. I want a Whig. I was then and I am now a Democrat, a real old-fashioned Jackson Democrat, and my blood just would rise up sometimes hearin him discuss. He was a dangerous mana durned dangerous man to have agin you. Hed make you think a thing when you knew it want so, and cute! Why, hed just slide in when you want expectin it and do some unexpected thing that justd make you laugh, and then hed get your vote. Youd vote for him because you liked himjust because you liked him and because he was so all-fired smart, and do it when you knew he was wrong and it was agin the interest of the country.
Tell stories? Nobody ever could beat him at that, and how hed enjoy em, just slap his hands on his knees and jump up and turn around and then set down, laughin to kill. Greatest man to git new yarns that ever lived, always askin, Heard any new stories, Billy? And if I had Id trot em out, and how hed laugh. Often and often when Ive told him something new and hed kin a forgit how it went, hed come in and say, Billy, how was that story youse tellin me? and then Id tell it all over.
He was away a lot, you know, ridin the circuit along with some right smart lawyers. They had great doins. Nuthin to do evenings but to set around the tavern stove tellin stories. That was enough when Lincoln was there. They was all lost without him. Old Judge Davis was boss of that lot, and he never would settle down till Lincoln got around. Ive heard em laugh lots of times how the Judge would fuss around and keep askin, Wheres Mr. Lincoln, why dont Mr. Lincoln come? Somebody go and find Lincoln, and when Lincoln came he would just settle back and get him started 7to yarning, and there theyd set half the night.
When he got home hed come right in here first time he was downtown and tell me every blamed yarn hed heard. Whole crowd would get in here sometimes and talk over the trip, and I tell you it was something to hear em laugh. You could tell how Lincoln kept things stirred up. He was so blamed quick. Ever hear Judge Weldon tell that story about what Lincoln said one day up to Bloomington when they was takin up a subscription to buy Jim Wheeler a new pair of pants? No? Well, perhaps I oughten to tell it to you, ma says it aint nice. It makes me mad to hear people objectin to Mr. Lincolns stories. Mebbe he did say words you wouldnt expect to hear at a church supper, but he never put no meanin into em that wouldnt a been fit for the minister to put into a sermon, and thats a blamed sight moren you can say of a lot of stories Ive heard some of the people tell who stick up their noses at Mr. Lincolns yarns.
Yes, sir, he used to keep things purty well stirred up on that circuit. That time I was a speakin of he made Judge Davis real mad; it happened right in court and everybody got to gigglin fit to kill. The Judge knew twas something Lincoln had said and he began to sputter.
I am not going to stand this any longer, Mr. Lincoln, youre always disturbin this court with your tomfoolery. Im goin to fine you. The clerk will fine Mr. Lincoln five dollars for disorderly conduct. The boys said Lincoln never said a word; he just set lookin down with his hand over his mouth, tryin not to laugh. About a minute later the Judge, 9who was always on pins and needles till he knew all the fun that was goin on, called up Weldon and whispered to him, What was that Lincoln said? Weldon told him, and Ill be blamed if the Judge didnt giggle right out loud there in court. The joke was on him then, and he knew it, and soon as he got his face straight he said, dignified like, The clerk may remit Mr. Lincolns fine.
Yes, he was a mighty cute story-teller, but he knew what he was about tellin em. I tell you he got more arguments out of stories than he did out of law books, and the queer part was you couldnt answer emthey just made you see it and you couldnt get around it. Im a Democrat, but Ill be blamed if I didnt have to vote for Mr. Lincoln as President, couldnt help it, and it was all on account of that snake story of hisn illustratin the takin of slavery into Kansas and Nebraska. Remember it? I heard him tell it in a speech once.
If I saw a pizen snake crawlin in the road, he says, Id kill it with the first thing I could grab; but if I found it in bed with my children, Id be mighty careful how I touched it fear Id make it bite the children. If I found it in bed with somebody elses children Id let them take care of it; but if I found somebody puttin a whole batch of young snakes into an empty bed where mine or anybodys children was going to sleep pretty soon, Id stop him from doin it if I had to fight him. Perhaps he didnt say fight him, but somehow I always tell that story that way because I know I would and so would he or you or anybody. That was what it was all about when you come down to it. They was trying to put a batch of snakes into an empty bed that folks was goin to sleep in.
