The assassin, Wilkes Booth, born in Maryland, had a passionate ardor for the Secession cause, with no disposition to share its battles in the field. He performed with alcoholic courage a chosen or allotted part which suited him better. He had done enough theatrical work to screen his service as a go-between and spyappearing one while on the boards at Nashville, where he tried to ingratiate himself with Military-Governor Johnson. He even found some admirers in Republican society at Washington, where he chiefly tarried during the summer of 1864, when not with his Confederate friends in Canada. Among the designs cherished in the latter quarter was one for the abduction of President Lincoln, to be carried to Richmond as a prisoner. Booth was made the leader in executing this design an absurdly impracticable one, unless the real intent was murder. Full preparations were made late in the summer, including the performance of a popular comedy at the Soldiers' Home, at which the President was to have been present. An unexpected detention prevented his attendance, and the kidnapping scheme was given up; but Booth did not disband the gang he had organized for this occasion. He continued to meet them secretly at the house of a Mrs. Surratt, in Washington; and it was finally determined to proceed directly against the life of the President and others in high official positions. Booth alone accomplished the deed undertaken. Secretary Seward, however, was attacked, and narrowly escaped death, being long confined on account of the wounds he received.

"The President and his Lady will be at Ford's Theatre this evening " was advertised on the fatal day

with much repetition through the columns of the afternoon paper. Grant's presence was also intended, but a telegram in the early evening called him northward. Lincoln would have preferred to remain at home, but was unwilling to disappoint an expectation which he had encouraged. Accompanied by Major Rathbone and Miss Harris, daughter of a New York Senator, he arrived late, and was most heartily greeted by the audience. As scene followed scene in his presence for half an hour or more, his attention to the stage was rather seeming than real. Occasionally he talked with his wife speaking especially of the better days they might hope for now that the great conflict was over, and of his wish that when his official service finally ended they might together visit the Holy Land. These were the last words she remembered of this last conversation.

In the middle of a scene, when only one of the three characters just before in dialogue remained on the stage, there was a pause; a pistol shot was heard; a figure clad in black leaped from the President's box, stumbled, instantly rose, and escaped at the rear. In his hand was a dagger, with which he had cut the arm of Major Rathbone, who sought to detain him in the box. It is uncertain whether he shouted "Sic semper tyrannis!" or "The South is avenged!" or both, or neither. According to the recollection of an actor who was standing near the assassin as he turned to flee, he said nothing.*

A surgeon was called; a guard of soldiers marched into the gallery; the theatre was speedily cleared; and

* See statement of W. J. Ferguson, in "Lincoln Number" of the Independent, April 4, 1895.

the unconscious President was borne to a small dwelling-house across the way. During that indescribable night the dying man was surrounded by his family, his private secretaries, the members of his Cabinet—except the one who was himself lying helpless at home from wounds meant to be mortal; the Vice-President and others, too, were there; medical attendants were carefully watching in utter hopelessness the variations of pulse and respiration, until, after morning light had come (7:20 A. M.), the last heart-beat was recorded.

Pursuit of the fugitive criminals was promptly pushed. Booth, attended by one of his accomplices, was traced through lower Maryland into Virginia; was found (April 26th) secreted in a tobacco-house a few miles beyond the Rappahannock; and, threateningly resisting arrest, was killed by a soldier's shot. The accomplice who fled with Booth, and three others, including Mr. Seward's assailant, were executed a few weeks later under sentence of a military court.

So many utterances of sorrow and sympathy, so many tributes and eulogies from orators, poets, authors, journalists, or such fitting unwritten words from people of all classes, were surely never before called forth by the death of any great ruler. In British America the shock was felt almost as universally as in the United States. From all parts of Great Britain and Ireland, from Germany, France, Italy, and the countries beyond, came words of condolence, with high recognition of the greatness and goodness of the departed.

On Saturday the remains of President Lincoln were

removed to the White House, which was closed during Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday, the dead lying in state in the East Room was viewed by many thousands, the crowded current of people continuing through the entire day. There were funeral services in the same room on Wednesday, followed by a procession which filled from side to side the broad avenue from the White House to the Capitol, where there was a lying-in-state in the rotunda during the following day. On Friday the funeral journey by railway began; there was a lyingin-state at Philadelphia, in Independence Hall, from Saturday evening to Monday morning; in New York, and everywhere else on the route by Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Chicago to Springfield, there were manifestations of popular feeling beyond measure or precedent. The 4th of May, the day of the final obsequies and of the entombment at Oak Ridge, was observed as a day of national mourning.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Review- Memorabilia of Lincoln.

In our American life, the "poor boy raised on a farm" who comes to be among the foremost men of his time is not so rare as to excite fresh wonder; nor was the early lot of Abraham Lincoln so essentially different from that of others who have thus risen as to reward minute examination in detail. Beyond his unduly decried father, we find a line of ancestors whose worth and respectability cannot be questioned. Aside from the school instruction which enabled him to use the aid of books, his education, like all education that counts for much in the race of life, was chiefly selfdirected. A higher course of athletics he had no need of; and few university graduates ever acquired a better knowledge than he of the one language with which he mainly had to do. Apart from every-day experience in the backwoods and what he derived from a few books, the most effective of his earlier training was in his river voyages to New Orleans, and in his campaign as captain of troopers and as scout in repelling an Indian foray. Later, his eight years' service as a member of the Illinois Legislature-beginning as one of the youngest and quietest and ending as the acknowledged leader was of inestimable value in preparation for his work at the bar and in higher public life.

What at some particular stage on his way upward