Before I heard that story Id heard Lincoln say a hundred times, settin right there in that chair, where you are, Boys, weve got to stop slavery or its goin to spread all over this country, but, somehow, I didnt see it before. Them snakes finished me. Then I knew hed got it right and Id got to vote for him. Pretty tough, though, for me to go back on Little Doug. You see he was our great man, so we thought. Been to the United States Senate and knew all the big bugs all over the country. Sort o looked and talked great. Want no comparison between him and Lincoln in looks and talk. Of course, we all knew he want honest, like Lincoln, but blamed if I didnt think in them days Lincoln was too all-fired honestkind of innocent honest. He couldnt stand it nohow to have things said that want so. He just felt plumb bad about lies. I remember once bein in court over to Decatur when Mr. Lincoln was tryin a case. There was a fellow agin him that didnt have no prejudices against lyin in a lawsuit, and he was tellin how Lincoln had said this an that, tryin to mix up the jury. It was snowin bad outside, and Mr. Lincoln had wet his feet and he was tryin to dry em at the stove. He had pulled off one shoe and was settin there holdin up his great big foot, his forehead all puckered up, listenin to that ornery lawyers lies. All at onct he jumped up and hopped right out into the middle of the court-room.
Now, Judge, he says, that aint fair. I didnt say no sich thing, and he knows I didnt. I aint goin to have this jury all fuddled up.
You never see anything so funny in a court-room as that big fellow standin there in one stockin foot, a shoe in his hand, talking so earnest. No, sir, he couldnt stand a lie.
Think he was a big man, then? Nopenever did. Just as I said, we all thought Douglas was our big man. You know I felt kind of sorry for Lincoln when they began to talk about him for President. It seemed almost as if somebody was makin fun of him. He didnt look like a president. I never had seen one, but we had pictures of em, all of em from George Washington down, and they looked somehow as if they were different kind of timber from us. Leastwise thats always the way it struck me. Now Mr. Lincoln he was just like your own folksno trouble to talk to him, no siree. Somehow you just settled down comfortable to visitin the minute he come in. I couldnt imagine George Washington or Thomas Jefferson settin here in that chair youre in tee-heein over some blamed yarn of mine. None of us around town took much stock in his bein elected at firstthat is, none of the men, the women was different. They always believed in him, and used to say, You mark my word, Mr. Lincoln will be president. Hes just made for it, hes good, hes the best man ever lived and he ought to be president. I didnt see no logic in that then, but I dunno but there was some after all.
It seems all right now though. I reckon I learned somethin watchin him be Presidentlearned a lotnot that it made any difference in him. Funniest thing to see him goin around in this townnot a mite changedand the whole United States a watchin him and the biggest men in the country runnin after him and reporters hangin around to talk to him and fellers makin his pictures in ile and every other way. That didnt make no difference to himonly he didnt like bein so busy he couldnt come in here much. He had a room over there in the Court Houseroom on that corner there. I never looked up that it want chuck full of people wantin him. This old town was full of people all the timedelegations and committees and politicians and newspaper men. Only time I ever see Horace Greeley, he came in here to buy quinine. Mr. Lincoln sent him. Think of that, Horace Greeley buyin quinine of me.
Horace Greeley, he came in here to buy quinine
No end of other great men around. He saw em all. Sometimes I used to step over and watch himdidnt bother him a mite to see a big mannot a mite. Hed jest shake hands and talk as easy and natural as if twas meand he didnt do no struttin either. Some of the fellers who come to see him looked as if they was goin to be president, but Mr. Lincoln didnt put on any airs. No, sir, and he didnt cut any of his old friends either. Tickled to death to see em every time, and they all comeblamed if every old man and woman in Sangamon County didnt trot up here to see him. Theyd all knowed him when he was keepin store down to New Salem and swingin a chainsurveyed lots of their towns for emhe hadand then hed electioneered all over that county, too, so they just come in droves to bid him good-by. I was over there one day when old Aunt Sally Lowdy came in the door. Aunt Sally lived down near New Salem, and I expect shed mended Mr. Lincolns pants many a time; for all them old women down there just doted on him and took care of him as if he was their own boy. Well, Aunt Sally stood lookin kind a scared seein so many strangers and not knowin precisely what to do, when Mr. Lincoln spied her. Quick as a wink he said, Excuse me, gentlemen, and he just rushed over to that old woman and shook hands with both of hisn and says, Now, Aunt Sally, this is real kind of you to come and see me. How are you and hows Jake? (Jake was her boy.) Come right over here, and he led her over, as if she was the biggest lady in Illinois, and says, Gentlemen, this is a good old friend of mine. She can make the best flapjacks you ever tasted, and shes baked em for me many a time. Aunt Sally was jest as pink as a rosy, she was so tickled. And she says, Abeall the old folks in Sangamon called him Abe. They knowed him as a boy, but dont you believe anybody ever did up here. No, sir, we said Mr. Lincoln. He was like one of us, but he want no man to be over familiar with. Abe, says Aunt Sally, I had to come and say good-by. They say down our way theyre goin to kill you if they get you down to Washington, but I dont believe it. I just tell em youre too smart to let em git ahead of you that way. I thought Id come and bring you a present, knit em myself, and Ill be blamed if that old lady didnt pull out a great big pair of yarn socks and hand em to Mr. Lincoln.
Aunt Sally, you couldnt a done nuthin which would have pleased me better
Well, sir, it was the funniest thing to see Mr. Lincolns face pucker up and his eyes twinkle and twinkle. He took them socks and held em up by the toes, one in each hand. They was the longest socks I ever see. The lady got my latitude and longitude bout right, didnt she, gentlemen? he says, and then he laid em down and he took Aunt Sallys hand and he says tender-like, Aunt Sally, you couldnt a done nothin which would have pleased me better. Ill take em to Washington and wear em, and think of you when I do it. And I declare he said it so first thing I knew I was almost blubberin, and I want the only one nuther, and I bet he did wear em in Washington. I can jest see him pullin off his shoe and showin them socks to Sumner or Seward or some other big bug that was botherin him when he wanted to switch off on another subject and tellin em the story about Aunt Sally and her flapjacks.
Was there much talk about his bein killed? Well, theres an awful lot of fools 20in this world and when they dont git what they want theyre always for killin somebody. Mr. Lincoln never let on, but I reckon his mail was pretty lively readin sometimes. He got pictures of gallows and pistols and other things and lots of threats, so they said. I dont think that worried him much. He was more bothered seein old Buchanan givin the game away. I wish I could have got down there before the horse was stole, I heard him say onct in here, talkin to some men. But I reckon I can find the tracks when I do git there. It was his cabinet bothered him most, I always thought. He didnt know the men hed got to take well enough. Didnt know how far he could count on em. He and Judge Gillespie and one or two others was in here one day sittin by the stove talkin, and he says, Judge, I wisht I could take all you boys down to Washington with me, Democrats and all, and make a cabinet out of you. Id know where every man would fit and we could git right down to work. Now, Ive got to learn my men before I can do much. Do you mean, Mr. Lincoln, youd take a Democrat like Logan? says the Judge, sort of shocked. Yes, sir, I would; I know Logan. Hes agin me now and thats all right, but if we have trouble you can count on Logan to do the right thing by the country, and thats the kind of men I wantthem as will do the right thing by the country. Taint a question of Lincoln, or Democrat or Republican, Judge; its a question of the country.
Of course he seemed pretty cheerful always. He want no man to show out all he felt. Lots of them little stuck-up chaps that came out here to talk to him said, 22solemn as owls, He dont realize the gravity of the situation. Thems their words, gravity of the situation. Think of that, Mr. Lincoln not realizing. They ought to heard him talk to us the night he went away. Ill never forgit that speechnor any man who heard it. I can see him now just how he looked, standin there on the end of his car. Hed been shakin hands with the crowd in the depot, laughing and talking, just like himself, but when he got onto that car he seemed suddint to be all changed. You never seen a face so sad in all the world. I tell you he had woe in his heart that minute, woe. He knew he was leavin us for good, nuthin else could explain the way he looked and what he said. He knew he never was comin back alive. It was rainin hard, but when we saw him standin there in bare head, his great big eyes lookin at us so lovin and mournful, every man of us took off his hat, just as if hed been in church. You never heard him make a speech, of course? You missed a lot. Curious voice. You could hear it away offkind of shrill, but went right to your heartand that night it sounded sadder than anything I ever heard. You know I always hear it to this day, nights when the wind howls around the house. Ma says it makes her nervous to hear me talk about him such nights, but I cant help it; just have to let out.
He stood a minute lookin at us, and then he began to talk. There aint a man in this town that heard him that ever forgot what he said, but I dont believe theres a man that ever said it over out loudhe couldnt, without cryin. He just talked to us that time out of his heart. Somehow we felt all of a suddint how we loved him and how he loved us. We hadnt taken any stock in all that talk about his bein killed, but when he said he was goin away not knowin where or whether ever he would return I just got cold all over. I begun to see that minute and everybody did. The women all fell to sobbin and a kind of groan went up, and when he asked us to pray for him I dont believe that there was a man in that crowd, whether he ever went to church in his life, that didnt want to drop right down on his marrow bones and ask the Lord to take care of Abraham Lincoln and bring him back to us, where he belonged.
He just talked to us that time out of his heart
Ever see him again? Yes, onct down in Washington, summer of 64. Things was lookin purty blue that summer. Didnt seem to be anybody who thought hed git reëlected. Greeley was abusin him in The Tribune for not makin peace, and you know there was about half the North that always let Greeley do their thinkin fer em. The war want comin on at allseemed as if they never would do nuthin. Grant was hangin on to Petersburg like a dog to a root, but it didnt seem to do no good. Same with Sherman, who was tryin to take Atlanta. The country was just petered out with the everlastin taxes an fightin an dyin. It want human nature to be patient any longer, and they just spit it out on Mr. Lincoln, and then, right on top of all the grumblin and abusin, he up and made another draft. Course he was right, but I tell you nobody but a brave man would a done such a thing at that minute; but he did it. It was hard on us out here. I tell you there want many houses in this country where there want mournin goin 26on. It didnt seem as if we could stand any more blood lettin. Some of the boys round the State went down to see him about it. They came back lookin pretty sheepish. Joe Medill, up to Chicago, told me about it onct. He said, We just told Mr. Lincoln we couldnt stand another draft. We was through sendin men down to Petersburg to be killed in trenches. He didnt say nuthin; just stood still, lookin down till wed all talked ourselves out; and then, after a while, he lifted up his head, and looked around at us, slow-like; and I tell you, Billy, I never knew till that minute that Abraham Lincoln could get mad clean through. He was just white he was that mad. Boys, he says, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Youre actin like a lot of cowards. Youve helped make this war, and youve got to help fight it. You go home and raise them men and dont you dare come down here again blubberin about what I tell you to do. I wont stan it. We was so scared we never said a word. We just took our hats and went out like a lot of school-boys. Talk about Abraham Lincoln bein easy! When it didnt matter mebbe he was easy, but when it did you couldnt stir him any moren you could a mountain.
Youre actin like a lot of cowards. Youve helped make this war, and youve got to help fight it
Well, I kept hearin about the trouble he was havin with everybody, and I just made up my mind Id go down and see him and swap yarns and tell him how we was all countin on his gettin home. Thought maybe it would cheer him up to know we set such store on his comin home if they didnt want him for president. So I jest picked up and went right off. Ma was real good about my goin. She says, I shouldnt wonder if twould do him good, William. And dont you ask 28him no questions about the war nor about politics. You just talk home to him and tell him some of them foolish stories of yourn.
Well, I had a brother in Washington, clerk in a departmentawful set up cause he had an officeand when I got down there I told him Id come to visit Mr. Lincoln. He says, William, be you a fool? Folks dont visit the President of the United States without an invitation, and hes too busy to see anybody but the very biggest people in this administration. Why, he dont even see me, he says. Well, it made me huffy to hear him talk. Isaac, I says, I dont wonder Mr. Lincoln dont see you. But its different with me. Him and me is friends.
Well he says, youve got to have cards anyway. Cards, I says, what for? What kind? Why, he says, visitin cardswith your name on. Well, I says, its come to a pretty pass, if an old friend like me cant see Mr. Lincoln without sendin him a piece of pasteboard. Id be ashamed to do such a thing, Isaac Brown. Do you suppose hes forgotten me? Needs to see my name printed out to know who I am? You cant make me believe any such thing, and I walked right out of the room, and that night I footed it up to the Soldiers Home where Mr. Lincoln was livin then, right among the sick soldiers in their tents.
There was lots of people settin around in a little room, waitin fer him, but there want anybody there I knowed, and I was feelin a little funny when a door opened and out came little John Nicolay. He came from down this way, so I just went up and says, Howd you do, John; wheres Mr Lincoln? Well, John didnt seem over glad to see me.
Have you an appintment with Mr. Lincoln? he says.
No, sir, I says; I aint, and it aint necessary. Mebbe its all right and fittin for them as wants post-offices to have appintments, but I reckon Mr. Lincolns old friends dont need em, so you just trot along, Johnnie, and tell him Billy Browns here and see what he says. Well, he kind a flushed up and set his lips together, but he knowed me, and so he went off. In about two minutes the door popped open and out came Mr. Lincoln, his face all lit up. He saw me first thing, and he laid holt of me and just shook my hands fit to kill. Billy, he says, now I am glad to see you. Come right in. Youre goin to stay to supper with Mary and me.
We went out on the back stoop and sat down and talked and talked
Didnt I know it? Think bein president would change himnot a mite. Well, he had a right smart lot of people to see, but soon as he was through we went out on the back stoop and set down and talked and talked. He asked me about pretty nigh everybody in Springfield. I just let loose and told him about the weddins and births and the funerals and the buildin, and I guess there want a yarn Id heard in the three years and a half hed been away that I didnt spin for him. Laughyou ought to a heard him laughjust did my heart good, for I could see what theyd been doin to him. Always was a thin man, but, Lordy, he was thinnern ever now, and his face was kind a drawn and grayenough to make you cry.
Well, we had supper and then talked some more, and about ten oclock I started downtown. Wanted me to stay all night, but I says to myself, Billy, dont you overdo it. Youve cheered him up, and you better light out and let him remember it when hes tired. So I said, Nope, Mr. Lincoln, cant, goin back to Springfield to-morrow. Ma dont like to have me away and my boy aint no great shakes keepin store. Billy, he says, what did you come down here for? I come to see you, Mr. Lincoln. But you aint asked me for anything, Billy. What is it? Out with it. Want a post-office? he said, gigglin, for he knowed I didnt. No, Mr. Lincoln, just wanted to see youfelt kind a lonesomebeen so long since Id sen you, and I was afraid Id forgit some of them yarns if I didnt unload soon.
Well, sir, you ought to seen his face as he looked at me.
Billy Brown, he says, slow-like, do you mean to tell me you came all the way from Springfield, Illinois, just to have a visit with me, that you dont want an office for anybody, nor a pardon for anybody, that you aint got no complaints in your pockets, nor any advice up your sleeve?
Yes, sir, I says, thats about it, and Ill be durned if I wouldnt go to Europe to see you, if I couldnt do it no other way, Mr. Lincoln.
Well, sir, I never was so astonished in my life. He just grabbed my hand and shook it nearly off, and the tears just poured down his face, and he says, Billy, you neverll know what good youve done me. Im homesick, Billy, just plumb homesick, and it seems as if this war never would be over. Many a night I can see the boys a-dyin on the fields and can hear their mothers cryin for em at home, and I cant help em, Billy. I have to send them down there. Weve got to save the Union, Billy, weve got to.
Course we have, Mr. Lincoln, I says, cheerful as I could, course we have. Dont you worry. Its most over. Youre goin to be reëlected, and you and old Grants goin to finish this war mighty quick then. Just keep a stiff upper lip, Mr. Lincoln, and dont forget them yarns I told you. And I started out. But seems as if he couldnt let me go. Wait a minute, Billy, he says, till I get my hat and Ill walk a piece with you. It was one of them still sweet-smellin summer nights with no end of stars and you aint no idee how pretty twas walkin down the road. There was white tents showin through the trees and every little way a tall soldier standin stock still, a gun at his side. Made me feel mighty curious and solemn. By-and-by we come out of the trees to a sightly place where you could look all over Washingtonsee the Potomac and clean into Virginia. There was a bench there and we set down and after a while Mr. Lincoln he begun to talk. Well, sir, you or nobody ever heard anything like it. Blamed if he didnt tell me the whole thingall about the war and the generals and Seward and Sumner and Congress and Greeley and the whole blamed lot. He just opened up his heart if I do say it. Seemed as if hed come to a pint where he must let out. I dunno how long we set theremust have been nigh morning, fer the stars begun to go out before he got up to go. Good-by, Billy, he says, youre the first person I ever unloaded onto, and I hope you wont think Im a baby, and then we shook hands again, and I walked down to town and next day I come home.
Tell you what he said? Nope, I cant. Cant talk about it somehow. Fact is, I never told anybody about what he said that night. Tried to tell ma onct, but she cried, so I give it up.
Yes, thats the last time I seen himlast time alive.
Want long after that things began to look better. War began to move right smart, and, soon as it did, there want no use talkin about anybody else for President. I see that plain enough, and, just as I told him, he was reëlected, and him an Grant finished up the war in a hurry. I tell you it was a great day out here when we heard Lee had surrendered. Twas just like gettin converted to have the war over. Somehow the only thing I could think of was how glad Mr. Lincoln would be. Me and ma reckoned hed come right out and make us a visit and get rested, and we began right off to make plans about the reception wed give himbrass bandparadespeechesfireworkseverything. Seems as if I couldnt think about anything else. I was comin down to open the store one mornin, and all the way down I was plannin how Id decorate the windows and how Id tie a flag on that old chair, when I see Hiram Jones comin toward me. He looked so old and all bent over I didnt know what had happened. Hiram, I says, whats the matter? Be you sick?
Billy, he says, and he couldnt hardly say it, Billy, theyve killed Mr. Lincoln.
Well, I just turned cold all over, and then I flared up. Hiram Jones, I says, youre lyin, youre crazy. How dare you tell me that? It aint so.
Dont Billy, he says, dont go on so. I aint lyin. Its so. Hell never come back, Billy. Hes dead! And he fell to sobbin out loud right there in the street, and somehow I knew it was true.
I come on down and opened the door. People must have paregoric and castor ile and liniment, no matter who dies; but I didnt put up the shades. I just sat here and thought and thought and groaned and groaned. It seemed that day as if the country was plumb ruined and I didnt care much. All I could think of was him. He want goin to come back. He wouldnt never sit here in that chair again. He was dead.
For days and days twas awful here. Waitin and waitin. Seemed as if that funeral never would end. I couldnt bear to think of him bein dragged around the country and havin all that fuss made over him. He always hated fussin so. Still, I spose Id been mad if they hadnt done it. Seemed awful, though. I kind a felt that he belonged to us now, that they ought to bring him back and let us have him now theyd killed him.
Of course they got here at last, and I must say it was pretty grand. All sorts of big bugs, Senators and Congressmen, and officers in grand uniforms and music and flags and crape. They certainly didnt spare no pains givin him a funeral. Only we didnt want em. We wanted to bury him ourselves, but they wouldnt let us. I went over onct where theyd laid him out for folks to see. I reckon I wont tell you about that. I aint never goin to get that out of my mind. I wisht a million times Id never seen him lyin there black and changedthat I could only see him as he looked sayin good-by to me up to the Soldiers Home in Washington that night.
Ma and me didnt go to the cemetery with em. I couldnt stan it. Didnt seem right to have sich goins on here at home where he belonged, for a man like him. But we go up often now, ma and me does, and talk about him. Blamed if it dont seem sometimes as if he was right theremight step out any minute and say Hello, Billy, any new stories?
Yes. I knowed Abraham Lincoln; knowed him well; and I tell you there want never a better man made. Leastwise I dont want to know a better one. He just suited meAbraham Lincoln did.
THE END